Message #40165

[mccoy]

Eric, as far as I understood, both states are necessary, if you suppress dreams, then the brain will claim them back by hallucinations but the risk for depression, mental instability and suicide will increase. If you suppress deep sleep, then you are at risk of heart failure, infection, dementia.

Typical substances which alter the natural cycle and tend to decrease REM stages durations are alcohol and marijuana. Alcoholics often have hallucinations (often scary ones) because of the lack of enough REM sleep.

Yogananda 80+ years ago told things a little differently but as a whole coherent with modern research. That deep slumber is more resting and dreams are a reflection of the waking consciousness. That is true, deep sleep provides rest to the cardiovascular system and brain and dreams seem to be recollections of our experiences haphazardly reassembled by the brain in a semi-coherent scenario.