What gland or part of the brain induces dreams/nightmares?
We aren’t conscious in sleep when our brain is not activated. Researchers used to believe that when we weren’t getting enough sensory stimulation in waking life we would fall asleep. But then the reticular activating system (RAS) was found and we now know that brain is kept awake not by direct input from sensory pathways, but by tonic (longer lasting activation modulated by neurochemicals) activity in pathways from the reticular formation. This means that sleep comes from the reduction in activity from the reticular formation and wakefulness by the return of activity in the reticular formation. This system seems to be regulated by an internal clock in the hypothalamus. Humans and other mammals are tied to the outer daily or circadian clock, the sun and to this internal circadian clock located in the hypothalamus. The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the anterior hypothalamus is the best candidate as any damage to this area change the sleep cycle dramatically and repair causes the return of n
