Nightmares are awful.
They wake you up in the middle of the night, often leaving you breathless, covered in sweat, and terrified about some imagined threat.
Sometimes, #Nightmares don’t even have to make sense to fill you with fear. You may end up staring at the ceiling all night, struggling to get back to sleep after a dream about a pile of angry paperwork chasing you through your office building.
The good news?
As horrible as nightmares might be, they’re also very informative.
Psychologists believe that nightmares give us a useful insight into our subconscious and the issues that we need to overcome in our day-to-day lives. If you can get to the bottom of the reason for your nightmares, then you could make some significant progress in the conscious world.
So, what do the most common nightmares mean?
Understanding the meaning of common nightmares
Nightmares aren’t as frequent in adults as they are in children — but we still have them.
Around 50% of adults have had an occasional nightmare, according to studies. Additionally, about 1% of all adults say that their #BadDreams are bad enough that they need to seek medical help to regain control over their sleeping patterns.
Although your nightmares might not be that bad, even one occasional disruption can be enough to send your sleeping schedule spiralling out of control. If your nightmare becomes a recurring issue, it may also prevent you from falling asleep at night, by filling you with feelings of anxiety.
The easiest way to overcome this issue is to figure out what your nightmares mean. When you know why you’re dreaming about specific topics, you can find ways to overcome your fears.
Here are some of the most common sources of #NightmareFuel to get you started.
Understanding the meaning of common nightmares
Nightmares aren’t as frequent in adults as they are in children — but we still have them.
Around 50% of adults have had an occasional nightmare, according to studies. Additionally, about 1% of all adults say that their #BadDreams are bad enough that they need to seek medical help to regain control over their sleeping patterns.
Although your nightmares might not be that bad, even one occasional disruption can be enough to send your sleeping schedule spiralling out of control. If your nightmare becomes a recurring issue, it may also prevent you from falling asleep at night, by filling you with feelings of anxiety.
The easiest way to overcome this issue is to figure out what your nightmares mean. When you know why you’re dreaming about specific topics, you can find ways to overcome your fears.
Here are some of the most common sources of #NightmareFuel to get you started.
1. Your teeth are falling out
Dreams about losing teeth are very common for adults. You might see yourself with nothing but gums when you go to your bathroom mirror one morning in your dream, or your teeth might just feel wobbly in your mouth. It probably won’t surprise you to learn that these dreams often have something to do with your self-esteem. If you’re worried about your image, then you’re likely to have nightmares about your teeth. Some psychologists also believe that teeth-related dreams indicate worry about losing your power. Losing your teeth would cause you to feel helpless in day-to-day life, after all.
2. You’re being chased
Another common nightmare for adults involves being chased. Sometimes, you may be chased by something logical, like a murderer or a pack of wolves. Other times, the thing that’s chasing you might be ridiculous when you look back at it — such as a pile of documents on your desk. According to experts, dreams about being chased indicate that you’re feeling nervous about a lack of progress that you’re making towards your goals. If you’re worried that you’re not achieving your targets fast enough, then you may be more likely to experience a chasing dream.
3. You’re falling
According to one survey from 2016, dreams about falling are some of the most common nightmares of all. Usually, when you dream that you’re falling, you’ll wake up with a jolt, feeling as though you’ve suddenly dropped onto the bed, even though you haven’t moved. Some experts believe that these dreams are caused by your brain mistaking the feeling of your body relaxing when you’re going to sleep for the sensation of falling. These nightmares may also be a sign that you feel as though you don’t have enough control over something.
4. You’re naked
Another common cause of #SleepProblems is the dream that you’re naked in an inappropriate place. For instance, you might be standing in front of your class at school, about to give a presentation, and you suddenly realise that you’re not wearing any clothes. You might also be naked when giving a presentation at work, or when you’re walking down the street. This dream indicates that you feel vulnerable in some part of your life. Perhaps you’re worried about fitting in at work, or in a new class at school.
5. You’re trapped
Dreams about being trapped are another common occurrence for many adults. You may be stuck in a room with no windows or doors, or you could be unable to get out of a car or train that’s about to crash. Although this is one of the most common nightmares that adults face, it’s also a straightforward one to interpret. If you’re dreaming about being trapped, there’s a good chance that you feel restricted about something in your day-to-day life.
Overcoming common nightmares
Nightmares often happen spontaneously, without warning. However, many doctors, psychologists, and other specialists believe that there may be certain triggers that cause us to experience specific themes in our nightmares.
When you fall asleep at night, your brain uses dreams to make sense of the things that you’ve experienced during the day. That means that your nightmares are also a way for your mind to handle the stresses and concerns that you face in your conscious life. When you think about your nightmares from that perspective, it’s easy to see how #DreamDecoding could be useful.
By paying attention to your nightmares and looking at the common issues you face during bad dreams, you can begin to understand what might be causing your feelings of stress and anxiety in the conscious world. If you can tackle those triggers when you’re awake, you’ll be less likely to have nightmares again in the future.
Want to learn more about the most common nightmares? Check out our complete guide here.
On the other hand, if you want more insights into the world of sleep and dreaming, check out siestio.com and subscribe to our blog!
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