sleep therapy

Dreams: Why We Dream, What Dreams Mean and How to Interpret Them

- Mel

Dreams can be characterized as ideas, feelings and images that take shape in the mind, primarily during REM sleep when your brain experiences the highest amount of unconscious activity. Though the purpose of dreams is not entirely known, there are many theories as to why you dream and what your dreams could mean. Here is some information about why we dream, what your dreams could mean according to the experts, and how you can interpret your dreams.

Why Do You Dream?

Again, why we dream is not necessarily clear, though man has developed many theories over the last five thousand years or so. The Ancient Greeks and Romans believed that dreams were direct communications from the dead or from the gods, and that they had the power to predict the future. Many other cultures have considered dreams to be prophetic. The scientific study of dreaming is called oneirology, which has lead scientists to believe that many animals also dream as humans do. Also, in modern times, psychoanalysts Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung have linked dreams to a connection with the unconscious, and have suggested that dreams act as manifestations of desires and relate to repressed memories and obsessions.

What Do Your Dreams Mean?

Just like the reasons for why we dream, dream meanings have been disputed over thousands of years. Given that dreams are personal and unique, it is difficult to describe what specific images may mean. However, given that people do experience similar images, ideas or emotions in common dreams, many dream experts have developed theories in regards to what certain images may mean to everyone who dreams them. For example, many people have had dreams where they are chased either by a person or possibly imaginary monsters or animals. Some experts believe that these chasing dreams suggest that the dreamer is running from an issue in their waking life that causes anxiety or pain, and that the dreamer has been avoiding this issue. This is a practical interpretation that can be useful to dreamers seeking clarification of what their dream could mean.

How To Interpret Your Dreams

When looking to have your dreams interpreted, it’s important not to jump to conclusions about what your dreams could mean. Though the jury is still out on what dreams may mean, there are experts in the field, from scientific, philosophical and spiritual backgrounds, who can help you interpret your dreams. Psychoanalysts, therapists, and other professionals are always available for counsel, though you will likely have to pay for their services. Psychics and other spiritual advisers are also available for a fee, but many of them also have online resources available for free. Also, because most people are curious about their dreams, many online resources that are free to the public may be able to shed light on what your dreams mean, though the information has likely not been vetted or confirmed by any paid professional. Dreams are largely still a mystery, but that doesn’t mean dream interpretation should only be left up to the experts or denied importance. If you’re looking for answers about your dreams and what they could mean, do your research by going online, asking your friends, or consulting a professional.

February 30: a lesson in getting out of bed

- Mel

I am NOT a morning person.

I am also an insomniac. In an attempt to regulate my sleeping schedule and embrace the creativity that comes with early-morning writing and generally be super cranky for 30 days, this month’s Wake Up Every Morning Before 8am had disappointing results. Meaning: I actually slept less and not more. I’d be worn out from a long day, and still be up until 1am or later (even when retiring to bed by 11pm) and still have to wake up by 8am. Not to mention, this last week we had painters come EVERY morning by 7am. SEVEN. I was exhausted and cranky and unmotivated and uncreative and felt lethargic for most of February. I know how important sleep is, and I’ve tried every trick in the book (there’s no TV in our bedroom; I read before bedtime; I drink tea) and I’ve tried several different drugs. (let me tell you about the time I took 2 Simply Sleep pills before an international flight from Germany and was WIDE AWAKE the entire trip. FML.) On top of all that, I have TWO separate sleeping problems (well, three if you count the asshole cat that wakes me up at 3:30): going to sleep and staying asleep. It’s one, the other or both on most nights… that I usually make up for by way of afternoon naps on my days off and a night or two a month of dead sleep for 10-12 hours (from pure exhaustion, I’m sure).

The only time I felt rested this month was in California — which, shocker, is closer to my regular sleep patterns considering Pacific Time (I was asleep by 11pm every night and up by 8am — and OUT THE DOOR with really shitty hotel coffee, doing things, by 9am). And if you’re thinking “it’s vacation, of course you slept better.” Not so fast… I had derby responsibilities nearly EVERY day on our trip, so it’s not like it was a no-schedule-free-for-all. Plus, there was a lot of drive time and no sleep in the car (since I was mostly an anxious passenger).

I have to accept that I just might not be on the same schedule as the “average” 30-something. Those two extra hours of sleep are imperative to my well-being. So this 30-day challenge* was a lesson in listening to MY body; not what society thinks is the “right time to be up-and-at-’em.” Also: ear plugs are a MUST. This is a new discovery, thanks to an awesome care package I received.

Do you have your own sleep challenges? Let’s talk about it in the comments!

*I used two days from the end of January to make up for the short month. And to be completely transparent, I missed two days — one, the day after vacation, I woke up at 10am; two, the morning after a couple margaritas, I woke up at 9am. I gave it the ol’ college try!

Next up: NO SUGAR FOR 30 DAYS IN MARCH. *gulp*

Read more:
My year of 30-day challenges.
January Success: No Alcohol for 30 days!

Weekly Therapy: A New Pillow!

- Mel

I don’t know why finding the “right” firm pillow is so difficult — or so expensive. And I need a really firm bed pillow. Yeah, I’m That Guy who lays on the showroom floor testing all of these suckers out. Some of the brands I’ve looked at are nearly $100… I mean, it’s just a pillow. And most of us replace pillows on a semi-yearly or yearly basis, right?

I’m a sleep-flipper, but just cannot get comfortable on something flimsy, thin or soft. Or feather (the horror!). The only pillow that I’ve continued to purchase is the Extra Firm Support pillow from Laura Ashley Home (exclusive to Bed, Bath & Beyond). This King Sized slumber pad holds up quite nicely with the inexpensive $20 pricetag too. 

Because Sleep Therapy is very important to this 30-something.