There is a lot of theory from neuropsychologists that seem to fit fell with our current understanding of the brain. Conscious thought is governed by executive function. You can consciously choose to avoid, suppress, confront, or solve. But conscious thought and executive function can only be processed one thing at time and is limited to specific cortical regions largely the frontal cortex. There is a whole lotta brain mass more than these regions. The limbic system and basal ganglia are deep cortical structures. Theory is this is subconscious which it always active as the brain processes multiple process at once.
Theory is that the subconscious is always working away and when executive function dictates its time to consider it comes into the frontal cortex. In other words we can only deal with one things at a time consciously. When we sleep the executive function also sleeps. But the subconscious can’t make sense and orderly interpret information logically. The subconscious is merely unprocessed data and speaks in metaphors that make no sense.
For example I have noticed over the years that when not in emotional turmoil if I have a problem to solve when I sleep on it the next morning the solution is crystal clear. Some authors have written on tapping the subconscious to become highly effective. It seems to work but it requires a well regulated emotional state. Particularly avoidant people will often suppress things that the we know logically are important or urgent and keep if from being logically acted on.
Largely dreams are the subconscious warning or solution to a problem. But they emanate from deep cortical structures. For example the amygdala and basal ganglia. These areas are purely emotional (the id according to Freud). These are the base raw emotional centers. Its language is fear, terror, sensuality, and all purely emotional. Dreams simply allow us the look at problems freed of the ego (executive function) and gives us a glimpse through imagery into the emotions that are suppressed by logic.
Interesting.
I do know there are times that I resolve something in my sleep. I wake up the next day and immediately realize the answer to something that was baffling me before.