We can better understand ourselves through our dreams.
After a long stressful day, the only thing that sounds reassuring is climbing into a soft and cozy bed, before falling asleep the events that happened replay over and over. The body is tired and drained while the mind is fired up. The bright light from the moon shines through the window, but sleep comes fast despite it and the train whistles off in the distance.
What happens in our brain while we are asleep, may include the fascinating thoughts, and internal movies that flow when we aren’t awake to enjoy them or even to consider their deeper meanings.
Dreams most often occur during rapid eye movement (REM) the first stage of sleep, typically lasting approximately two hours throughout the night, lasting in 5-20 minute cycles.
Dreams are symbolic. The elements of a dream are not what they appear to be. Imagine dreaming of an autumn dusk. The leaves are blowing, the bare trees are swaying in the wind. High in the tree is a limber owl whose head turns slowly to the left until we see eye to eye. To understand the deeper meaning we have to look at key details. Seasons and time of day in a dream may depict a specific time in one’s life. The leaves, tree, and wind all hold their own meanings in the dream world, the wise creature and the fact he turns his head to the left all hold a significant meaning. When eyes were met it was a very modest detail yet held a major essence of the overall meaning of the dream.
Dreams could be a projection of worries, thoughts, feelings, or fear. Dreams can also hold positive solutions for life’s complications. Dreams can help us expand problem-solving skills, they can offer a warning to the dreamer of an upcoming mishap. Dreams allow the mind to create positive outcomes for stories that never made it out of the dream. They offer a practice run for the reality of one’s regular routine. Preparing within dreams can give us reassurance and confidence to handle hardships. Dreaming can help one in their everyday life if they try to understand their dream and what feelings may be causing it.
“In dreams, one is not tethered to earthly limitations” – Gary from Spongebob
Dreams can differ from reality. For example, a warm secure bed in a safe home doesn’t protect the mind from dreaming of a scary, unsafe situation. Whereas, someone who is lost, sleeping outside in the cold harsh wind might dream about a warm summer day at the beach.
Scientists have studied dream content for years. Scientists believe dreams play a big role in memory and mood, two important mental health processes; which include, increased stress and anxiety.
“Experts believe recurring dreams reflect life themes such as past issues, distress, and unmet needs.” Said Crystal Raypole. Recurring dreams can cause negative feelings and impact mental health. Nightmares help us learn what is causing us stress and what we are fearful of. They affect the body in numerous ways. Waking from an alarming dream, causing one to shoot straight up. Looking to the left, then to the right with a racing heart, out of breath, sweating palms, feeling afraid and confused. Realizing it was just a nightmare. All of those reactions may continue into the morning, even days later. The brains job is to keep us safe by waking up, but it cannot stop the physical response of reliving the nightmare.
“Dreams then, are often most profound when they seem most crazy.” – Sigmund Freud
Dreaming helps us make sense of what happened in our day and prepares us to face possible threats.
“The threat simulation theory (TST) of dreaming suggests that dreams are realistic reproductions of real life-threatening events. According to the theory, dreams allow your brain to rehearse for stressful situations, perceive and detect threats, and know how to avoid them.” Said UCLA Health.
Multiple studies show creativity and problem-solving are at the root of our deepest dream state.
Even when sleeping the brain is still hard at work processing and understanding yourself. In this sleep phase, the mind can solve problems that our waking mind couldn’t. A big problem when awake can be a little problem for the sleeping brain. Brainstorming on day-to-day issues can result in out-of-the-box solutions.
It’s almost like we have two brains! There is an “awake” brain and its best friend the “dreaming” brain. These coexist and create a balance helping each other split up the work.
Even dogs dream! You may have noticed if you have one for yourself. Tucker my black lab, has dreams often he lays on his back and moves his paws as if he’s chasing a fast critter while making a light yipping sound.
To illustrate, Viallobos explains her thought process of what her dream was and the lesson she earned.
“Me and my sister were at a lake having fun. Then out of nowhere, she got sad. Behind her, there were shadows coming at me. I think the shadows signified our struggles with mental health and our battles and learning to cope with them. My sister is a nice and outgoing person, without her, I am not an outgoing person. I tend to shy away from things. I try to learn and take away from things. We are stronger together. I feel the dream represented me and my sisters’ bond and the battles between our mental health.” Alisianna Viallobos said.
To remember your dreams, one solution could be to keep a dream journal next to the bed. For this to be effective writing down dream details immediately upon waking up is crucial. This is because we are in our most delicate state after waking. If woken by an aggressive sound, it will cause dreams to be forgotten.
Greeting the dreamer are singing birds and the sun glistening through the window. It’s a new day with new possibilities of good and bad. The night’s restful sleep is fulfilling and recharging. Dreams prepare the mind to take on the new day in ways we may overlook. The importance of taking a moment to remember your dream can benefit us and help us understand how and why we react the way we do.
