What do you dream about?

I often have vivid dreams about upcoming important events. If I have a presentation the next day, I dream about waking up too late, forgetting the presentation, or forgetting what I have to say. If I have an upcoming trip, I dream about little things that could go wrong, like not having an up-to-date passport.

I often recognize that I’m dreaming, and I can influence the way my dreams run. For example, I might repeat a scenario again and again until I figure out a good way to deal with it, or I might explore something else.

Sometimes I prime the pump by thinking of upcoming tasks or events right before I go to sleep, letting my brain think about what can go wrong and what can go really well. Other times, I’ll think of a problem I’m trying to solve or something I’d like to figure out, and I’ll let my brain play with it while I sleep. On more than one occasion, I’ve dreamt in code. (It’s very strange!)

It’s helpful. I think of things I might not remember in real life, and I get to practice different scenarios until I’m comfortable with the way I deal with them.

Try it out. When you go to sleep tonight, ask your dreaming self to spend some time thinking about what’s on your mind. =)

Photo credits: Sleeping cat © 2006 dominiqs81 Creative Commons Attribution License.