While we each dream differently, many sleep adventures follow similar patterns. We may be falling in our dreams, or perhaps we’re in a car where we don’t have complete control.
There’s also that classic dream of addressing an audience, but you’ve forgotten to wear pants. It does happen, but what do those dreams mean?
To qualify, each of these dreams must be common enough for readers to relate to. Obscure dreams may be entertaining, but we’re discussing regular dreams that most of us can relate to.
1. Falling
We’ve mentioned falling, and that’s a common dream for many of us, so let’s deal with it first. Maybe you’re on the edge of a cliff or looking off the ledge of a tall building. The setting will be different, but the descent into nothingness is shared among all dreamers.
The usual meaning behind the fall is that you are insecure or may feel your life is out of control. Like all dreams on this list, the meanings give you information, and it’s up to you to decide whether to act on it during your waking hours.
2. Flying
In contrast to dreams about falling, we may experience instances where we are flying or floating. These do not involve aircraft. We’re going solo on this one, and the feeling can be liberating.
It’s said that solo flying dreams can have two distinct meanings. They may make us feel free or independent, but they could also relate to a desire to escape from the realities of a humdrum existence.
3. Running Late
Once again, the scenario will be different, but the theme is the same. We’re running out of time to be somewhere or make an appointment, whether it’s a job interview, a speech, or a medical meeting.
These dreams all suggest we’re struggling to hit a target. Maybe we want to lose weight or reach a certain income by the time we hit 30. Such dreams indicate that you may need to adjust your real-life timelines to reduce the pressure.
4. Being Naked in Public
Many have experienced this dream: We’re out in public, only to find that we’ve neglected to wear clothes. Dreamers could be fully or partially naked, but whatever the state of undress, the meaning is the same.
These dreams suggest vulnerability and a fear that we may be ridiculed in real life. It’s an unpleasant dream and one that is tricky to address.
5. Speaking in Public
Hopefully, you’ve remembered your clothes ahead of a critical speaking engagement. Making a speech is a dream that involves many different scenarios. Each time, we’re on edge and nervous about speaking in public.
In the waking world, such experiences suggest a desire to make your voice heard. Next time you have this kind of dream, consider what you must speak up about.
6. Teeth Falling Out
Dreaming about our teeth falling out is common. We have no control over what happens in our mouths. This scenario could indicate a lack of power in our everyday lives, but it’s more likely to relate to regular stress and anxiety.
The dream about teeth falling out often occurs during a transitional period in our lives, and it may relate to our worries about the change.
7. Pregnancy
Pregnancy dreams aren’t specific to one gender. Both males and females can have this experience, where the feeling of the bump and the kicking inside seems natural.
This is a relatively easy dream to interpret. In these scenarios, the dreamer has something developing, such as a plan to move home or change career. A dream about being pregnant may signify that it’s time to act on those plans.
8. Backseat Car Driver
Knowing that you’re not alone with your dream type is a comfort. Throughout my life, I’ve experienced recurring dreams in which I’m in the backseat of a moving car. There is no driver, and I’m trying desperately to reach the controls.
This is a dream similar to those related to falling. Some areas of your life aren’t entirely within your control, and you must address them and take charge.
9. Taking a Test
A test or exam at college thoroughly challenges our knowledge and skills. Experts claim that dreaming about these scenarios relates to a fear of failure in the waking world.
Our inadequacies will be exposed in the exam room. In the real world, however, it probably means we’re facing challenges and are scared that we won’t be up to the task.
10. A Cheating Partner
Dreams about infidelity are common. In most cases, the cheating is carried out by our partner, although the dreamer is responsible on rarer occasions.
This dream isn’t too hard to decode. It doesn’t necessarily mean that your partner is cheating, but it hints at issues with trust and communication within the relationship or in another area of our everyday life.
11. Being Chased
I know from experience that these are among the most terrifying types of dreams. They seem so real, and the dreamer will likely wake up frightened, wondering if what they’ve just experienced is real.
According to the experts, chasing dreams can depend on who or what is behind you. If it’s an animal, you could be burying your emotions. A chase carried out by an unknown human may relate to past trauma.
12. Wild Animal Attacks
What happens if the animal catches up with you? Dreams of wild animal attacks are common, but opinions are divided. Some feel that the visions relate to spiritual growth and positive life changes, such as a promotion at work.
The more significant consensus argues that dreams of wild animal attacks hint at suppressed fears and anxieties. If you have this type of dream, consider any buried emotions, but there is the suggestion that you may be in for a pleasant surprise.
13. Seeing an Old Friend
Unlike many entries on this list, meeting an old friend in a dream can be a comforting experience. In most situations, they bring back happy memories of your time together.
It isn’t a sign that you should seek this friend out, although you are free to do so. Dreams such as these may indicate that you are missing something in your present life, and you need to go back in time to rediscover that feeling.
14. Back at Your Childhood Home
It’s a dream with a similar meaning to the previous entry. Many see themselves back at the home where they grew up, and the memories that the dreams produce are positive ones.
Once again, you could be missing something you need to bring back in your current life, but the search could be more specific. Because you are back home, you lack something from childhood, such as the capacity for big dreams and plans or some joy and positivity about the future.
15. Death
Dreaming about our demise is naturally worrying. Some interpret dreams about death as a concerning premonition, while others consider it as a warning to take better care of our health.
This type of dream may not be as sinister as it first appears. Visions of death while we sleep are more likely to relate to a fear of upcoming change and a step into the unknown.
