Dream Questions

[lrokwild]

Can anyone remember with 100% certainty that they could smell or taste something in a dream?

 

As i recall some of my dreams I cannot honestly say if I remember a smell or taste. I know I hear sound, I even experience physical trauma, emotional responses and so forth...but never taste or smell.

 

Im curious if we have the ability to subconsciously smell or taste something. I know the thoughts of food can trigger physical reactions, but can we actually hallucinate to that degree?

 

Are hallucinations only audio and visual?

[sunspot]

This is a natural affect caused by the wiring of the brain, which I have experienced. A sensory input comes into a particular sensory system and the signal then flows into the sensory cortex, for example. The neurons that fire within the sensory area of the brain, allow us to sense the input. All a dream has to do, is trigger the neurons to fire in same area of the sensory cortex, and the same sensory stimulation will occur.

 

The observation of rapid-eye movement during dreams also suggests the unconscious stimulation of the visual areas of the brain, during dreams, can send neural currents in the opposite direction along the optic nerve, causing the eyes to flutter.

 

Picture if one was in the woods at night. It can sometimes be kind of spooky. It is not uncommon for one to begin to see things lurking in the shadows. The unconscious mind triggers the visual areas within the brain starting from within our imagination or frontal lobe. The current from this neuron firing will flow up the optic nerve into the eyes. The bounceback in the eyes, overlays our actual visual input, to create a dual visual perception. The sensory systems are wired one way into the brain, but are not polarized against countercurrent flow.

[lrokwild]

Thank you for explaining that nice and clear for everyone. You still didn’t answer my question fully.

 

Yes, ok, it is possible to experience those other senses while dreaming. You have clearly explained that and I thank you for it. Can you actually remember experiencing those other types of sensory hallucinations?

 

I’m trying to determine if its common to smell or taste something in a dream and consciously remember that smell or taste.

 

Its easy for one to close their eyes and imagine a image but it is not easy for one to imagine a taste, smell or sound strongly enough that we actually experience it. Why are we able to "day dream" visual images only and not any others?

 

Is talking to youself in your head a type of audio hallucination?

 

Is this not a very interesting concept I have brought up here? Or does someone have a complete answer?

[lrokwild]

I have my thoughts on how and why i happened to have this dream last night. I was chewing tobacco and i actually tasted the familiar taste...and as my mouth filled up with spit i had to go outside to spit it out...and when i did i actually spit physically on my pillow and woke up....laughed at myself and went back to sleep.... so that solves one question... yes... we can taste in our dreams.... just i dont think we do as often as we see and hear things... lol .... im going to try and smell something tonight

 

still cant believe i spit on my pillow lol!

[jackonaut]

I think we are always able to taste and smell in our dreams, but I feel that these aspects of dreams are the least notable or recognizable (compared to visual and auditory perceptions), and therefor are usually not remembered as clearly upon waking. Personally, I've recalled tastes and scents from many dreams, especially during lucid dreams.

 

Once, while I was laying in bed before falling asleep, I was having thoughts about strawberry flavored cigars that I often smoke. While these thoughts were going through my head I got a very strong and distinct scent of this wonderful strawberry flavor (and there were clearly no cigars present). I assume that because of having strong thoughts about these cigars, my brain triggered this perception. This is the only time I can remember something like this ever happening to me, so I find it very strange and interesting.

[Zingaro]

Because it's so rare when the few times I experience taste, touch or smell in a dream I wake up quite impressed by the experience. I think I've experienced each as little as twice. Maybe it happened other times and I don't remember

[alice]

I spoke in one of my dreams but I didn't know. My sister told me I did. I tried to recall if I had said it in my dream but I didn't. Maybe it's because we don't fully remember our dreams.

 

Is there a possibility that we can invent a dream recorder like that of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within?

[TimbaLanD]

so what exactly is a dream?

[Royston]

Is there a possibility that we can invent a dream recorder like that of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within?

 

There is technology that could maybe make this a reality, but the details are fuzzy at best...I started a thread on this a few months ago, I'll try and find the link.

 

Like you, I've been know to talk in my dreams...I've also gotten up to urinate somewhere whilst asleep (this is actually quite common amongst men.) Which has caused a lot of embarassment, despite being completely oblivious. Quite amusing when you hear in the morning your friend had to leap off an armchair, because I was about to do my business in his direction.

 

As for smelling and tasting in my dreams...I get this occasionally, I definetly have incidental music in my dreams which is quite amusing, and the sense of touch is blatantly there...e.g being grabbed by something in a dream is a very powerful sensation, and can make me wake up with a jolt.

 

EDIT: Alice, here you go...http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12532&highlight=cat+brains

[alice]

I've also gotten up to urinate somewhere whilst asleep (this is actually quite common amongst men.)

 

I think it's what they call sleep walking. Why do people do such things?

 

As for smelling and tasting in my dreams...I get this occasionally, I definetly have incidental music in my dreams which is quite amusing, and the sense of touch is blatantly there...e.g being grabbed by something in a dream is a very powerful sensation, and can make me wake up with a jolt.

 

I had a dream of the same kind. It felt like someone was choking me and I could hardly breath. I woke up and found myself staring in the dark.

 

I also have recurring dreams. And it usually have it before something bad happens. In my dream, I see a big web, and I constantly gasp for air as the silvery thread comes closer to me. It gives me the creeps after I wake up. It's like my very own nightmare.

 

EDIT: Alice, here you go...http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12532&highlight=cat+brains

 

Thanks for the link! I'll read it when I have the time!

[sabbath]

I haven't had a dream in a while...at least one that I can remember. Just blank. I think it's been going on for over a month, maybe two. But as far as I can recall I did have dreams where I can remember smell, taste, touch, visual and audio. But rarely.

 

My dreams are often hazy and vague, sort of misty or foggy. But the distinct ones are those where the intensity of light is sort of surreal. In fact I remember memories in that way, sometimes. When a specific degree of light is present, my mind is suddenly triggered, and I remember a specific memory. It's sort of weird...but that's how it is with me. I also remember with smell.

 

As for dreams...I used to have ones that I coudln't understand, the usual falling dreams that bring me to a jolt, dreams where I couldn't breathe and felt strangled, dreams where I felt that I was awake but couldn't move. I could see my room and everything in the dark, but I couldn't budge an inch. That was way weird and it happened two nights in a row.

 

That's it for me.

[alice]

dreams where I felt that I was awake but couldn't move. I could see my room and everything in the dark, but I couldn't budge an inch. That was way weird and it happened two nights in a row..

 

It happened to me too. And I couldn't breathe. It was as though life was taken out of me. I felt really bad afterwards. But it only happened to me once. I don't know why. Hmm... Is there an explanation for this? They say that it's just stress...is it?

[Cloud]

I even experience physical trauma

 

Ouch ! Those ones are pretty bad.

 

I've been shot at, knifed upped. I think one of the worst ones was falling into a deep pool. I actually felt the sense of drowning and the water all around me as I struggled to swim up. That was horrible.

 

As for the taste and smell - wierd.

I too can't remember any sense of these. Maybe I smelt the water, I don't know. Maybe these senses can't be recreated by the mind because they are not "physical." (its not possible to see taste or smell)

[alice]

It happens to me a lot-being chased by some monster and somehow, no matter how hard i try to run, the monster catches up with me. then i fall into a bottomless pit. my heart leaps and then the scene changes. this time, i'm drowning or in the middle of a web. weird eyes stare at me, my face reflected in their eyes, then i feel choked and out of breath.

 

i had the weirdest of dreams where i was able to dream it continuosly. like it was a series on tv. and it happened for a week, or sometimes an interval of two days then the dream continues.

[sammie]

I had a dream acctually once after I quit useing drugs for about 2 months that I got high, and when I woke up I actually felt high for about a good ten minutes after I woke up, it really freaked me out.