Some dreams come back not just once, but again and again. They insist on returning to destroy our well-deserved rest.
If you have recurring dreams, you may be wondering what they mean and if your brain or the universe is trying to tell you something.
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Having the same disturbing dream on a regular basis can even start to stress you out or make it hard to get a good night’s sleep. Sometimes these dreams become so distressing that we are afraid to go back to bed and start an unhealthy routine of avoiding sleep or hitting ourselves with a pharmacological or alcohol «hammer» to remember as little as possible.
Why do these dreams occur? Is it possible to get rid of them? Do they have any significant meaning?
Here’s what we know (and don’t) about them.
1. Do they follow common patterns?
While you probably won’t experience the exact same dream as someone else, some dream themes are still pretty common and cross-cutting in humanity (one of the many things we all have in common, whether you’re male, female, trans, gay). , hetero, cis, old, child, adult, rich, poor, middle class, left, center or right, believer, mystic or atheist).
You may not always feel fear, but it is very likely that these dreams involve negative experiences either stressful instead of having recurring dreams that provide you with a positive or pleasant feeling.
The most commonly reported issues include:
According to the magazine specializing in health issues healthline, The dreams that are mostly reported to scientists, sleep researchers and mental health professionals are the following:
- to fly
- drop suddenly
- be chased or attacked
- be naked
- get stuck or trapped somewhere
- back to school
- lose teeth
- lose my speech
- fail a test
- being late on the first day or on an important occasion
- moving in slow motion or not being able to run
- crashing or losing control of a vehicle
Your dreams may not be completely the same every time. Recurring dreams usually have some nuances and differences, but you know that it is a recurring dream because it is essentially the same and leaves you with a very similar feeling every time.
For example, you may habitually dream of driving over suddenly falling bridges. This still counts as a recurring dream, even if you don’t drive over the same bridge in every dream.
Since recurring dreams sometimes begin in childhood, they may change slightly over time to reflect your accumulating experiences and your constantly evolving worldview.
2. Do they really mean anything?
In fiction, especially fantasy genres, whether in film or literature, recurring dreams often suggest that a character has supernatural powers, the ability to see the future, that they are being plagued by ancient or cosmic messages. or other special talents.
Scientific research has not found, for the moment, no evidence suggesting that recurring dreams have deep or significant meaning beyond exposing potential areas of stress in your life. But that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. What it means is that there are few studies in this regard and little measurable and quantifiable information to develop methods.
Dreams they are very difficult to study and there are still many things we don’t know about them.
3. What could explain them?
Experts believe that recurring dreams usually reflect important issues in your life, including:
- unmet needs
- feelings of danger or threat
- areas of frustration
- past issues you haven’t addressed
For example, it is likely that you have had some variant of the dream of «forgetting a final exam or a research paper» or arriving at your job without something that is essential and that you are missing.
depending on the medium Psychology TodayVery real stress related to exams or work may have initially triggered this dream, but it can easily resurface later in life, long after you graduate, graduate, or change jobs.
Since this dream is most likely related to your desire to succeed and your worries about failing, you may have this dream every time you face an event. that provokes similar feelings.
This could be an event like a job interview, a big date or a research proposal.
daily frustrations
Some theories about dreams suggest that they help you process day-to-day experiences.
When you’re faced with something that threatens or prevents you from achieving your goals, from workplace insecurities to relationship problems and difficulty making decisions, you may feel frustrated or stressed.
That, in turn, can seep into your dreams.
This idea is supported by a 2017 investigation in which it was possible to link recurrent negative dreams with unsatisfied psychological needs.
A group of 200 adult students were asked to rate whether or not their psychological needs were met.
These needs included:
- autonomy, or the need to feel like you have at least some control over your life
- competition, or the need to have a significant impact on your life
- kinship, or the need to care for and be cared for by others
Next, they described the recurring dream they had most often.
The researchers asked them to rate how positive or negative the dream was, using terms like «hopeful», «exciting», «sad» or «frustrating».
Those who reported more unmet needs tended to report negative dream themes and describe their dreams with negative emotions.
unresolved issues
Unpleasant or traumatic events from the past often remain in your memory.
However, people often do not realize that the distress associated with trauma can also persist in bodily and emotional responses.
These traumatic events may include:
- abuse
- bullying
- disasters
- family problems
If you have experienced trauma or abuse but have not fully acknowledged or processed the experience, you may notice recurring dreams that reflect your emotions related to what happened.
the dreams of drowningfor example, may reflect an overwhelming feeling of helplessnesswhile a dream of be stuck or run in slow motion it can suggest that you still feel unable to escape and get to safety.
Recurring dreams can also reflect more everyday internal conflicts.
Maybe you’re struggling with an important decision or feeling insecure about a recent decision you had to make.
Until you make your choice and accept it, you may experience recurring dreams of failing a test or making a mistake.
current events
Illustration by Deidre Barrett for News Harvard
Have you had any recent dreams about the use of masks, masks or people without mouths? Perhaps you keep dreaming of being stranded alone somewhere or of giant insects.
Stress related to current events can also appear in your dreams.
If COVID-19 news and updates pervade your waking life, chances are good that you experience some of this tension in your dreams as well.
These themes can appear plainly (masks and isolation) or more symbolically (insects, which your brain might translate as viruses), according to dream researcher Deirdre Barrett, PhD, in an interview with The Harvard Gazette.
You are more likely to experience disturbing dreams when you feel anxious or distressed during the day.
If you feel more worried about the future than usual, it is perfectly understandable. But you may not be able to relieve that fear and tension when you sleep. until you take the necessary steps to control them during the day.
4. Is there any way to stop them?
If a bad dream bothers you the first time you have it, having it several times probably won’t make you feel any better.
You cannot always directly control the content of your dreams, but it is often possible to take more indirect action by working to solve any problems that cause stress in your life.
Whatever challenges you’ve faced, from unmet needs to job stress to trauma related to discrimination (sexist, racial, economic), a therapist can offer guidance on self-care strategies and tips for managing distress productively.
In therapy, you can:
- identify and explore the causes of unwanted emotions
- address its effect on your life
- learn helpful methods for coping with anxiety and stress
It is usually not possible to eliminate all stress. However, changing how you respond to such stimuli can help reduce any associated frustration and lead to improvements in your mood, outlook, and dreams.
Barrett notes that lucid dreaming may be a potential strategy for managing unwanted recurring dreams in a 2013 interview with Popular Science .
In a lucid dream, you are able to recognize that you are indeed dreaming. Some people they can use this awareness to control the dream and alter its course.
Others may simply watch the dream as a bystander, knowing that no matter what happens, they are safe, because it is just a dream. However, the only way to achieve this awareness and control over dreams is with training.