Dreams an Untapped Resource

Dreamwork is a valuable resource and aid in self-help and therapy work. It is a practical and always available tool that supports personal growth, productivity, and mental and emotional health.

Most take dreaming and sleep for granted. Dreams are often forgotten or thought of as silly concoctions fabricated during sleep. If a scary or threatening dream occurs, as the notorious nightmare, it feels like a sleep nuisance and sometimes frightening. When associated with a flashback, recall, or re-experiencing of past trauma, as in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it can terrify and interfere with restorative sleep and awake functioning the next day. If persistent, it could require mental health and medical intervention.

Realizing the Essential Nature of the Dream and Sleep

After a recent surgery, the pain and discomfort terribly disrupted my sleep and dreaming. The experience reminded me of the essential things we often take for granted. I was sleep deprived for at least five days due to pain and other issues after surgery. I could only get small bits of sleep in 5–15-minute spurts thought out the night. I was fearful about whether I would survive the ordeal. The limited, brief episodic periods of sleep never went deep enough to dream. I usually know I have slept when I experience or wake up from a dream. I wanted to reach out for emergency help and to the surgeon responsible for my post-op care. After discharge from the hospital, I understood I could return to the emergency room or contact the doctor or physician assistant the next day during their regular office hours. I knew that the E.R. had a 5-6 hour wait to be seen and treated with no possibility of being readmitted to the then full hospital. Each night, I always thought I could make it through to the next day….

In reflecting on the post-operative experience, I remember my attention was super focused and hypervigilant in anticipation of the frequent spasms of pain. My body was always in a preparatory state to brace or alter its position to defend against the intense pain. I was exquisitely aware of time, as the torment was cycling and recurring about every 15 to 20. If I fell briefly off to sleep, I would awaken myself in anticipation of the next cycle of pain. It reminded me of when I wanted to sleep well before an important event; I would sometimes wake up multiple times during the night, fearing I would oversleep. Or amazingly, on some planned occasions, I would wonderfully sleep through the night and, like clockwork, would awake at the right time, as if I had magically programmed an internal alarm…

The Contributor to Poor Sleep

The anxious or frightened mind is often super-alert, focused, or hypervigilant, scanning the environment for a threat. It is a reason the sleep quality is so poor. If dreams arise, they can be nightmarish that wake one up when the luxury of sound sleep comes. Disruptive dreams interfere with our need for restorative sleep to recharge the body and mind.

When there are experiences and memories of trauma and the body-mind in a hyper-aroused, preparatory state, panic attacks can occur. A panic attack’s intense physiologic arousal prepares the body for combat or attack, to run or fight. Episodes are usually brief, 5 to 30 minutes, with a pounding heart, rapid pulse, sweating, racing thoughts, and fearful dread of impending loss of control, death, or physical harm...1

Dreamwork is a helpful tool for enhancing awareness and recognizing anxiety, conflict, or indecision that may need attention. It offers a reflective time to tap into a resource that benefits emotional and mental health—it is like your own handy personal tool, therapist, or resource when required.

Interpretation of dreams is an art best accomplished by you, as the dreamer can best make associations with the variety and complexities of their unique life experiences and memories. With time, self-study, and practice, one can self-learn and improve their skills. Others may need or benefit from a teacher or therapist that can teach them about dreamwork until the individual is confident and motivated to do it on their own. It can become a path for getting closer to understanding oneself, potentialities, and the realities of life. It can be a journey towards self-actualization, as Carl Jung, the renowned writer, and psychiatrist, discussed in some of his classic writings.8

Dreamwork can be an invaluable tool that you can use to support yourself in your daily life activities. It can provide a better understanding to help resolve inner turmoil, conflicts, and indecision. It also is a gateway and path towards greater understanding and awareness about yourself and others. It can be a tool to support your creativity and benefit you in your life management and relationships. Your interest, further study, and skill-building in dreamwork can be enriching and valuable.

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