Dr. Emily Cook

So let's connect it to unemployment.

What will change in my dreams if I'm hunting for a job?

Will my dreams become more monotonous?

I've been through periods of unemployment and that's how my life has felt during that period.

It's wild that your dreams start to feel that way too.

It's so fascinating to me that people in these dreams when they're unemployed are less surprised or they see less or they're more passive.

Is a disengagement in life being mirrored by a kind of disengagement in the dreaming world?

Times are tough out there.

What about when I have a job and it's maybe not going well, like I'm scared of being fired or my workplace is extremely stressful?

Can that affect my dreams?

And if so, how?

Well, that's quite a statement.

And if I want to have fun dreams, does that mean I have to have a fun life?

Like are you subconsciously or secretly telling me I got to get off my couch and live a little bit more if I want my dreams to be fun?

Zooming out, you're both dream researchers.

Are there any other things you want people to know about dreams in general and their meaning?

Well, Dr. Emily Cook and Kyle Napierkowski are both researchers at the Center for Organizational Dreaming.

Emily, Kyle, thank you so much for both being here.

Yes, absolutely.

So for a long time, we've actually known our dreams are reflective or continuous of our waking life.