When Brains Dream

Exploring the Science and Mystery of Sleep

By: Antonio Zadra, Robert Stickgold

Narrated by: Bob Souer

Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Questions on the origins and meaning of dreams are as old as humankind and as confounding and exciting today as when 19th-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 sleep and dream researchers, it debunks common myths while acknowledging the mysteries that persist around both the science and experience of dreaming.

Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold bring together state-of-the-art neuroscientific ideas and findings to propose a new and innovative model of dream function called NEXTUP - Network Exploration to Understand Possibilities. By detailing this model's workings, they help listeners understand key features of several types of dreams, from prophetic dreams to nightmares and lucid dreams. When Brains Dream reveals recent discoveries about the sleeping brain and the many ways in which dreams are psychologically, and neurologically, meaningful experiences; explores a host of dream-related disorders; and explains how dreams can facilitate creativity and be a source of personal insight.

©2021 Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold (P)2021 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Should be "next-up" on your reading list!

I have read many books over the past 30 years on the science of dreaming. Every once in a while, a perspective, or model, for dreaming takes me by surprise — which is why I have thoroughly enjoyed this book! In "When Brains Dreams" the authors have presented a new model of dream function that explains why a human brain must dream to carry out critical components of its sleep dependent memory evolution function. This model is called NEXTUP (network exploration to understand possibilities). Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold present an engaging and illuminating perspective on why our brains dream!

Best book yet on dreaming

This book on dreaming covers so many aspects of dreaming in a completely understandable way for both the general public and researchers. The book has it all: history of dreaming research, modern research on dreaming and dream content , contemporary research on sleep and what happens when we sleep (and what happens when we are sleep deprived). As an important bonus, the authors articulate their own theory on why we dream that’s based on scientific evidence. I think it’s the best one out there.

good

stimulating and entertaining. i particularly enjoyed the real life examples and applications in both modern and past times

Information and Interesting

There is factual inaccuracy in the book but overall it’s well written, easy to read, informative and insightful. Most readers will gain a new understanding and appreciation for the dreaming brain. There are lots of mediocre books available- this is not one of them.

I only read "why do we dream" & "Next up"

I heard about this book from Next Big Idea Club which prompted me to get an audio version of it. I enjoyed two chapters called "why do we dream" & "Next up" a lot.