"A truly comprehensive, scientifically rigorous and utterly fascinating account of when, how, and why we dream. Put simply, When Brains Dream is the essential guide to dreaming." —Matthew Walker, author of Why We SleepQuestions on the origins and meaning of dreams are as old as humankind, and as confounding and exciting today as when nineteenth-century scientists first attempted to unravel them. Why do we dream? Do dreams hold psychological meanin...

Sleep is the natural state of bodily rest, common to all mammals and birds and also seen in many reptiles, amphibians and fish. For most species, regular sleep is essential for survival, yet the specific purposes of sleep are still only partly clear and are the subject of intense research. This volume is comprised of the editors’ selection of the most relevant articles on sleep from the Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, resulting in the first comprehensive collection of introductory a...

This issue dives into the study of sleep function, particularly as it relates to memory and cognition. Any clinician who sees patients with sleep disorders, or in particular any sleep medicine specialist, will find this information enlightening and invaluable, as it discusses the current state of understanding of how sleep affects humans' waking cognitive functions. These review articles describe the research that has taken place, and the lessons that can be taken away from them, so that c...

Questions on the origins and meaning of dreams are as old as humankind, and as confounding and exciting today as when nineteenth-century scientists first attempted to unravel them. Why do we dream? Do dreams hold psychological meaning or are they merely the reflection of random brain activity? What purpose do dreams serve?When Brains Dream addresses these core questions about dreams while illuminating the most up-to-date science in the field. Written by two world-renowned ...