How to Solve Problems in Your Sleep

Photo by stickathing

Recent studies have shown that the simple act of going to sleep can help you solve your life’s biggest problems.  Sleep research shows that our brains still work when we go to sleep, and by focusing on a problem we are having, we can actually get answers from our subconscious mind, our higher power or our inner self in our sleep.

Not only can you turn to your dreams for answers, you can turn to your dreams for inspiration.  Many people have found the inspiration for a career change, a book, movie or song in their dreams.  In fact, Paul McCartney dreamed the tune for “Yesterday” and woke up to write it down.  Imagine that you could have the next “Yesterday” hiding in your dreams.  So, how can you do it?  How can you use your dreams for answers and inspiration?

Grab a Pen and Paper

First things first, grab a pen and paper and write down a list of problems that you want to tackle.  Pick one of those issues and write it down.  Now put it at your bedside.  This may not seem like a big step, but very few people ever address any issues or goals on paper.  Setting forth your intent on paper will anchor this question in your mind with an expectation that you will find a way to solve it.  Your mind will work overtime to get the problem solved as you sleep.

Focus on the Question

When you first start this, it’s not usually enough to just write down your dilemma and sleep.  Doing so might get you results, but it’s best if you make use of the trance-like pre sleep state.  Just before you actually fall asleep, your brain goes through a transition period that is very similar to the brainwave patterns found in hypnosis.  You would be doing yourself a disservice to not use this suggestible state.

In order to make the best use of this pre sleep state, focus on your question as you drift off to sleep.  This will imprint the question or problem into your subconscious so that it can work on the problem as you sleep.  This could come to you as an Aha moment, but more likely will come to you through pictures and symbols in a dream, since the human mind tends to think in pictures not words.

One great example of this can be found in the story of Frederick Banting.  He was the doctor that figured out how to treat diabetes.  The solution came to him in a dream.  He actually dreamt the process of isolating insulin to treat diabetes.

Keep a Dream Journal

It is so easy to get started with your day and forget all about your dreams, but what if you knew those dreams could have the answers you desired?  Wouldn’t it be worth it to remember them?  The best way to do this is keep a dream journal by your bed and write down anything you can remember when you wake up.  Make it the first thing you do so that you get as many details as possible.  This way, it will be fresh in your mind and you can move on with your day clear headed.

One important thing that many people never write down, is how they felt at the end of the dream.  This can be very important.  Write down how you felt so that you can get a good idea of the message that the details were conveying.  This will help you get more out of the answers you receive.

Each night, take a look at your dream journal and ask yourself what it means to you.  Analyze your dreams.  This may sound like a long process, but will only take a few minutes.  Just look over what you wrote and think about what it might be telling you about your question.  It may have nothing to do with the problem you’re trying to solve.  In fact, it may just be some random images, but looking it over will help you get a feeling for what the dream is telling you.  Remember, this dream is your dream, so despite what dream books may tell you a doll means, it may mean something very personal to you.  So give it a try, remember the dream, and see what you think it means.

Start on a Night Off

Remembering your dreams is usually easier if you aren’t interrupted by a buzzing alarm.  Because of that, you should start trying to solve problems in your sleep on a night when you don’t have to wake up bright and early to an alarm.  Start the night before your day off, that way you can awaken naturally and take a moment to write down your dream.

Stay Still

If you wake up in the middle of a dream, it’s best that you stay as still as possible.  This will mimic the still state your body is in when it is dreaming.  Your body stays still so that you don’t hurt yourself or others while trying to interact within the dream.  So if you wake up from a dream, lay still close your eyes and think about the dream.  Often this is all that’s needed to slip right back into the dream.  You should do this only if you don’t have some fantastic Aha to write in your journal.  If you mimic the state you were in while dreaming and focus on the dream, you will often be able to jump back into the dream.

Start Small

Finally, don’t start with your biggest problems.  If you aren’t in the habit of solving problems in your sleep, start small.  Pick a problem each night to focus on and see what comes about, but pick something relatively small.  Don’t try to change your whole life the first night, just a little thing.  This will get you used to the process, and build your confidence in your subconscious minds ability to solve the problem effortlessly.  Once you’ve gained some confidence in solving problems this way, you can use it every night.

This little trick can be so valuable and takes very little effort on your part.  Once you get used to recalling your dreams, you will find that you can so easily get the answers you need concerning every problem in life.  Be prepared though, sometimes the answer you want isn’t the one you need.  Your subconscious mind will give you the truth that your conscious mind might be blocking.  You will know when you’ve been given what you need.  It will resonate with you.

Several studies have shown that this works, and there have been plenty of people who have used this regularly for inspiration, answers and personal development.  Give it a try and see how you may be able to make this work for you.  Start as soon as you can.  Start tonight if you can, if not, give it a go on your next night off.

I hope this finds you well,

Ryan

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