Using Dreams to Solve Problems and Enhance Creativity

The answers may be in your dreams.

Introduction
Dreams have served as inspiration for many people. Paul McCartney, for example, dreamed about a song that became the hit "Yesterday." Mary Shelley, after being challenged to write a horror story, dreamed about a character that later became the monster in her book Frankenstein. And many painters have almost made their dreams a reality by putting them on canvas.

Dreaming hasn't inspired just artists. Elias Howe found the solution to a vexing problem with his invention, the sewing machine, in a dream. Golfer Jack Nicklaus dreamed of a different way to hold his club; his new method got him out of a slump. And physician Frederick Bantung, while trying to find the cause of diabetes, dreamed of a way to isolate insulin (although he didn't know that was what he was doing at the time of the dream).

How we solve problems in our dreams
When you dream you're processing all the experiences you had, and information you absorbed, during the day. But at the same time, because you're not conscious, your natural biases won't get in the way of your problem-solving ability. In other words, you'll be more open-minded.

While you're dreaming you may able to see things from a different perspective. Perhaps you'll catch something you missed when you were awake. Or you may discover options you might not have considered. The fact is, no matter what you're doing or what kind of problem you have, your dreams can help you work them out.

How to enhance problem solving and creativity while dreaming
The best way to use your dreams for this purpose is to prepare yourself for sleep by establishing a routine and staying with it. Try to go to bed at the same time, and do the same activities, every night.

As you're getting ready for bed, form your problem into a question. Right before you go to bed, write down the question. Then do your best to stop thinking about it, and go to sleep. You'll probably have many dreams during the night; do your best to write them down when you wake up.

The solution to your problem, or the idea you needed, may be right there in your mind when you wake up. You may not even be conscious of dreaming it. Or it may not be so obvious; you may have to read your dream records and reconsider what happened during your dreams. It may be best to put them aside and come back to them later.

Like any new skill, this technique takes practice. In the beginning you may find it hard to pick out the solutions amid the myriad images your unconscious produces while you sleep. But the more you do it, the better you'll get. Eventually it will be easy for you to recognize, and interpret, what's important. And you'll be on your way to a more creative way of expressing yourself - and solving your problems.