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Sleep and dreaming

You will find lots of information about the importance of sleep and the connection between dreaming and mental health on this website, see:

• The importance of sleep   >>

• Why we dream   >>

• Dreaming to forget: the real reason why we often don't remember our dreams   >>

You can also watch the following free lectures on the HG College's Online Courses website:

Human Givens Online FREE lectures
FREE VIDEOS
'Why do we dream?'
& 'Dreaming, daydreaming and creativity'
  • Why do we dream?
    Joe Griffin reviews past theories and new research findings (all of which add further evidence in support of his ground-breaking theory) as he tells the riveting story of how he solved the mystery of our dreams... 
    Watch now
  • Dreaming, daydreaming and creativity
    Ivan Tyrrell's fascinating talk from the HG Diploma course throws new light on our evolution as he explains the crucial role of the REM state and much more...
    Watch now

Definition of dreaming

An imaginary perceptual experience that occurs primarily in REM sleep. Dreams act out our unexpressed emotional expectations (positive and negative) through the medium of metaphor. Dreaming reduces stress and preserves the integrity of our emotional responses. Excessive and intensive dreaming has been linked to clinical depression. Dream phenomena occurring while patients are awake have been linked to schizophrenia.

More information about why we dream can be found in the book Why we dream: the definitive answer – How dreaming keeps us sane or can drive us mad  (listed opposite)

> Click here to explore a website dedicated to why we dream

Explore our articles and interviews

Search our archive

  • Bringing the help to home

    Most severe, even psychotic, mental illness can be helped more effectively at home than in hospital. Professor Marcellino Smyth illustrates how home treatment services work.

  • Speaking truth to power

    Chris Dyas describes the evolution of a group to help harmed young people find positive ways of dealing with damage caused by system shortfalls.

  • A cloud lifted...

    Studying to become a counsellor would give her the skills to help people, thought Frances Masters. It didn’t … until she came across the human givens approach.

  • “But he gave me flowers”

    Ros Jeal describes how she is helping women stop themselves from being lured back into abusive relationships.

  • The Emotional Needs Scale

    Brett Culham describes the outcome of his research to validate the needs-based human givens approach to psychological health.

  • Perceptions of wellbeing

    Ivan Tyrrell talks with Paul Allin about the significance of the Government’s National Well-being Programme and the contribution of the human givens

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