What does having the same dream over and over again say about you?
Despite the rapid evolution of sleep science in recent years, dreams largely remain a mystery. They are something we all experience, and yet the reasons behind the visions we experience while asleep are hard to determine with confidence.
Dreams fall into many categories: good dreams, bad dreams, stressful dreams and nightmares. Yet some dreams stand out because they keep coming back again and again. These are called recurring dreams, and between 60 and 75% of us have experienced them at some point.
We’re going to take a closer look at this common sleep phenomenon, asking what they mean and what causes them.
Do your recurring dreams follow patterns?
It’s unlikely that two people will experience the exact same dream, but certain themes and images can be consistent from person to person. These dreams may not always be frightening, but negative or stressful experiences are generally more common in recurring dreams than positive ones.
Some of the most common themes reported in recurring dreams include flying, falling, being chased, being trapped, nudity, losing your teeth, losing your ability to speak and moving in slow motion. You may also find yourself back at school, or being late for an important appointment.
Your recurring dreams may not always be exactly the same. For example, you may have a recurring dream that you’re trapped, but you might not always be trapped in the same place. These dreams may change over time to reflect changing experiences and circumstances.
What do they mean?
While fiction might suggest that recurring dreams are a sign of a great quest or untapped superpower, in reality there’s still a lot we don’t know about recurring dreams. Scientific research has yet to uncover any concrete link between recurring dreams and our life or health, apart from the suggestion that they may be exposing potential areas of stress in your life.
Dreams are notoriously difficult to gain concrete data from, as there is no way to share our dreams as they are happening, and our memories of dreams fade considerably from the moment we wake up. As such, there is still much we don’t know about them.
Why are you experiencing recurring dreams?
Recurring dreams are thought to be a reflection of important themes in your life, such as unmet needs, unaddressed issues from the past, and areas of frustrations. In some cases, these dreams are thought to be attempts to process day-to-day experiences. When you face something that might stop you achieving your goals, you may feel stressed or frustrated as a result, and this can seep into your dreams.
This was the conclusion drawn by a team of 2018 researchers, in a study published in Motivation and Emotion. In a group of 200 adult participants, they found that those who reported more unmet needs and feelings were more likely to also report negative dreams.
When something in your waking life is making you feel stressed, it can manifest itself again and again in your dreams, especially if the stressful event is out of your control. This is something that many people reported after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a Frontiers in Psychology survey of more than 4,000 respondents, there was a 26% increase in nightmares after the start of the pandemic, 55% of which were pandemic specific.
These themes may show up literally in your dreams, in the form of masks and isolation, or symbolically (insects covering your skin, representing the virus), according to dream researcher Deirdre Barrett, PhD, via The Harvard Gazette.
If it’s possible, addressing the stresses in your life can help to reduce the severity and frequency of your dreams. Giving yourself a more consistent and relaxing sleep routine can also be beneficial, going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day and engaging in relaxing activities before bed.