The Importance of Sleep and Dreams

People today generally ignore their sleep and dreams. Sleep is viewed as something that is annoying, stops us from attending to things that we believe are important, and if possible would be removed by most people to improve wakeful productivity. We actively snuff out or sleep by staying up late into the night with imitation lights coming from TV’s, computers, and cell phones. What many don’t fully understand is that sleep and dreams are essential to our health.

In my exploration into sleep and dreams, I have found that getting enough sleep is an essential part of being an overall healthy productive part of society. Most of my life has been spent in the military where sleep and especially dreams come second to the mission. In the military getting less sleep is encouraged and taking a nap or getting much-needed rest is looked down upon as a weakness. Things are changing though as high ranking officials are taking a look at their own lack of sleep, and accidents that are caused by lack of quality rest have become more apparent.

This lack of rest is not only a military issue as many of these same issues can be experienced in corporate America and around the world. Lack of rest is a worldwide epidemic that may have reached its peak. Today many fortune 500 companies are starting to take notice of the importance of getting quality rest and make changes in their culture to improve their working environment to include sleep.

Rubin Naiman Sleep and Dreams In this episode, I speak with Dr. Rubin Naiman who is a psychologist and also the clinical assistant professor of medicine and the sleep and dream specialist at the University of Arizona’s Center for Integrative Medicine.

Rubin discusses the importance of sleep and dreams and how they are essential to our health. He suggests that understanding and expressing our dreams are an essential part of the human experience and is something that our current culture is severely lacking.

Dr. Naiman and I also discuss some sleep disorders including sleep paralysis and ways that we can deal with those dreams to overcome fears not only in our dreams but use them in waking life. He also shares with us ways that you can improve your sleep and also improve the quality of dreams that you have integrating them into our waking reality.

Dr. Naiman served as the sleep and dream specialist at Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, where he founded the first formal sleep center at a spa. Subsequently, he served as director of sleep programs for Miraval Resort. Dr. Naiman has worked with a diverse clientele ranging from Fortune 500 CEOs to world-class athletes, from homemakers to statesmen and entertainers. He has also provided consultation to organizations ranging from world-class resorts to top rock and roll bands. Over the past 25 years, Dr. Naiman has taught at a number of colleges and universities. He is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.