Why Highly Sensitives Dream So Vividly

For Highly Sensitives, our dreams can leave us in deep contemplation, inspired, alarmed, and/or distract us for days.

But why do we dream so vividly?

The answer lies in our Trait, “…Sensory Processing Sensitivity refers to a greater responsivity to internal and external stimuli and an increased depth of cognitive and emotional processing (Aron & Aron, 1997).

So our vivid dream life can be both a source of overstimulation and inspiration for us.

Our dreams can cause us to wake up in fear, deep sadness, or a state of pure bliss.

Whether positive or negative, these extreme feelings can wreak havoc on our daily lives once we wake up and need to start our day.

We then have to ask ourselves how we can cope with these feelings and stay focused while at work, caring for our children, etc.?

A severe side effect can be distraction and lacking focus, so how do we overcome this?

First, we need to look at a few things;

• Do we meditate before we settle into sleep?
• Is our sleep environment quiet? If not, we could try using earplugs or a white noise machine.
• Does light of any kind cause us to wake from the various states of sleep? If so, we can use a sleeping mask.
• Are we using electronics before we sleep? If so, we can choose to meditate before we go to sleep.
• Do we feel anxious before we sleep? If so, we can try a weighted blanket.

But what happens when we wake up overstimulated?

One solution is to meditate. Bring ourselves back into a state of calm.

Another solution is to stay occupied and focus on one task at a time during the day. We can use our creativity and ability to pay attention to details to stay focused.

Make extra notes during the day of what you’re working on, including the date and time, and a concise reminder to help you recall the task.

Using our organization skills and attention to detail will keep our conscious mind active and temporarily distracted away from our unsolved dream messages.

We need to keep in mind our dreams are not fact, good or bad, but they are certainly trying to tell us something, so relax and don’t jump to conclusions.

Put aside a time where you can do some research on key elements in your dreams. This will help to try and make some sense out of them.

There’s also no time limit to unravel these messages.

I still have past unsolved dreams I’m trying to understand years later, and 

I’ve found little bits of their meanings seem to present themselves when the time is right.

So as hard as it can be, practice patience.

We all have those close friends that really “get us,” and if you feel comfortable, share your dreams with them.

I’ve found that sometimes by sharing with someone, their unbiased perspective is an excellent source for uncovering the various messages in at least parts of our dreams.

There are endless resources online today regarding dream interpretation, symbolism, Facebook groups, and so on, so we’re far from alone in trying to decipher our dream meanings.

“It’s important to remember that our dreams have to do with intuition, dreams, anticipating needs, and knowing how to meet those needs. We need to recall that whatever our insights, we are only channels for them. They provide invaluable clues about our “real” attitudes and situations, which then can suggest entirely new solutions.” Learning about HSPs’ Complexes from Joseph the Dreamer by Dr. Elaine Aron.

And what about what happens when we’re emerging from sleep to wakefulness?

Some Highly Sensitives have experienced something called Sleep Paralysis.

This is a type of Parasomnia, which is a sleeping disorder.

I’ve experienced this at least twice, the first time around 19 years old, then at least once in my 40’s.

When this occurs, you suddenly awaken in the middle of the night, and your mind is aware, but your body is frozen, unable to move.

In this case, your mind has woken up a minute or two before your body, but it feels like hours before your body does the same.

If you can pull this knowledge to the front of your brain when it’s happening, you can breathe deeply and patiently allow your body to catch up to your brain.

The causes of Sleep Paralysis are lack of sleep and stress and can happen when we deprive ourselves of healthy rest.

As my episodes were few and disappeared, I found that the best way to avoid them is to ensure I’m getting enough rest, identifying where my stress is coming from, and taking steps to reduce the stress.

One of the most rewarding benefits we can take from our dreams is the inspiration they give us.

Our sensitive traits raise the levels in the dream experience to such heights where we feel as though we have traveled to far off places or worlds!

Could these be ancient hidden memories resurfacing? Did they come from a past life? Are they a glimpse into the future? Or a warning to our 

future self or humanity?

How can possibilities like these not inspire us?

Highly Sensitives are tapped into a much deeper field of energy, receiving information that surrounds us at all times, just waiting to be harnessed.

It’s been speculated that well-known historical figures, who we most likely HSPs, were thought to have been guided by unknown forces surrounding us in the “field.” 

Figures like; Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Pythagoras, DaVinci, Nostradamus, Marie Curie, Rosa Parks, Emmeline Pankhurst, Ada Lovelace, Rosalind Franklin, and Mary Wollstonecraft.

They received their insights and channeled their talents in a way that changed humanity forever.

For me, that’s inspiration enough.

Reach out into the darkness of your thoughts in the quiet, and maybe you’ll receive the same level of information as those mentioned above.

I’d love to know what you struggle with when you dream and what helps you?

 

Interested in a similar topic? Read How Highly Sensitive People Can Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed

Pic credit via jcomp