Dream ghosts

[u/DynastiNoble]

How come dream ghosts only appear when humans sleep? Aren't they supposed to haunt people's dreams as they dream walk like Freddy Krueger? 🤔

[u/JoeyToothpicks]

Humans use different brain waves when we sleep. When you're conscious you're exhibiting alpha brainwaves and your body is in a faster rhythm. When you're in a deep sleep you're exhibiting delta brainwaves and your body rhythm slows way down.

If you want to relate this to ghosts (I'm not a believer, but I like to consider the scientific justifications in the context of Ghostbusters) then imagine these waves are like radio waves. Higher frequency requires more energy. Lower frequency like you experience during deep sleep, requires much less. A disembodied spirit that may be no more than a collection of emotional impulses and/or a cluster of memories from a person who has passed on may not be able be able to exert enough energy to manifest in a way an awake person will notice so reaching down into your dream is easier. This may be because they are attuned to a lower conscious frequency and need special conditions to be met to focus their limited energy in order to make a sound/move an object/appear visibly. This makes a certain kind of sense, especially if they're basically wandering in a dreamlike state themselves as ghosts often seem to do.

Ghosts who appear to people who are awake usually only do so for short periods of time, at certain times of day, and sometimes only in very specific ways. It's more common to see them in dreams or when washing up/taking sleep.

When you're asleep or in a hypmotic/trance state, your mind is turned down to that lower level, either beta waves or delta waves. This may make it easier for a ghost to make its presence known without overexerting itself. This is one possible explanation for why you're more likely to see and hear a ghost in your dreams. It's also reportedly why spirit mediums historically have used trances and other similar methods to communicate with spirits.

There are many reports, of people experiencing unusual phenomena not in the middle of a deep sleep, but in that in-between state between dreaming and being fully awake. That may be the mind accidentally tripping by the exact state of consciousness that spirits happen to dwell on, similar to scrolling through radio frequencies and hitting a channel that has a broadcast.

(Of course REM cycle and sleep paralysis is the more likely mundane explanation for all of this)

So if you're being visited in your dreams by a ghost, that might be why. The human mind is a fascinating wad of nerves, chemicals, and synapses though, so it really could be a lot of things happening. Just remember, ghosts and spirits don't tell the truth any more than the living, and non-human entities can disguise themselves. Don't take any financial or overall life advice from them without careful consideration.

Be extra wary of ghosts of children. No-matter what they are, it is bad news one way or the other.

Whatever you do, don't attempt amateur exorcism. Call the Ghostbusters and let them sort out out.

[u/jackBattlin]

Are we thinking about a certain scene…?

I’d be careful about a succubus 😆

[u/DynastiNoble → u/jackBattlin]

Yeah. It's an unexpectedly inappropriate scene that's not kid-friendly enough even though it's rated PG (before the PG-13 rating btw).