According to sleep experts, the majority of us will have somewhere around 100,000 dreams in our lifetimes – but how many of them actually stay with us when we’re not snoozing?
For those of us that do remember our dream details, what happens in them can end up helping our waking lives, if we take the time to ask questions and dig deeper.
With that in mind, here are the 7 most common recurring dreams and how they’ve been interpreted by experts…
Dream #1: Run for It!
Being chased is one of the most commonly recurring dreams amongst women, according to dream experts, and it almost always is an indication of the “fight or flight” situations that we all encounter in our day-to-day lives.
What it Means – If you’ve been dreaming of being chased, you need to ask yourself what it is that you’re running from in your daily life, and realize that you can’t keep on running forever – avoiding pain only prolongs it!
Dream #2: Back to School
We’ve all had a dream of being lost in the labyrinth of hallways or being unable to find our locker, even if we haven’t been a student in decades. But back-to-school dreams are almost never about your subconscious telling you to sign up for online courses or finally get that Master’s Degree.
What it Means – These dreams typically are an indicator that we’re facing some serious job-related stress and are feeling as it time is running out for finding a new job or improving a current one. Ask yourself how you can put a positive spin on work by tapping into your creative side or offering coworkers more assistance.
Dream #3: Dog Days
When you’re dreaming of dogs, you’re actually dreaming of the characteristics that they impart upon you, such as loyalty, friendship, or even aggression. Does the doggy behavior in your dream mimic any of your real-life relationships?
What it Means – Take a look at the people in your life and see if they’re bringing positivity or negativity to the table. Dog dreams can be a good way to uncover those that are loyal to you or even those that have gone a bit rabid and need to be cut loose.
Dream #4: Up in the Air
Many of us have frequent dreams of flying over the years, and these types of dreams have long been connected to reaching “new heights” in our lives. For example, you might dream of soaring in the skies the night after quitting an oppressive job or leaving a painful relationship.
What it Means – When you find yourself flying in your dreams, it’s your subconscious telling you to just keep rising above whatever it is that is bringing you down – the ability to break free and live well is inside of you and ready to go to work!
Dream #5: Missing Chompers
If you dream of losing your teeth, it could be connected to the way that you’re communicating during the time that you’re awake, and may be a clue that you’re feeling bad about saying something that you shouldn’t have. If your teeth are crumbling or breaking in your dreams, it was most likely caused by a bout of “weak speech” on your part, and feeling as if you didn’t get your point across.
What it Means – Just like you polish your pearly whites when you brush them each night before bed, these types of dreams might be an indicator that it’s time to polish up on your communication skills, as well.
Dream #6: In the Buff
If you’ve ever had the classic “naked in public” dream, it’s a good indication that you’re feeling naked and exposed in some way when you’re awake, and is often connected with the concern that others are going to be witness to your flaws.
What it Means – You’ve probably noticed that the only one freaking out about you being nude in your dreams is you, and that’s for good reason, as it’s your subconscious mind reassuring you that things aren’t nearly as bad as you think!
Dream #7: Final Farewell
Just because you’re dreaming about death, doesn’t mean that it’s looming out there on the horizon! It turns out that these types of dreams actually happen when we end a chapter in our lives, such as leaving a job or a relationship, or even our children reaching a milestone in their own lives.
What it Means – If you’re dreaming of yourself or a loved one passing away, it’s a key indicator that it’s time for you to let something that you’ve been holding onto go, and move on to looking forward to the future.
How to Better Remember (and Interpret) Your Dreams
If you’re having a recurring dream that wasn’t listed here and want to know what’s up with it, your best bet is to do your best to recall it in the morning. You can do that by writing down your dream as soon as you wake up and asking yourself how the dream made you feel.
That way, you can do a bit of research on your dream, or even possibly discuss it with your friends and family, in order to better interpret it, learn the lesson that it’s trying to teach you, and then move on to much more peaceful nights!
