What are Dreams?
Today we are going to take a look at current and past research on dreaming as well as what those dreams mean for your life. According to Psychology Today, dreams are imaginary sequences that unfold as we sleep. But what do these strange and sometimes downright bizarre sequences say about our mental state? For centuries, people have been trying to figure out what dreams mean. While nobody knows exactly why we dream, studies suggest these stages of sleep matter and we should pay more attention to them. In fact, there is even an app for that. The app developed by a Harvard student in 2018 is UDream. UDream interprets, records and builds community using people’s dreams from around the world. Decades of research and even this app, all seem to prove a correlation between an individual’s dreams and their neuropsychological and psychological state.
“What we are learning is that dreams, far from being a meaningless experience, are especially informative about the emotional state of the dreamer,”
-Chris Ufere, Harvard ’18, developer of UDream
Do Dreams Predict the Future?
The answer is yes and no. For some individuals, dreams are predictive because those dreams inspire them to create or act upon a goal. Bob Stickgold, PhD, says that while you sleep your brain may have “adaptive dreams.” For instance, Paul McCartney wrote the song Yesterday after dreaming the notes. However, not everyone is Paul McCartney. It’s important to note that not all dreams are meaningful. Afterall, sometime a strange dream has more to do with what you fed your stomach and your brain the night before than your present psychological state.
Dreams That Work
Rosalind Dymond Cartwright created groundbreaking research around the notion that dreams do the work our conscious mind cannot. These findings are outlined in her pioneer book, “The Twenty-Four Hour Mind: The Role of Sleep and Dreaming.” In her research, Cartwright found divorced and depressed women did far better with their recovery when they dreamed of their ex-spouses. Another example of this happened with a study of former smokers who were trying to quit and when they dreamed of having a cigarette after quitting they were more likely to sick with it than those that didn’t.
Interpreting Dreams
Seeking support from one of our counselors can help you interpret your dreams and in turn, achieve a better understanding of self. We also found this article on the 9 most common types of dreams and this article on the 57 Hidden Meanings Behind the Most Common Dreams, Decoded by Experts helpful.
Start Receiving Support From Therapists in Savannah, GA
Whether you dream all the time or not at all, diving into your core-values and motivations is essential for personal growth. If this is hard for you, please connect with a professional counselor at Water’s Edge Counseling. Our team would be honored to offer support from our Savannah, GA-based practice. You can start your therapy journey by giving us a call at 912.319.5552 or emailing us at [email protected].
Other Services Offered With Water’s Edge Counseling
We understand that you may experience issues with more than one mental health concern at a time. This is why we are happy to offer support with a variety of mental health services. Our team is happy to offer support with multiple mental health services including online counseling, clinical supervision, coping after a cancer diagnosis, and SCAD student counseling. We are also happy to offer therapy for anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, teen substance abuse, and counseling for men. In addition, we also offer counseling for teens, child counseling, family counseling, Christian counseling, grief counseling, and marriage counseling.
Please note: While this blog is designed to help people achieve their goals, the information within each post is not a substitute for therapy or medical advice given by a licensed professional.