staying awake to chase a dream

are dreams the result of an overactive mind or the attempts of the self concious to answer its questions?

the past week i've slept without the television on and i've noticed myself dreaming more. i know we all dream numerous times in rem sleep but these are the actual vivid dreams that you remember when you awaken. they involve people in my life who have fallen to the back of my mind and it leads me to question if these recent dreams are a result of sleeping in silence and my mind stepping in to compensate, or if they are my conciousness reaching out to these people.

there have also been episodes that lead me to believe that dreams have a sense of clairvoyance.

i'm not the only one either, i was awoken last night to the sound of tia barking in her sleep. its not a bark of anger, but more like a yipping sound that toy dogs make. almost as if she were calling out. i wonder what she's dreaming about?