4 Different Types of Dreams and Their Meaning

Last Updated on February 27, 2024

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Some dreams offer insight into the mind of an individual, while others might seem to be completely innocent and offer no meaning or significance at all. At the end of the day, when you let go of all your worldly cares and doze off into the realm of sleep on your comfortable bed, your mind is still awake, and it sometimes expresses itself in the form of dreams.

Dreams can have a universe of meanings and they can also be indicative of a number of things, such as a repressed feeling of the mind. Upon closer inspection, every dream, however random, benign, and even absurd it may seem, has an underlying meaning. More often than not, it’s your mind trying to speak to you.

There are a few common forms of dreams, which most people have, and it is worthwhile to try and understand what goes on in the mind to weave them.

Recurring dream

A recurring dream is when you see the same dream or a dream of a similar nature over and over again. You might not experience it every night, but it makes repeat appearances throughout the weeks. Usually, a dream like this has something to say, a message to deliver to you from your subconscious and it tries to nudge your consciousness in the direction of the subject of the dream.

It could be a positive or negative feeling you have, a trauma you need to process, an emotional need that you have been ignoring, and so on. A recurring dream can direct you towards a solution of the said issue or simply try to draw your attention to it. Once you resolve the issue that lives in the back of your mind, the recurring dream is likely to stop making nightly appearances.

Nightmare

Possibly the most widely known type of dream, a nightmare is the mind’s way of venting out the negative feelings, fears and stress you have in the form of a dream. Nightmares present themselves as a scary story or scenario, which terrifies and induces dread. Often, you might wake up in panic or fear.

It is a direct form of communication of underlying issues that need to be dealt with. Nightmares are manifestations of your own fear, worry, stress, trauma or any other negative emotion in your waking life, which you might have been stashing away or ignoring. In some cases, nightmares are manifestations of anything you might be in denial about.

Generally, they disturb you and force you to look into the underlying issues. When they occur though, try not to feel too startled as this can disrupt your overall sleep quality. As vivid as nightmares may feel, they actually can’t hurt you unless you allow your imagination to take control.

Body communication dream

It is a very simple but extremely useful form of a dream, which communicates the needs of the sleeping body to the alert mind and encourages or even forces you to take necessary action. What your body needs right now is simply communicated, mostly in a direct and uncomplicated manner, to the brain in the form of a dream.

For example, if you are thirsty, before your throat gets excessively dry and scratchy, the body decides to send a signal to convey your thirst, and thus, force you to wake up and take a sip of water. This type of dream can be indicative of underlying illnesses, which haven’t yet surfaced. Take note of these signals and work to address them as they come up.

Lucid dream

This is a most unique experience as the dreamer gets to experience an almost out of body experience. As the dream unfolds, every action, reaction, and stimuli feels so real. In the middle of the lucid dream, you may regain control over your conscious mind and realize that you are dreaming.

The awareness of dreaming is a surreal experience in itself. Although some people naturally have lucid dreams, it is sometimes a symptom of certain mental health issues. Some people also train their mind to experience lucid dreaming.

Dreams are the creation of a subconscious mind. More often than not, they offer an insight into the mind and point towards something that needs to be addressed. If you feel that a dream has been particularly bothering you, seek professional help to reach the root cause of it.

Many times, dreams are harmless and they can be fun too. In any case, don’t let dreams stop you from sleeping. Work towards avoiding nightmares so that when you do fall asleep, you can rest peacefully and with happier dreams.

That way, you also wake up in a more positive mood, rather than alarmed and in shock due to any odd dreams you may have experienced overnight.

Posted by:Igor Ovsyannnykov

Igor is an SEO specialist, designer, photographer, writer and music producer. He believes that knowledge can change the world and be used to inspire and empower young people to build the life of their dreams. When he is not writing in his favorite coffee shop, Igor spends most of his time reading books, taking photos, producing house music, and learning about cinematography. He is a sucker for good coffee, Indian food, and video games.

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