Dreams and the daydream retrieval hypothesis.

Dreams and daydreams share many neurobiological and experiential features, but their narrative relationship remains uncertain. The authors propose, from a subjective experientialist position, that dream content is specifically derived from daydreaming or mind-wandering, which is subserved by the default mode network. If substantiated, this concept offers a new insight into the origin of dreams. The paper reviews various theories of dream origins, including psychodynamic, Hebbian memory consolidation, and unified quantum brain theory, while noting the difficulty of studying dreams due to their ephemeral nature and the inability to simultaneously examine content and biology.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Dreams and daydreams are as beguiling as they are intangible. Both share many features, from neurobiology to the sensed experience. Nevertheless, the specific narrative relationship between both, if any, remains uncertain. Theories of dream origins are many: from the psychodynamic royal road, to biological theories including Hebbian-based memory consolidation and a unified quantum brain theory that extends to waking and dreaming alike. Both the ephemeral nature of dreams, and an inability to simultaneously study their content and biology, renders them difficult to research from a conventional biomedical perspective. This leaves agreement on the fundamental properties of dreams as ambiguous, and even the state of consciousness enjoyed during sleep is contested. What is known is that the qualia and neurophysiological signature of dreams and daydreaming share many features. We propose further, from a subjective experientialist position, that dream content is specifically derived from daydreaming or mindful wandering (subserved by the default mode network). If substantiated, this concept offers a new insight into the origin of dreams.