Why We Have Recurring Dreams and What They Mean

The average human being spends one-third of their life sleeping. Although our bodies are at rest during sleep, our brain spends those resting hours in a highly functioning state in order to prepare the body for the next day. This is the state where our dreams can occur and these dreams, whether we like them or not, can tend to happen over and over again.

We at Bright Side have gotten to the bottom of why we have repetitive dreams, and what our brains could possibly be telling us about them.

If you are having repetitive dreams, you are not alone.

Don’t feel disheartened if you have a specific dream that has been haunting you on multiple occasions. It has been found that recurring dreams happen in 35% of pre-teens, and 60-75% of adolescents and adults. While these dreams can be experienced at any point in your life, studies have shown that almost 40% of people begin having repeated dreams in their childhood, while over 15% start in adulthood.

There are popular themes for recurring dreams.

A survey reported that the top 5 things people dream about are:

1. Falling
2. Being chased
3. Being back in school
4. Being unprepared for a test or important event
5. Flying

The majority of these dreams evoke negative and anxiety-causing emotions. Studies have shown that people with low levels of mental and psychological well-being are more prone to having these types of recurring dreams.

They could be a reflection of what you are feeling.

Having a dream about being unprepared for a test can be a common theme among students, especially during examination periods. This is the brain’s way of role-playing the physical and mental stress that a student might be feeling. Dreams about falling can be attributed to fears and insecurities about certain situations. A dream about teeth falling out can be a reflection of a shy person’s difficulty in self-expression.

They can signal that you need to fix something.

Theorists have surmised that repeated dreams can be linked to unresolved issues in the dreamer’s life, while others speculate that these dreams occur when a person is trying to deal with past traumas. Experts explain that specific dreams on replay can be your hidden desires, fears, or something else entirely — like a need to make up with a friend.

Tips on reducing recurring dreams.

Due to the fact that negatively occurring dreams are commonly prompted by stress, the best way to alleviate the issue is to calm your stress levels down. Aside from resolving the issues that prompt your nightmares, considering factors like getting enough sleep, sleeping in comfortable conditions, and maintaining a balanced life and diet are also important. Visiting a psychiatrist or a sleep therapist can also be helpful if your dreams are taking a toll on your overall well-being.

Do you have certain dreams that are always on repeat? Or do you quickly forget your dreams when you wake up?