The Three Stages of Sleep and Dreaming

by David Newman

The first stage of sleep is called twilight sleep.

Understanding the Three Stages of Sleep and the Subconscious Mind

Sleep is more than just rest for the body—it is a crucial time when the subconscious mind processes, organizes, and filters information. The three primary stages of sleep play a significant role in how we absorb and make sense of daily experiences.

Stage 1: The Twilight State

This is the dozing-off phase, where we are still semi-aware of our surroundings but not fully engaged. You may notice people talking, a television playing, or distant sounds, but you aren’t actively paying attention.

🔹 During this phase, the critical cortex begins to download the day’s events into the subconscious.

🔹 The subconscious filters information, deciding what to accept and what to reject.

🔹 Accepted information aligns with previously stored beliefs and experiences.

🔹 Rejected information is eventually discarded or “vented” later in sleep.

Stage 2: The Precognitive State

Once the subconscious has accepted new information, it begins processing predictions about the future based on the combination of new and old knowledge.

🔹 The subconscious tries to predict possible outcomes.

🔹 Some predictions may be highly accurate, while others are unreliable.

🔹 All accepted information is categorized as known data, which can shape future thoughts and decisions.

Stage 3: The Venting State

This is the final stage of sleep, where the subconscious purges rejected information through early morning dreams.

🔹 These dreams often seem bizarre or nonsensical because they are simply the subconscious “taking out the garbage.”

🔹 Many people mistakenly try to analyze venting dreams using dream interpretation books, but these dreams hold no real meaning.

🔹 However, predictive dreams, which occur earlier in the sleep cycle, can offer valuable insights and should be written down if remembered.

Harnessing the Power of the Subconscious in Sleep

A powerful way to utilize your subconscious is by focusing on a problem before sleep.

📌 Personal Tip: If I have an issue that I can’t solve, I spend 45 minutes before bed thinking about it. Overnight, my subconscious continues working on the problem. The next morning, the solution often appears suddenly and effortlessly—a phenomenon known as sleep cognition.

By understanding these sleep stages, we can become more intentional about programming our subconscious, improving problem-solving skills, and gaining deeper insights into our own mind. 🌙✨