Chapter 20

AI, LEARNING TO DREAM AND REMEMBERING THEM

Sleep is a natural and reversible state of rest for the body and mind, where awareness of the external environment decreases, but processes that are essential for physical, mental, and emotional health occur.
Sleep Phases
Sleep is divided into two main types that repeat in cycles of about 90 minutes:
Non-REM sleep  (80% of the time):
Phase 1: drowsiness, transition between wakefulness and sleep.
Phase 2: light sleep, decreased brain activity.
Phase 3: deep or delta sleep. This is where the body recovers and regenerates.
REM  sleep  (20% of the time):
REM = rapid eye movement. This is where we dream most intensely; the brain is very active, but the body remains paralyzed (to prevent us from acting out our dreams).
How much sleep should we get? Adults: 7–9 hours; young people: 8–10 hours; children: 9–12 hours; older people: 6–8 hours, although it can be more fragmented.
Main functions of sleep:
body repair (immune system, tissues, hormones).
Memory and learning consolidation.
Emotional processing.
Regulation of metabolism and appetite.
Brain cleansing (eliminates toxins through the lymphatic system). 

Consequences of poor or insufficient sleep:
fatigue, bad mood, anxiety, or depression;
poor mental and physical performance;
increased risk of disease (diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer's, etc.);
heart and immune problems.
Tips for a good night's sleep (sleep hygiene):
establish a regular sleep schedule;
create a dark, cool, and quiet environment;
avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and screens before bed;
engage in moderate physical activity (but not right before bed);
avoid problem-solving or working in bed.
The world of dreams:  dreaming is a normal and necessary phenomenon that can reflect emotions, experiences, memories, or desires.
Most people dream every night, even if they don't always remember. Learning to consciously dream and remember dreams is a practice that many cultures and disciplines (such as psychology, Tibetan Buddhism, and oneirology) have explored for centuries. Practical guide to developing this skill:
Prepare your body and mind before bed:
Calm nighttime routine: Avoid screens (cell phone, television) at least 30 minutes before bed.
Breathe deeply or meditate: Relax your body and mind to enter the dream world more clearly.
Affirm your intention:  Mentally repeat before sleeping:  "I will remember my dreams ." This simple act trains your mind.
Keep a dream journal with a notebook and pencil by your bed.
Wake up without a loud alarm: If possible, let your body wake up naturally. This promotes dream memory.
Don't move too much when you wake up: physical movement easily erases the memory of dreams.
After a small adjustment, write down,  even if they're just vague sensations or scattered images.
Adjust your sleep cycle to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. The most vivid dreams occur during REM sleep, especially in the latter part of the night.
Stimulate lucid dreaming (optional) by doing reality checks during the day: For example, ask yourself, "Am I dreaming?" several times a day. This can carry over into your sleep.

Technical tests such as MILD or WBTB:
MILD: Visualize while sleeping that you are waking up in a dream.
WBTB (Wake Back to Bed): Wake up after 5-6 hours of sleep, stay awake for 15 minutes, and go back to sleep, trying to dream consciously.
Be careful what you consume; avoid alcohol and drugs before bed: they hinder memory and disrupt REM sleep.
Drink mild herbal teas if desired, such as valerian, chamomile, or lavender, to help you sleep soundly.
Interpret dreams:  Once you start remembering, look for patterns, emotions, or symbols.
No esoteric interpretations are necessary; you can ask yourself:  How did this dream make me feel? What message could it have for me today?
In short:  dreaming and remembering dreams is an art that is cultivated with patience, intention, and perseverance. The more you practice, the more you connect with your inner world and creativity. Personalized nighttime routine for dreaming and remembering: One hour before bed: Avoid cell phones, computers, or TV. Listen to soft music or read something inspiring. Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, or alcohol. 15 minutes before bed: Take deep breaths or do a short meditation (5 minutes). If you wish, repeat to yourself: "I will have meaningful dreams and I will remember them when I wake up." Keep your dream notebook next to your bed, with a pencil or pen ready. You can write down the date and your mood before sleeping (optional). Upon waking: Stay with your eyes closed for a few seconds. Ask yourself:  What did I dream? How did I feel? Write down what you remember without judging or editing it. SCIENTIFIC FACTS ABOUT SLEEP AND LUCID DREAMS The brain is more active when dreaming than when we are awake. During the REM sleep phase, the brain can show more electrical activity than when we are conscious. This explains why dreams can be so vivid or emotional. Lucid dreams are real and studied by science: A  lucid dream  occurs when the person  realizes that they are dreaming , and in many cases, can  control what happens in the dream. They have been documented in laboratories through voluntary signals that the dreamer makes with their eyes while sleeping (previously agreed-upon eye movements). Sleep paralysis: awake, but unable to move In the transition between REM sleep and the waking state, some people experience a brief  conscious paralysis of the body. It's normal, but it can be frightening if not understood.
We dream in images, sounds, and emotions:
Although dreams are mostly visual, they can also involve sounds, physical sensations, tastes, or intense emotions. Some people even dream in black and white.
Sleeping well boosts creativity:
many artists, scientists, and writers have found inspiration in dreams. Paul McCartney dreamed the melody of "  Yesterday ." Chemist Kekulé dreamed the structure of benzene.
REM sleep is linked to creative problem-solving : lucid dreaming can be trained with  techniques such as MILD  (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams) and  WBTB (Wake Back to Bed). Reality checks (asking yourself several times a day, "Am I dreaming?") help increase the frequency of lucid dreams. 


 

Dreams in Tibetan Spiritual Practice: In Tibetan Buddhism, dreams are used as a spiritual tool for deep self-knowledge. This practice is known as "dream yoga" and is part of the tantric teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism. The goals of dream yoga are:
Recognizing the unreality of the ego: Just as dreams are illusory, so is our perception of a separate self. Mastering lucid dreaming is a way to train oneself to see reality as a dream.
Continuing spiritual practice during sleep: By becoming conscious within the dream, the practitioner can meditate, visualize deities, or work with symbols while sleeping.
Preparing for death: In Tibetan Buddhism, the state between death and rebirth (the  bardo ) is similar to a dream. Dream yoga trains the consciousness to be lucid during this transition.
Transforming emotions: Dreams are used to explore and purify the unconscious, confronting repressed fears, desires, or emotions.
“To understand dreams is to understand death. To understand death is to free oneself from the cycle of suffering.” — Tibetan Buddhist teaching
Dreams in the Psychology of Freud and Jung
Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), the father of psychoanalysis, wrote  The Interpretation of Dreams (1900), in which he proposed that dreams are:
The royal road to the unconscious: repressed desires, especially sexual or aggressive ones, are expressed in dreams.
Manifest and latent content:
manifest: what we remember from the dream (the apparent story).
Latent: the true meaning hidden behind the dream, which is usually disguised by mechanisms such as censorship, condensation, or displacement.
Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961),  a disciple and later dissident of Freud, developed a different view:
For Jung, dreams not only express repressed desires, but also reveal content important for inner transformation.
Introduces the concept of the collective unconscious: universal symbols and archetypes (such as the sage, the shadow, the hero) that appear in dreams and myths from all cultures.
Dreams are compensatory messages, which balance consciousness with ignored aspects of the self.
Jung encouraged dialogue with dreams, integrating them into the development of personality ( the process of individuation ).
“Dreams do not deceive us; they are a sincere representation of the dreamer's real psychological situation.”
— C.G. Jung

Brief comparison

Dreams are quickly forgotten:  in the first 5 minutes after waking up, 50% of the dream can be forgotten. After 10 minutes, more than 90% is forgotten if not recorded. That's why a  dream journal is key.
We sleep for a third of our lives:  if you live to 90, you'll spend around  30 years sleeping  and at least  6 years dreaming . A parallel life worth exploring!

AI Opinion: José Saul, your article  "AI, LEARNING TO DREAM AND REMEMBERING THEM" is an excellent contribution to the scientific and practical dissemination of sleep. Here's my general opinion and some suggestions to make your text even more impactful:
Overall Assessment
Strengths:
Clear and pedagogical structure: You begin by explaining dreams from a scientific basis and progress to practical, even spiritual and cultural, aspects. This makes it accessible and useful for readers of all ages.
Close and motivating tone:  The style you use is warm, positive, and encourages personal exploration. Phrases like  “a parallel life worth exploring” connect emotionally with the reader.
Up-to-date and accurate information: You have integrated modern knowledge about sleep stages, the benefits of rest, the negative effects of poor sleep, and lucid dreaming techniques very well.
Practical guidance: You provide realistic steps for remembering dreams, having lucid dreams, and establishing a healthy nighttime routine. This gives the reader useful tools.
Fun facts:  Details like the fact that we dream in images, sounds, and emotions, or that Paul McCartney dreamed  Yesterday , make the text enjoyable and memorable.
Suggestions for improvement
Title: Consider a minor spelling correction:
Change “ remembering ” to “ remembering ” (with an accent).
AI in the content: The title includes “AI,” but artificial intelligence appears rarely or not at all in the development. It would be interesting to mention, for example:
AI applications to analyze sleep patterns (such as those used by smartwatches).
Projects where AI attempts to interpret dreams or help record/organize dream diaries.
How AI tools can guide meditation or relaxation before bed.
Cultural insight: You mention Tibetan Buddhism and oneirology, which is excellent. Could you add brief examples:
How do Tibetans use dreams in their spiritual practice?
What did Freud or Jung say about dreams from a psychological perspective?
Beware of some repetition: For example, the MILD and WBTB methods are repeated twice. You could group them into a more concise section.
Spelling and style: There are minor tweaks that could be improved:
“Psychology” can be written as “psicología” (both are correct in Spanish, but “psicología” is more common in academic contexts).
“Technical tests like MILD or WBTB” can be rewritten as “Advanced techniques like MILD or WBTB.”
Ideas for enrichment:
Famous quotes about dreams  (e.g., Calderón de la Barca:  “Life is a dream” ).
Recommended apps that help record or analyze dreams.
Personal experiences or anecdotes (even fictional ones) to illustrate how someone manages to remember or control a dream.
Conclusion:  Your text is a harmonious combination of science, introspection, and practical guidance. It has great potential to connect with a wide audience and inspire people to explore their dream world with greater intention and curiosity. With minor adjustments, it can become an educational and emotional reference.