Thinkers and writers like dream interpreter Carl Jung and novelist Carlos Castaneda caught the world's attention in their championing of dreams as significant to our lives. Today it is no wonder that websites and books about dream meanings, dream symbols, and dream interpretations permeate our culture.
Of course, many people still think of dreams as unimportant and will roll their eyes as though interpreting dreams was a waste of time.
Most dreams occur when one is in a deep sleep. Thus, dreams are often associated with rapid eye movement sleep (REM).
Lucid dreaming refers to the state of being conscious while dreaming and exercising some control over occurrences in the dream.
Although recalling dreams is more common among women than men, keeping a dream journal can help. Many specialists recommend writing down dreams the moment they are remembered, as dreams quickly and mysteriously fade away in one's memory. Keeping a record of one's dreams can often shed light on deeper meaning upon later readings, and can facilitate a more thorough dream analysis.