The Evolution of Dreams: From Reverence to Skepticism

When you really stop to think about it, it’s an astonishing fact that we spend a third of our lives asleep. And part of that time, we’re dreaming. What goes on during this unconscious state that consumes so much of our lives, and how can we use our dreams to improve our waking hours?

Here to unpack the mysterious world of dreams is Alice Robb, the author of Why We Dream: The Transformative Power of Our Nightly Journey. Today on the show, Alice first shares some background on the nature of dreams, why their content is often stress-inducing, and how they can influence our waking hours, from impacting our emotional health to helping us be more creative. We then turn to how to get more out of our dreams, including the benefits of keeping a dream journal and talking about your dreams with others. We also get into the world of lucid dreaming and some tips for how you can start controlling your dreams.

Resources Related to the Podcast

• Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud
• Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LaBerge
• AoM Article: Nap Like Salvador Dali — Get Creative Insights on the Boundary Between Sleep and Wakefulness

Connect With Alice Robb

• Alice’s website