Are our emotions heightened in dreams?

[HeavySleeper]

I dont know if this is just me or if anyone else is the same, but for some reason my emotions are heightened in a dream. For instance, in the case of fear I have noticed that some really stupid and seemingly normal things have the ability to frighten the life out of me. I remember in one dream I looked at a very tall building and was terrified by its height, whereas in waking life I don't have a fear of heights. In the case of anger I have noticed that some people I know might insult me with a smug remark and instead of answering back with a witty reply I'll wake up kicking and thrashing at thin air. So my question is, has anyone else experienced the same and if so do you know what causes these sudden bursts of emotion?

[Seeker]

Most things it seems are heightened in dreams, emotions and also your senses. I believe a lot of this has to do with the fact that you are not as connected to your body as you are when awake and therefore not limted to it's restrictions. Emotions are often generated or regulated though various endocrine processes, senses are limited by what the nervous system and the various sense organs can process. In a dream, you are all in your head, without limit, pretty cool huh?

[HeavySleeper]

That makes a lot of sense, and yes it is pretty cool! So if I dreamt I was relaxing on a warm beach I would enjoy it more than I would when awake? Its that kind of thinking that gives me motivation to become lucid. I'd also like to find out what freaky things my mind can conjure up and see how far the fear can go. Its one thing to watch a horror film, but actually living it? I can only imagine what that thrill would be like!

[Elem3nt0]

Be careful though. I think too much fear could awaken you.

[Zezarict]

The id part of your brain is mostly active in dreams, the id has instinct and emotion so yes emotions are heightened (the instinct part of that is also why you sometimes get and urge to...well yeah, in a lucid dream)

[MementoMori]

i'm insanely more passionate about things in my dreams

[HeavySleeper]

The id part of your brain is mostly active in dreams, the id has instinct and emotion so yes emotions are heightened (the instinct part of that is also why you sometimes get and urge to...well yeah, in a lucid dream) That is very interesting. A lot of artists like to draw inspiration from their emotions. So as a beneficial side effect of being more emotional in our dreams we become more creative aswell. It makes me wonder if there is an important reason for having dreams in the first place. Maybe our subconscious creates these stories to test how creative we can be. Who knows?