Reminder dreams serve as a reminder to do something you forgot.
I’m not a fan of them. When you or I have one, it means we’ve screwed up by forgetting something in some way. But it’s usually better to have them than to not have them. You only have to have a plan for dealing with them when you do. Then you need another way to have fewer of them.
A reminder dream might not even seem like a dream. You’re sleeping. Then, all of a sudden, you remember that you put your keys on top of your car! You didn’t realize it when you drove home because the front door was unlocked.
Or you’re filling out a form in your dreams. Suddenly you wake up finally understanding that you misinterpreted one of the questions on it.
Dreams can seem pretty weird and wild. They can seem like they come from another place, another planet. Who knows where that might be?
The reminder dream might not seem that way at all. You know that it’s a dream because you’ve just woken up.
“Damnit!” you might say, shooting awake. “I forgot to do that!”
If you can do something about what you’ve forgotten, you might want to do it.
On the other hand, if you can’t do anything about it right then and there in the middle of the night, make a note to do it in the morning.
It all depends on what it is. If your keys are on top of your car outside, it’s probably a good idea to go get them if your car is still there.
The reminder dream can be about anything
Remember this: Just because you’re reminded about something in the middle of the night doesn’t mean you can or should do something about it right then. You have to take it on a case-by-case basis. Your sleep is important. Getting too wound up about something might be counterproductive for the rest of your day. It’s a far better plan to make that quick note and return to it later when you wake up.
They’re good in that if what you’ve forgotten is important, there may be a chance that you can fix whatever it is.
They’re bad in that they’re the bearer of bad news. Everyone likes good news more than bad.
Having reminder dreams
It’s better to have a reminder dream than not to have it, generally speaking. That is, as long as you’re not beating yourself up for something that you had no real control over. That kind of thought isn’t productive. You can only control what you can.
Getting enough sleep helps your brain function more effectively. When your brain works better and you’re operating in an environment that you’re familiar with, you’re going to be less inclined to forget something that you should have remembered.
Rather than trying to have these kinds of dreams that might wake you up in the middle of the night, anxious because of what you forgot, try to remember whatever you need to remember before you wind down at night. Ask yourself, is there anything that I’m forgetting to do?
If there is something that you’re forgetting and you can do something about it, do it. Take care of it right away.
If not, put it on the agenda or your to-do list for tomorrow.
That kind of inventory can be useful. Sometimes it’s easy to take care of and can save you an interrupted night of sleep.
Taking that simple step is better than being awakened right out of a deep sleep by a reminder dream.
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James Cobb, RN, MSN, is an emergency department nurse and the founder of the Dream Recovery System. His goal is to provide his readers with simple, actionable ways to improve their health and maximize their quality of life.
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