For a long time, I kept having dreams where my teeth would break, get loose, or fall out. Some people I care about also had repetitive dreams, like flying, being in a self-driving car, or being late for school or work. These dreams aren’t like regular bad dreams that happen just once. They’re very common and tend to have negative feelings.

A person who studies dreams, Deirdre Barrett, explained that these recurring dreams are often about really important experiences in our lives or things about our personality that keep coming up. They’re not just one-time events, but things that are a big part of who we are.

Recurring dreams are when you have the same dream more than once. They’re more common in kids but can happen to grown-ups too. These dreams don’t always happen one after the other; they can come back months or even years later.

The recurring dream might be exactly the same every time, or it might have similar situations or worries. It’s hard to know how many people have recurring dreams because they don’t happen to everyone regularly. When people talk about their old dreams, their memories might not be completely accurate because of different reasons like how interested they are in dreams or other things on their mind.

If something keeps happening over and over again, it’s a good idea to look into it, according to Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is an expert in sleep and mental health. He started a place called Silicon Psych in California where he helps people with their minds and sleep.

Dr. Dimitriu believes that people tend to avoid things that make them uncomfortable or scared, and he thinks dreams are similar. As a psychiatrist, he thinks that these dreams might be trying to tell you something important. The solution could be to understand what that message is. Once you do, you might be able to stop having the same dream over and over again.

Here’s how you can find out what’s causing your recurring dreams.

Meaning of recurring dreams

Some recurring dreams have a clear message. For instance, if you often dream about being late for school or work, it might mean you’re worried about being unprepared for those things. However, not all recurring dreams have a common meaning, so you might need to do some thinking about it yourself.

According to Barrett, when it comes to understanding dreams, there’s no one-size-fits-all. It’s more about what symbols mean to you personally and what you associate them with.

Recurring dreams often touch on feelings like being unprepared, feeling embarrassed in social situations, not feeling as good as others, or facing danger like accidents or disasters.

Barrett also mentioned that some folks dream about being anxious about tests even if they haven’t been in school for a while. This might reflect a fear of not doing well or feeling judged by authority figures. Dreams about losing teeth could be linked to a feeling of loss in your life, a sense of hopelessness, or concerns about your health.

When you have a recurring dream, try to understand the message it might be sending. Think about your connection to the things or people in the dream. Consider your fears and beliefs about them. Reflect on the top five things in your life that might be connected to the dream. Ask yourself what’s really worrying you.

Barrett also mentioned that it’s perfectly okay to casually interpret your dreams, either on your own or with someone you trust. They might notice things you hadn’t thought about.

People with post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety are more likely to have recurring dreams, especially ones with anxious natures, Dimitriu said. A PTSD dream stems from a trauma so severe it keeps returning as a nightmare.

“The brain is trying to resolve something and lay it to rest,” he added. But “in people with PTSD, their dreams are so vivid that they wake them up from sleep. And that becomes the problem because the dream never gets processed. … And that’s why it recurs — it’s unfinished work.”

Sometimes recurring dreams can point to biological sources, too. “People with sleep apnea will report dreams of, like, drowning, suffocating, giant waves, gasping for air, being underwater or being choked,” Dimitriu said, when they’re actually experiencing breathing interruptions because of their condition.

There can be environmental triggers as well, such as a car alarm down the street or a dripping faucet, he added, which can set off dreams with imagery of those things.

How to cope

When you understand what’s bothering you, writing about it before you go to sleep can be a useful way to reduce negative recurring dreams and general stress.

Dr. Dimitriu believes that keeping a journal is a really strong tool, both for his patients and for himself. Meditating can also be helpful.

Dr. Dimitriu suggests a technique from a type of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy. It has three parts: First, think about your immediate thought. Then, consider what feeling comes right after. Finally, try to come up with a more realistic thought to replace the first one.

Dream rehearsal therapy, also known as imagery rehearsal therapy, can be effective for both recurring dreams and nightmares. This approach involves writing down in detail the narrative elements of the dream, then rewriting it so it ends positively. Right before falling asleep, you’d set the intention to re-dream by saying aloud, “If or when I have the beginnings of the same bad dream, I will be able to instead have this much better dream with a positive outcome.”

There could be another reason

Having recurring dreams might also be connected to not having good sleeping habits, according to Dr. Soffer-Dudek.

“When people don’t get enough sleep, or they have caffeine or alcohol too close to bedtime, or they stay up very late, it can lead to strange experiences during the night,” Dr. Dimitriu explained. “Having a good and proper sleep is the most important thing for having healthy and normal dreams.”

Dr. Dimitriu also suggested avoiding things that stop you from thinking and processing, like spending too much time on your phone or constantly keeping busy to avoid quiet moments.

When your mind is always occupied, “what happens is all that processing has to happen somewhere,” he said. “So now there’s more pressure for that to happen in your dream life.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/04/09/health/recurring-dreams-meaning-cause-wellness/index.html

SOURCE:CNN

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