Case Study 1: The Case of the Woman Who Dreams of Stress
1. Arlene is worried that her recent dream experiences indicate that something is wrong with her. If you were Arlene’s friend and wanted to reassure her, how would you help her to understand the normal experience of sleep and dreams?
As a friend, I would reassure Arlene that everyone has bad dreams, and many times dreams are a reflection of stressors, or positive encounters that one is having in everyday life. In Arlene’s case she is having some issues keeping up with her workload. To remedy this, I would advise Arlene to make small goals for herself to complete every day. For example, if she has a very large project to do at work, set herself a small goal to reach everyday so instead …show more content…
This theory states that dreams allow critical information that is necessary for our survival to be reprocessed and reconsidered during sleep. According to the theory, dreams represent our concerns, uncertainties, and indecisions in our life. In Arlene’s case, she is concerned about her work, and her inability to complete her work on time. For Arlene, being successful at work is key survival so Arlene is worried about her inability to complete her job effectively. Her dreams are a manifestation of these concerns and as she sleeps her dreams try to process this stress to come up with a solution to her …show more content…
This exercise releases energy that may be built up during the day, especially if her workplace is a sedentary one. Many people find exercise to be a way to release stress and unwind from the day, and many find it to be a form of recreation and socialization if done with colleagues. Another way to overcome insomnia is to pick a certain bedtime and stick to it. It is much easier to fall asleep if your body is used to a certain sleep pattern. If you regularly go to sleep at 10pm but attempt to go to sleep at 8pm you may find it difficult as your body is not ready to go to sleep. I think the greatest piece of advice for Arlene to assist with her sleeping, is to not try to sleep. It can be difficult to sleep if you are trying too hard. The best time to go to sleep is when you’re tired. If Arlene is not tired when she is attempting to sleep I would advise her to get up and do something until her body feels tired. I know this last piece of advice sounds as if it is contradictory to the second, but it is not. If your body is used to a regular sleep schedule it will usually begin to feel tired around the same time each
1. Arlene is worried that her recent dream experiences indicate that something is wrong with her. If you were Arlene’s friend and wanted to reassure her, how would you help her to understand the normal experience of sleep and dreams?
As a friend, I would reassure Arlene that everyone has bad dreams, and many times dreams are a reflection of stressors, or positive encounters that one is having in everyday life. In Arlene’s case she is having some issues keeping up with her workload. To remedy this, I would advise Arlene to make small goals for herself to complete every day. For example, if she has a very large project to do at work, set herself a small goal to reach everyday so instead …show more content…
This theory states that dreams allow critical information that is necessary for our survival to be reprocessed and reconsidered during sleep. According to the theory, dreams represent our concerns, uncertainties, and indecisions in our life. In Arlene’s case, she is concerned about her work, and her inability to complete her work on time. For Arlene, being successful at work is key survival so Arlene is worried about her inability to complete her job effectively. Her dreams are a manifestation of these concerns and as she sleeps her dreams try to process this stress to come up with a solution to her …show more content…
This exercise releases energy that may be built up during the day, especially if her workplace is a sedentary one. Many people find exercise to be a way to release stress and unwind from the day, and many find it to be a form of recreation and socialization if done with colleagues. Another way to overcome insomnia is to pick a certain bedtime and stick to it. It is much easier to fall asleep if your body is used to a certain sleep pattern. If you regularly go to sleep at 10pm but attempt to go to sleep at 8pm you may find it difficult as your body is not ready to go to sleep. I think the greatest piece of advice for Arlene to assist with her sleeping, is to not try to sleep. It can be difficult to sleep if you are trying too hard. The best time to go to sleep is when you’re tired. If Arlene is not tired when she is attempting to sleep I would advise her to get up and do something until her body feels tired. I know this last piece of advice sounds as if it is contradictory to the second, but it is not. If your body is used to a regular sleep schedule it will usually begin to feel tired around the same time each