Our perception of sensing then reacting is an illusion. The brain constantly predicts the next moment based on past experiences, preparing actions before sensory information fully arrives. This predictive process is far more efficient than constantly reacting to the world from scratch, meaning we act first, then sense.

The hippocampus, traditionally known as the brain's memory center for past events, is also crucial for imagination. It works by associating and reassembling stored information in novel ways to construct future scenarios you haven't experienced.

Excessive screen stimuli and reduced sleep are causing widespread 'dream loss.' This deficit goes beyond individual health, crippling our collective ability to metabolize challenges and envision novel solutions for complex problems like climate change, creating an 'evolutionary catch-22'.

A key function of dreaming is to explore weak associations between new and old memories (a process called NEXTUP). The brain weaves these connections into a narrative, and your emotional reaction within the dream serves as the evaluation mechanism to decide if the new association is valuable and worth strengthening.

Contrary to popular belief, Sigmund Freud did not found the scientific study of dreams. In the 19th century, pioneers like Alfred Murray and Mary Witten Calkins were already conducting innovative investigations using statistical principles and analyzing brain function during sleep.

The brain doesn't strive for objective, verbatim recall. Instead, it constantly updates and modifies memories, infusing them with emotional context and takeaways. This process isn't a bug; its purpose is to create useful models to guide future decisions and ensure survival.

While many mammals dream, only humans share their dreams. This practice of communal interpretation provided a source of group cohesion, creativity, and strategic advice for early societies, which propelled our species' uniquely rapid cultural and technological advancement.

During REM sleep, the brain is in a unique state where the stress neurochemical noradrenaline is completely shut off. This allows the brain to reprocess difficult emotional experiences without the anxiety response, effectively stripping the painful charge from the memory itself.

The brain exhibits rapid plasticity, with unused areas being repurposed within hours. As vision is useless in evolutionary nighttime darkness, dreaming may be the brain's way of sending "keep-alive" signals to the visual cortex every 90 minutes, defending that neural real estate from takeover by hearing and touch.