Stress-Related Dreams: are your dreams trying to tell you something?

How do you know when you’re stressed? As a mental health and wellbeing trainer, part of my work includes talking about ‘early warning signs’. It won’t surprise you to know that dreams – especially nightmares – can be a sign that we’re going through a difficult time.

It’s why InStyle magazine asked me a number of different questions about what stress-related dreams look like. The thing about stress is that it affects all of us differently. As I said in the feature, there isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ cure, and what one person finds stressful, another person won’t. But our dreams can provide valuable insight in to what’s really on our minds.

I talk about common and recurring dreams in my book Answers in the Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal. The book aims to join the dots between our sleep, dreams and our mental health, specifically how grief shows up, even if no one has died. I explore some of the big myths of sleep, offer a Sleep Cycle Repair Kit including mindfulness activities as well as some top tips to help you decode your dreams. 

You can find out more in the video below or order on Amazon.

Available on Amazon

Copyright Delphi Ellis

Ask Me About Your Dream (Dream Therapy Sessions)

Dreams have been described as “the window in to our soul”, but is there any value in exploring them? The short answer is most definitely “yes”.

Research shows that talking about a dream for approximately an hour “can result in “aha” moments for people”.  We also know that during the pandemic, according to the Lyon Neuroscience Centre, dream recall increased by up to 35%.

I have been fascinated by dreams all my life, and have worked professionally as a TV “Dream Expert” in the media.  As a therapist many of my clients have found it helpful to explore what their dreams and nightmares mean. 

My new book – Answers in the Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal looks at not only why we might be awake at night and what can help, but explores how our dreams can provide insights in to what’s really on our mind. It provides tips on interpreting your own dreams, as well as top tips for more refreshing sleep – even if you work shifts. It’s now available to pre-order on Amazon. Click the image to visit the book’s dedicated website or use the button below to pre-order your copy.

Pre-Order Book

PLEASE NOTE: My counselling waiting list is currently at capacity and I am not taking any new clients at this time; this therefore means that dream exploration or therapy is not currently available. For useful links to organisations that may be able to help, click here. Events – including workshops and classes – are running as normal, and available online.Click here for details.

Terms and Conditions

Clients can obtain a full refund on 1-1 appointments if giving more than two working days notice. Payment for all services is required at the time of booking unless otherwise specified. The therapist will call the client at the time of the appointment. Please make sure you have a safe space to talk. You may find these Frequently Asked Questions helpful.

Everyone is different so what a dream means to one person, can be different to the next. I aim to offer a professional exploration of your dream, based on the information you provide, so the more you feel able to share, the more in-depth this may be.

© Copyright Delphi Ellis 2006 – 2020

Why We Can’t Sleep (and What Can Help)

Scientists have been telling us how much sleep we need for a while now. Depending on which research you read, the average figure quoted for adults is eight hours a night. But the reality is: most people aren’t getting that, and don’t sleep for that long.

According to the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) at least 4 in 10 people aren’t getting enough sleep, with the Sleep Health Foundation suggesting 1 in 3 people suffer with insomnia –  trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.  It’s the second most common health complaint after pain. The “average” Briton gets around six hours sleep a night according to this article in the Independent. Sunday was revealed as the day people get their worst night’s sleep.

And it’s not just a British problem. According to some reports (scrutinised by the NHS) sleep is an issue around the world.

It makes sense that when Dr. Guy Meadows commissioned The Big Sleep Report, he identified that only 1% of the UK’s population wake up feeling completely refreshed every day. Even people getting the recommended eight hours a night (or more) admit they don’t wake up feeling rested, with especially poor sleep the night before their next shift (known as Sunday Night Syndrome).

I talk about this and more in my book Answers in the Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal. The book aims to join the dots between our sleep, dreams and our mental health, specifically how grief shows up, even if no one has died. I explore some of the big myths of sleep, offer a Sleep Cycle Repair Kit including mindfulness activities as well as some top tips to help you decode your dreams. 

You can find out more in the video below or order on Amazon.

Available on Amazon

©️ Copyright Delphi Ellis

Mindfulness for Dreamy Sleep

Dreams fascinate people, but if you’re struggling to get to sleep, you’re not likely to be having many. The knock-on effect can take its toll on both your physical and mental health.  I talk about this in my book Answers in the Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal. The book aims to join the dots between our sleep, dreams and our mental health, specifically how grief shows up, even if no one has died. I explore some of the big myths of sleep, offer a Sleep Cycle Repair Kit including mindfulness activities as well as some top tips to help you decode your dreams.

You can find out more in the video below or order on Amazon.

Available on Amazon

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