Why is dreaming important to your health?

We all know how cranky and irritable we can get if we don’t get a good night’s rest or have suffered from insomnia for a few days in a row. Just as important as sleep is to our health, so is dreaming to our emotional wellbeing.

A dream is a number of mental and emotional events that take place during sleep in which the dreamer has vivid visual images. Everyone dreams although many people claim that they don’t or cannot remember their dreams the next day. Dreams help us to resolve those issues in our waking hours that are bothering us or causing upset. If you have emotions that you have suppressed in your waking hours, then you may express them through a dream by having a fight with another person or even crying in the dream.

Some people believe that they have prophetic dreams in which they are able to predict occurrences long before they happen. 

Typically the first dream occurs after about 90 minutes of sleep and lasts about 10 minutes.  Most people have 4 to 6 periods of dreaming throughout the night. 

There are a number of common symbols that come up in dreams, but most of the time the meaning varies from person to person.  Repetitive dreams are important as they suggest that it is time to resolve worrying issues.

Keeping a dream diary is an excellent tool for remembering dreams so that they can be referred to at a later stage for further insight and meaning. 

Some common dreams:

Falling:
If you dream that you are falling, you may be overwhelmed by circumstances in your daily life.  There may also be fears surrounding the loss of a job or relationship. 

Being Naked in Public:
This type of dream indicates that you are hiding something and are afraid that others may find out.   You may also be afraid to show your true feelings in a relationship for fear of rejection.

Flying:
If you are enjoying the scenery whilst flying, then you are in charge of a situation and have risen above your problems.  A difficulty in flying or encountering obstacles like trees and mountains shows a lack of control over your circumstances. 

Snakes:
To see a snake signifies hidden fears and worries that are threatening you.  Your dream may be alerting you to something critical in your waking life.

Car:
Driving a car in a dream indicates your ambitious nature and that you are ready to steer your life in the direction that you want.  If you are in the backseat, then you are allowing others to take charge of your life.