I experience feeling and emotion in dreams,I have been crying or laughing in dreams and woken up still crying/laughing.

I think, that the dreaming is as real as the waking. We're just not as good at manifesting our influence there. Like fish flopping on the shore, you might make art in the sand, but most of the time you're just flopping until you wake.
Some people, however are mudskippers. *nod*

What an awesome experience, wow. I too would love to understand more of these things... I've never had such realistic dreams as yours, but apparently I laugh a lot when I'm asleep & have often woken up doing so - just wish I could remember what I found so funny!

I usually have realistic dreams. I think this is common. Of course, they can be good or bad. I have had dreams where I actually believed I died, going through the whole experience, and others where I was in love. The brain is an amazing thing. It is,in my opinion, basically, what I am.