The Health Benefits of Dreaming for Happiness and Peace of Mind

 

We've all woken from a deep sleep with the faint memory of some wild dream. Why these happen is still up for debate, but there's plenty of evidence to show that dreaming is certainly a good thing.

 

Picture this scenario: Class is called to order. The teacher at her desk, students facing forward, on the chalkboard, underlined, ‘Presentations’. You hear your name called, grab your index cards, and make your way to the front of the class. Without pause, you launch into your speech, staring at your notes. Laughter explodes in the classroom and you look up to see that they’re pointing at you. With a growing sense of horror, you look down and…

… you wake panting, in a cold sweat. 

It was just a dream. You weren’t really just giving that book report in the buff. 

But, what the heck does it mean? And does it matter? 

We’ve all woken from a deep sleep with the faint memory of some wild dream. Sometimes, we find instant meaning and great satisfaction, like solving a puzzle where deeper self-understanding is the prize. But science can’t quite explain what dreams do or why they’re there.

 

 

Why Do We Dream?

We know that healthy sleep allows for the body and brain to recuperate, grow, and improve mental function. But there’s not as much agreement about why dreams exist. 

Some camps believe that dreaming is sleepy-time therapy, an opportunity to lie down on the proverbial couch and hash out the crazy stuff you dealt with that day. 

Others, including the (in)famous Sigmund Freud, would argue that dreams act as a sort of wish fulfillment. In a safe, fantastical space, anybody can leap one hundred stories high or get the girl/boy. When we dream, our unconscious mind comes to life, casting us in crazy stories that defy logic, physics, or continuity.

There might not be a full consensus on why we dream, or even what those dreams mean. But there’s plenty of evidence that dreaming, or being in the state where dreams exist, is certainly a good thing.

 

There might not be a full consensus on why we dream, or even what those dreams mean. But there’s plenty of evidence that dreaming, or being in the state where dreams exist, is certainly a good thing.

 

 

What Dreams Mean (Or, Why Dreaming Matters)

When we close our eyes and drift off, we enter and exit different levels of sleep many times throughout the night. Across all four of these sleep states, the brain produces something called “alpha waves”, which shut your body down for regular business, so that the overnight crew can clean, restock, and get you ready for the next day. While each sleep state has specific benefits to our health, it’s when we get to REM sleep that the brain can press play on that one with the book report.

In REM (rapid eye movement, not the eponymous band), the body finally stops producing something called “noradrenaline”, which is a stress hormone that aids in fight or flight. It’s in this safe space, free from stress, that scientists believe our bodies get the most rehab work done.

 

 

Coincidentally, it also happens to create ideal conditions for letting our minds wander. During REM sleep, while we’re fighting aliens, chewing out the boss, or dealing with wardrobe malfunctions in class, our bodies are undergoing the level of sleep necessary to heal, restore, and regenerate.

 

Unlocking Your Inner Psyche

While science can’t seem to agree on where dreams explicitly fit into the healthy sleep picture, there’s no doubt that getting to REM sleep is great for the whole package. 

Dreams can also offer a chance to make sense of the hundreds of inputs, stimuli, and experiences encountered in our waking lives. As we dream, we can strip the complexities of a memory down to the most important parts and tuck those away for both understanding and knowledge.

Dreaming has been associated with more control over how we emotionally respond to stressors. In fact, studies show that dreaming can arm us to deal with conflict, leading some researchers to believe that in processing and dealing with past stresses through dreaming, we’re better able to respond to stresses in the here and now.

Other studies have found that the memory processing that takes place during dreams can even boost creativity! As our dreams untangle the day, associations between different pieces of information may occur, giving you access to insights you may have otherwise missed. In other words, last night’s dream may have just given you the keys to unlock that “Aha!” moment after staring at a tough project at work.

By experiencing REM sleep and dreaming, we not only get our bodies the rest they need, but we also put our minds to work: processing memories, making new connections, and scratching some unimaginable itch. What’s more, we can wake up not only refreshed and ready to tackle the day, but emotionally prepared for the challenges ahead and armed with some novel approaches to solving them.

 

Studies have found that the memory processing that takes place during dreams can even boost creativity! As our dreams untangle the day, associations between different pieces of information may occur, giving you access to insights you may have otherwise missed. In other words, last night’s dream may have just given you the keys to unlock that “Aha!” moment after staring at a tough project at work.

 

 

Dream On!

From Freud’s idea that dreams serve to fulfill wishes to the theory that dreams are basically a gym workout for your brain, what’s clear is that dreaming is a part of cognitive development. Whether processing the day’s events or promoting brain development, REM sleep and dreams are important to healthy sleep patterns. 

We may have mentioned this before, but getting a good night’s sleep is one of the best ways to live better. It’s much easier to make it all the way to REM sleep if you’ve relaxed a bit before hitting the hay. Avoid excessive alcohol as well as any stimulants like caffeine. Read a book. Put the day away. And, of course, it’s always a big help if you’re sleeping on a comfortable, supportive mattress, designed for great sleep and sweet dreams…

 

At Sleep365 we're all about sharing the wonderful benefits of good sleep, with mattresses and bedding that don't just feel great but are healthier for you and kinder to our planet. Take a look at our organic mattresses and organic bedding to find out more. Because what you sleep on and how it's made truly matters.