Understanding Dreams: Science, Meaning, and How to Use Them in Daily Life
- Anca Alexandra Pasareanu
- Sep 14
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 11
Contents
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Introduction
When we talk about understanding dreams and their meaning, we often think of hazy symbols or cryptic visions. But there’s a growing interest in the science of dreaming and sleep psychology — a space where ancient wisdom meets modern neuroscience.
The truth is, most of us overlook the quiet hours our brain spends weaving these nocturnal stories. That’s why discovering Rahul Jandial’s This Is Why You Dream felt like uncovering a hidden guide to my own inner landscape.
I’ve always been fascinated by understanding dreams and their meaning, the strange theatre that plays out in my mind while I sleep — the fleeting images, the impossible scenarios, the surreal conversations with people who may not even exist.
For years, I treated dreams like background noise: odd, unpredictable, and mostly irrelevant. But reading Rahul Jandial’s "This Is Why You Dream" made me realize how much I had underestimated them.
This book isn’t just about sleep science. It’s a guided journey into the night mind — an exploration of science behind dreaming and how it shape memory, creativity, emotions, and even health. Jandial blends neuroscience with ancient wisdom, weaving in stories from history, mythology, and his own life.
The result is something rare: a scientific book that also feels personal, poetic, and deeply human.
Since finishing it, I’ve started to treat my dreams differently. I jot them down. I set intentions before bed. I see them not as meaningless chaos but as a kind of nightly language my brain speaks — a conversation worth listening to.
How Dreaming Enhances Creativity, Emotional Awareness, and Problem-Solving
Why “This Is Why You Dream” Felt Like More Than a Book?
What struck me most was how Jandial reframed dreaming as a vital part of being human. We spend about two hours each night in dream states, and learning how to remember dreams better can transform those hours into a source of insight and creativity.
During REM sleep, the body becomes effectively paralyzed, freeing the mind from the physical world’s rules. Time, space, and logic dissolve. Attention turns inward. Imagination takes the lead.
I’ve noticed that on mornings when I wake directly from a dream, my whole day feels subtly different — more fluid, more creative, sometimes even more emotionally attuned. It’s as if the residue of that “other reality” lingers in my thinking, helping me approach problems from unexpected angles.
This lines up with what researchers call sleep-dependent creativity enhancement, where the brain uses dream states to solve problems in non-linear ways.
I had never realized how universal and ancient dreaming is. We start dreaming around the age of four, before many of us can even write our names. Across cultures and centuries, humans have turned to dreams for guidance — from Greek temples where people sought healing visions, to Indigenous communities where dream-sharing was a sacred practice.
This isn’t just folklore; modern neuroscience now confirms that dreams carry emotional and cognitive weight.
The book also challenged one of my long-held beliefs — that if you don’t remember a dream, it didn’t matter. Research shows the opposite: even forgotten dreams can subtly influence mood, decision-making, and creative thinking. In other words, your mind is still working for you while you sleep, even if you wake up with no memory of the night’s adventures.
Practical Dream Journaling, Lucid Dreaming, and Emotional Rehearsal Techniques for Self-Growth
Practical Ways I’ve Been Applying What I Learned
Jandial’s ideas aren’t meant to stay on the page — they invite experimentation. Since reading the book, I’ve made small but meaningful changes in how I approach sleep and dreaming. Here’s what’s worked for me:
1. A New View on Dreams
Before, I brushed off dreams as random mental static. Now I see them as potential messages — layered, symbolic, and emotionally revealing. I started jotting down fragments in a dream journal. The importance of dream journaling is that it strengthens recall and deepens self-understanding.
Some mornings it’s just a sentence: “Standing on a cliff, holding a compass.” Other days I write full paragraphs. Over weeks, patterns emerge — unresolved conversations, recurring places, subtle anxieties about change. These aren’t just curiosities; they’re clues.
I’ve also begun tagging my entries with emotions — fear, joy, curiosity, confusion. Later, when I read back, I can see emotional patterns I might have missed in waking life. This method has become my personal form of dream analysis at home, a way to quietly track my subconscious processing without needing to decode every single image.
2. Cultivating Lucidity
The chapter on lucid dreaming lit a spark in me. The concept is simple: become aware you’re dreaming while still in the dream. My first attempt came after I set a quiet intention before bed: "Tonight, I’ll notice when I’m dreaming." A few nights later, I looked down at my hands in a dream and thought, wait — this isn’t real. The moment faded quickly, but it was electrifying. Since then, I’ve kept practicing. Even without full lucidity, I wake with sharper, more vivid dream recall.
Lucidity isn’t about control; it’s about participating with awareness. It’s a way to engage directly with your subconscious instead of being a passive observer.
I’ve found that reality checks — looking at a clock twice, trying to push my finger through my palm — help train my brain to question reality. Over time, these small habits bleed into my dreams, making lucidity more likely. This lucid dreaming technique for beginners is gentle, free, and surprisingly effective.
Becoming aware in a dream is one way to actively participate in the creative, symbolic process of the mind — part of the science behind dreaming.
3. Creating Emotional Rehearsal
One of the book’s most powerful insights is that the dreaming brain acts as a rehearsal stage for emotional challenges. I’ve begun visualizing difficult conversations or decisions before bed — not obsessively, just gently setting the scene.
Some nights, I dream through the scenario, almost role-playing my way toward clarity. I’ve woken from these dreams feeling lighter, more prepared, even more forgiving toward myself or others.
This has made me realize that dreams aren’t just random — they can be a safe testing ground for how I want to show up in waking life. It’s emotional preparation without the real-world consequences, a kind of mental dress rehearsal that has made me calmer in situations I used to dread.
4. Tidying Sleep Hygiene
Like many people, I thought “sleep hygiene” just meant avoiding blue light before bed. Now my routine feels almost ritualistic:
Dim the lights an hour before sleep.
Write down three things I’m grateful for.
Spend a few minutes on slow breathing or third eye meditation.
Turn off screens well before bed.
I’ve also started diffusing calming scents like lavender or chamomile. According to sleep researchers, scent association can help trigger lucid dreaming and vivid dream recall. Now, the moment I catch that scent, my body begins to relax and my mind starts preparing for the dream state.
5. The Magic of Napping
Jandial makes a strong case for the power of naps — especially for creativity. Even short naps can trigger bursts of dream-like imagery. Famous creators like Salvador Dalí used micro-naps as idea incubators.
I experimented with “the spoon method” Dalí used — holding a spoon loosely over a metal tray so that when I drift off, the clang wakes me just as I slip into the first stage of sleep. The images that come in those micro-moments have been surprisingly useful for writing, problem-solving, and even personal reflection.
A Quote to Go By
Dreaming Is the Brain’s Way of Knitting Meaning.
Three lines from "This Is Why You Dream" have stayed with me:
“Your dreams are not distractions — they’re the brain’s way of knitting experience into meaning.”
“In sleep, the brain becomes a novelist, poet, and philosopher all at once.”
“Lucidity isn’t a gift bestowed; it’s a skill patiently learned.”
These quotes made me rethink my relationship with my subconscious. They’re not just poetic — they’re practical affirmations that remind me to respect the psychology of dreams as part of my emotional and creative toolkit.
Additional Insights from the Book
Dreams as Time Travelers
Dreams ignore the rules of time and place. In them, I’ve spoken to my younger self, visited future versions of my life, and stood in places that don’t exist anywhere on Earth. This freedom — to move beyond the present moment — is part of dreaming’s magic. It allows us to explore “what if” in ways waking life never could.
The Silent Influence of Forgotten Dreams
Even when I wake with no memory of a dream, my day can feel subtly altered — more open, more restless, or strangely inspired. Studies show that the brain continues processing dream material unconsciously, shaping emotions and perceptions long after waking.
Dreams as Health Messengers
One of the more surprising insights in the book is that dreams can sometimes signal physical changes before symptoms appear — especially with brain and nervous system health. While not a diagnostic tool, recurring unusual dreams can be worth paying attention to.
Dream Sharing and Intimacy
I hadn’t thought about this before, but sharing dreams with another person can create surprising closeness. There’s something vulnerable and intimate about letting someone into the surreal world your mind created. It’s a way of saying, "Here’s a map of my inner world, however strange it looks."
What Shapes Our Dreams
What we feed our minds during the day shapes the dream landscape at night. The music we hear, the books we read, even the fleeting emotions we carry influence the imagery and themes that surface. I’ve started being more intentional about my evening input — ending my day with uplifting, calming material instead of scrolling through stressful headlines.
One thing Jandial emphasizes — and I’ve experienced — is that mindful pre-sleep activities influence dream quality. On nights when I meditate, listen to calming music, or read inspiring fiction, my dreams tend to be more vivid, cohesive, and emotionally rich. It’s a reminder that the dream world is built from the raw materials we give it.
Final Thoughts
This Is Why You Dream isn’t just about REM cycles and brain chemistry. It’s about reclaiming a part of life many of us overlook. Dreams aren’t a distraction from reality — they’re a different way of experiencing it.
Since reading the book, I’ve become more curious, more patient with myself, and more willing to let my inner life speak through dreams. I see them as guides, creative partners, and sometimes, quiet therapists.
If anything, this book has made me more intentional about my inner life. By learning how to remember dreams and use them for personal growth, I’ve added a layer of meaning to a part of the day I used to ignore. My nights now feel less like blank spaces and more like uncharted territories worth exploring.
A Question for the Reader
What Is Your Night Mind Trying to Tell You?
What dream — or recurring nightly image — have you had that felt like more than just a dream? Could it be pointing you toward something you’ve overlooked?
Maybe tonight, as you drift off, you could set a small intention: to remember, to notice, or simply to listen. You might be surprised at what your dreams have been trying to say all along.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does pre-sleep intention setting for dreams work?
Pre-sleep intention setting for dreams involves mentally stating a goal or curiosity before sleeping, such as “Tonight, I will notice when I’m dreaming.” This increases dream awareness, facilitates lucid dreaming, and enhances meaningful dream experiences.
Can dream sharing and intimacy practices improve relationships?
Dream sharing and intimacy practices—discussing dreams with others—can foster closeness, vulnerability, and emotional connection. Sharing dream experiences provides insight into your subconscious and strengthens interpersonal bonds.
How does intentional pre-sleep mindfulness for dreams enhance mental clarity?
Intentional pre-sleep mindfulness for dreams—through meditation, calming music, or reading inspiring material—prepares the mind for vivid, emotionally resonant dreams. This practice improves mental clarity, emotional balance, and subconscious insight.
What is REM sleep and its role in dreaming?
REM sleep and its role in dreaming refer to a stage where the body is paralyzed but the brain is highly active. During REM, dreams are vivid and emotionally intense, supporting memory consolidation, creativity, and emotional processing.
