Dreams can be quite strange. Sometimes you wake up with a clear memory of a surreal adventure, while other times, it feels like you didn’t dream at all. Yet, the truth is, everyone dreams—on average, about two hours each night.
Although it’s common to forget most of your dreams, when you do remember them, you often notice recurring themes. According to a recent article in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, dreams are often a blend of daily or recent memories. However, some people believe that dreams hold deeper meanings beyond just random memories from the day. Let’s delve into some common dream themes and what they might signify.
Types of Dreams
Dreams manifest in diverse forms and presentations, drawing from a wide array of experiences encountered during waking life. Research suggests that about 65% of dream elements are connected to events and situations experienced while awake. Here are some of the most common types of dreams:
Recurring dreams are those that repeat themselves and often relate to consistent behavioral patterns preceding the dream. According to Lauri Quinn Loewenberg, a professional dream analyst, such dreams may be indicative of persistent behavioral patterns or stem from unresolved issues.
Daydreams occur when certain brain regions enter a sleep-like state while others remain alert. Dan Ford, a sleep psychologist, refers to a 2021 study indicating the presence of slow brain waves, similar to those during deep sleep, in the frontal brain regions just before daydreaming.
False-awakening dreams involve the sensation of waking up in a familiar setting, going through a typical morning routine, and then realizing it’s a dream. These dreams typically occur during REM sleep. Ford suggests that they may resemble hallucinations experienced at the onset or end of sleep.
False-awakening dreams share similarities with sleep paralysis in that both are transitional states between sleep and wakefulness. However, in sleep paralysis, one is mentally conscious but physically immobile, while in a false awakening, one believes they have awakened but are still dreaming.
In lucid dreams, one becomes aware within the dream and may have some control over its direction. Typically occurring during REM sleep, research suggests that lucid dreaming correlates with heightened physiological arousal and increased activity in the brain’s frontal and frontolateral regions—areas associated with conscious awareness, which are typically less active during standard REM sleep.
Nightmares are distressing dreams characterized by intense negative emotions. According to a survey conducted by Mattress Advisor involving over 1,200 Americans, the top three nightmare themes for men are falling, being pursued, and experiencing an attack. For women, the most common themes include being pursued, falling, tooth loss, experiencing an attack, and going through a breakup. Nightmares often arise from unresolved, troubling, or poorly managed issues in one’s waking life.
Interpretations of 5 common dreams
The scientific study of dreams and their meanings, known as oneirology, is complex. Loewenberg characterizes it as a comparative analysis that matches the imagery, thoughts, and emotions in dreams with those experienced the previous day, often providing the dreamer with valuable insights.
Conversely, some experts argue that dream interpretation lacks scientific precision. Ford emphasizes that while dreams and their potential meanings have fascinated people for centuries, there is no definitive scientific evidence that dreams have universal meanings, despite research uncovering common themes in people’s dreams.
Although experts have varying views on the importance of dreams, the practice of interpreting them continues. Below are five common dreams and their interpretations by experts.
Falling: According to a 2022 survey of 2,007 Americans by Amerisleep, falling is the most commonly recurring dream. The Mattress Advisor survey also found that it is the most frequent nightmare theme for men and the second most frequent for women.
Carl Jung, a famous psychoanalyst known for the Jungian dream theory, believed that dreams of falling act as a compensatory mechanism. He suggested that individuals with an inflated sense of self might dream of falling as a metaphorical ‘return to earth.’
Loewenberg notes that these dreams might stem from feelings of disappointment or a lack of support, whether financial or emotional, and are common among those experiencing depression. Sigmund Freud, another prominent psychologist, interpreted falling dreams as a symbol of yielding to s*xual desires, according to Ford.
Being Chased
According to a 2022 Amerisleep survey, being chased is the second most commonly reported recurring dream and the top recurring dream among women. The Mattress Advisor survey supports this finding, noting that being chased is a prevalent nightmare theme for women and the second most common for men.
Loewenberg suggests that these dreams may result from avoidance behavior. She explains that running away in a dream usually happens when we procrastinate or avoid addressing a problem. People who avoid confrontations are more likely to have such dreams, which may also be linked to procrastination.
Ford adds that the feeling of being chased in a dream might be due to significant anxiety experienced during waking hours. Some scientists propose that these dreams may have evolutionary origins, possibly serving as mental practice for escaping threats.
Losing Teeth
Dreams about losing teeth are also very common. A 2018 study indicates that actual dental discomfort, rather than psychological stress or sleep quality, might trigger dreams about tooth loss. Loewenberg connects dreams involving the mouth or teeth to real-life communication issues, interpreting teeth falling out as a metaphor for ‘loose speech’ or regretting what was said. Concerns about personal appearance frequently feature in these dreams as well.
Cheating
Dreams about infidelity, whether involving oneself or a partner, can be distressing but are relatively common. A 2020 Amerisleep survey revealed that approximately 23% of U.S. adults have had dreams about infidelity. Loewenberg notes that this is one of the most frequent topics she is consulted on and suggests that if infidelity has been an issue in the past, these dreams might reflect unresolved trust issues.
She stresses that such dreams do not necessarily indicate actual infidelity. Instead, they may signify feelings of neglect or competition with another aspect of your partner’s life that demands their time and attention, diverting it from the relationship.
If the dream involves you being unfaithful, Loewenberg interprets this as possibly representing a new element in your life that your subconscious feels is detracting from your relationship.
Why Dream ?
The reasons behind why we dream remain unclear to science, according to Ford. He notes that current evidence suggests dreams might reflect scenarios that mirror an individual’s main concerns in their waking life, especially significant and emotionally intense interpersonal issues.
Loewenberg describes dreaming as an extension of our daytime thought processes. She explains that as we enter REM sleep, the brain’s functioning changes, transforming our thoughts. She emphasizes that this makes dreaming a meaningful process, where internal dialogues are visualized and experienced, rather than being pointless.