Oneirology

An artist's imaginary version of a dream.

Oneirology (/ɒnɪˈrɒlədʒi/; from Greek ὄνειρον, oneiron, "dream"; and -λογία, -logia, "the study of") is the scientific study of dreams.

Current research seeks connections between dreaming and current knowledge about how the brain works, as well as understanding of how the brain works during dreaming as pertains to memory formation and mental disorders. The study of oneirology can mean from dream interpretation in that the aim is to quantitatively study the process of dreams instead of analyzing the meaning behind them. Oneirology is about dreams and how they work. Most dreams happen in the REM [rapid eye movement] phase of their sleep. Dreams can have a good chance of coming true. Lucid dreaming is when the dreamer gains some control over their dream.

Oneirology Media

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  This is a screenshot of a polysomnographic record (30 seconds) representing Rapid Eye Movement Sleep.*EEG highlighted by red box. Eye movements highlighted by red line.

Related pages

• Rapid eye movement

More readings

• Aserinsky, E. and N. Kleitman. 1953. "Regularly Occurring Periods of Eye Motility and Concomitant Phenomena during Sleep." Science 118: 273-274.
• Dement, W.C. and N. Kleitman. 1957. "The Relation of Eye Movements during Sleep to Dream Activity: An Objective Method for the Study of Dreaming." Journal of Experimental Psychology 53: 339-346.
• Domhoff, G. William. 2003. The Scientific Study of Dreams. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Gackenbach, Jayne and Stephen LaBerge, Eds. 1988. Conscious Mind, Sleeping Brain. New York: Plenum Press.
• Hadfield, J. A. 1969. Dreams and Nightmares. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books.
• Hobson, J. Allan. The Dreaming Brain. New York: Basic Books, Inc., Publishers.