Productive sleep?

by seattleniceguy 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  seattleniceguy

  The last few months for me have been quite a journey. After I first left the organization in September, I found that my drive to work, to play, even to eat, was shot. I was faced with a prospect I had never considered - living out my life in this system of things - and I had no idea what I wanted to do.

  Lately, I've been sleeping a lot, sometimes 12 hours a night. The sleep feels very productive, filled with long dreams, which make me feel like I have slept for years by the time I wake up. On the one hand, I feel a bit like a slob for getting up so late, but on the other hand, I feel like my mind is sorting a lot of stuff out, putting things together, regrouping for the battle ahead.

  Last night (perhaps I should say, this morning) I dreamed a very long story-dream about my JW girlfriend, M. I found her at her residence and she was willing to talk to me! I told her why I had to leave the organization. She was afraid to let her mind follow me completely, but she didn't debate. After what seemed like days, it seemed like she was weighing things in her mind...I was hoping against hope....But I never got to find out the answer, because I woke up first.

  Do you think that dreams can be productive? Do you have any experiences of productive sleep?

  SNG
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  dustyb

  heh, i don't sleep much cuz of the stupid org, but i have the same dreams kinda. but the thing is i know my g/f will listen to me when i need her, so who knows. i'd say shoot for the stars because if you don't talk to her about it, you won't know what it will become of. iono.....i say dreams are productive enough if they send you a message like that.
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  Big Tex

  It sounds like you're processing a lot of information, feelings, issues, etc. Doing so is taking up quite a lot of energy, which could lead to feeling more fatigued, hence more sleep. Do you have any nightmares, or just a number of dreams?

  It sounds as if the dreams are productive, in that you are accessing some deep seated fears, hopes and sadness. You could also be just a little depressed, and it would only be natural based on your experience. But it also sounds like you're dealing with your situation as well as you can so at this point I wouldn't worry too much about it. If it continues or interferes in your life, then it might be indicative of a deeper problem.

  As for dreams themselves, I do believe in them, very much so. When I was in therapy dealing with some family issues, my dreams helped me tremendously. I even bought a voice activated dictaphone so I could tell me dream before I forgot it. The dreams were in color, complete with music and sounds; sometimes they were so real. But I also had nightmares for years, they were also very real.

  But I learned a lot from them, and so can you. The one you mentioned sounds like your hope she will not only accept your decision to leave the organization but to follow you as well. You woke up because in your heart, you don't know the answer -- it's a hope that might come true, or might not.

  Anyway, sorry for rambling. This is an interesting subject for me.

  Be well,

  Chris
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  Elsewhere

  It sounds like you are experiencing classic symptoms of depression. You may want to talk to your Dr about that. They really can help a lot. There is talk therapy and medications that they can prescribe.
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  seattleniceguy

  Chris,

  Thanks for your reply. I very rarely have nightmares. Mostly just dreams. It seems like lately they have been exceedingly brilliant and real, complete even with tactile sensations. I don't think that the dreams themselves are interfering with my waking life, but I do think that the things I am sorting out can and do interfere. But like you say, I think my mind is making progress.

  Elsewhere,

  I don't think I need drugs. I'll keep your suggestion in mind, however.

  The rational part of me believes that dreams are merely productions of our subconscious mind as it deals with thoughts and emotions. But the hopeful side of me wishes that perhaps it is true, that dreams are spiritual somehow, that they connect us with other humans on some plane, that they portend things. Any thoughts on this?

  SNG
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  SixofNine

  The dream you tell about seems unproductive in the sense that it sounds very frustrating, built on wishful thinking. I have those type dreams every now and then.

  The sleep you're getting sounds very productive though; I'd just revel in it if I were you.

  My thoughts on dreams are that they are probably only "productive" in the sense that they are normal. I went years w/o dreaming. Six months after leaving the borg, I woke up one morning, chuckling at a dream I'd had with a humourous scenario. Later that day, it hit me that this was the first dream I'd had in a very long time. The next morning, I awoke after another, and so on for several days.

  I still don't seem to dream as much, or remember them as much anyway, as most people, but I'm convinced that my borg induced depression is what had shut down my dreaming for so long.
• 

  Eric

  SNG,

  Some years ago, I experimented with "lucid dreaming". I then combined this with altered sleep patterns, ie: instead of sleeping for 8 hours solid out of 24, sleep for just 1 out of every 3, or 2 out of every 6, whatever your schedule allows. It was a very interesting experiment.

  I just did a Google search on lucid dreaming, and there are quite a few sites devoted to the subject, some verging toward the "mystical", some more toward the technical side of the issue.

  I still use the techniques I learned years ago, when I want to get more out of sleep than just being well-rested.

  Eric