The meaning of our dreams

Why do we dream?

“You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.” John Lennon already knew that we are all dreamers. But it is more difficult to answer the question of what meaning our dreams have for our lives. Why exactly do we dream at all? It is a fact that people dream during REM sleep, but research in this field is difficult – not least because scientists are not able to experience dreams directly. However, it is clear that our dreams are not just random, but have several functions. Among other things, the night-time excursion to the land of dreams helps us to stay in good mental and physical health and to optimise our everyday life.

What significance do dreams have for our well-being?

Some people see dreams as a kind of waste collection for our brain, but it would be more correct to call them waste separation. Because not everything we see in our dreams is unimportant waste. Dreaming helps our brain to separate the important from the unimportant and is therefore essential for our mental hygiene. By living through fantasies, fears or stressful events of our past, dreams unconsciously stimulate many processes of conflict resolution. The meaning of beautiful dreams, on the other hand, is particularly fascinating for our memory. If our brain can relax during sleep, we learn faster and remember more. Not only our grey matter, but also our body benefits from the time we spend dreaming. If we are in a REM sleep during the sleep cycle, the immune system is strengthened by the release of growth hormones and our cells can regenerate. Dreams are therefore extremely important for our mental and physical well-being.

The meaning of our dreams for everyday life

Even though dreams with surreal content often particularly impress us, the majority of our dreams are about the events of the day. If we have an argument with our friends in a dream or do not dare say something in a meeting with our colleagues, it may seem a bit banal at first, but you should not underestimate the importance of these dreams for your everyday life. After all, such a dream not only shows you difficulties in your relationships with other people or challenges at work, but also helps you evaluate and process these experiences. Think about your feelings in the dream and whether the dream can be applied to real-life situations. This will not only help you get to the bottom of your worries but may also help you find a solution more quickly.

On the other hand, it is not a bad thing if no deeper meaning can be discerned in the dream. As a rule, it only becomes problematic when a recurring dream startles you out of sleep night after night or a dream haunts you with an uneasy feeling even during the day. Then you should get to the bottom of the matter to restore your well-being and quality of sleep.

Flying, falling, running: Dream interpretation and popular motifs

If you are unsure how to interpret your dreams, you are not alone. No wonder psychologists have been studying the meaning of dreams for over 100 years. Siegmund Freud, for example, saw a connection between dreams and the subconscious. He believed that the dream elements had to be considered individually and reassembled in light of the dreamer's life. Carl Gustav Jung, on the other hand, believed that there is a collective subconscious and that dream symbols are identical for everyone.

However, dreams are as individual as your personality, which is why a general dream interpretation is not so easy. Therefore, modern dream interpretation is usually not about deciphering the complete dream. Instead of a complete interpretation, the goal is to identify certain key elements and symbols and ascribe meaning to them.

Once you have identified the central symbol in your dream, the next step is to focus on the details. Whether it's minor characters or a particular color that dominates, as part of the puzzle, these elements, unimportant at first glance, can make dream interpretation easier. Lastly, keep in mind that you should always interpret your dream in terms of your real life. Therefore, the symbols and their meaning may vary from person to person. For example, someone who is an active mountain climber will probably find a dream in which he or she is standing on the highest peak in the world a great experience. Someone with a fear of heights, on the other hand, will perceive this dream as a nightmare. However, some dream symbols that occur frequently are generally attributed a certain meaning that can be applied to most people:

Flying

Floating through the air like a bird - isn't that a beautiful idea? Anyone who dreams of flying may long for more freedom in everyday life. If you often dream of flying, you should consider whether you feel constricted in your everyday life, be it physically or emotionally. Or perhaps you would like to have a better overview like you do from the sky? The dream of flying may indicate that you are undecided about a decision and that you would benefit from a better overview.

Water

Regarding the interpretation of dreams, water can stand for different emotions. Whether it is a positive or negative interpretation depends entirely on the scene of the dream.

For example, if you are alone in a small boat on the vast ocean, this may indicate a feeling of loneliness. You may feel left alone by the people around you.

Swimming in clear water, on the other hand, can indicate balance and contentment. If you swim in murky water in your dream, it could be a symbol of fear. Perhaps you are facing a test or a decision, the consequences of which seem unclear to you?

Falling

Unlike the feeling of flying, falling in a dream is rarely pleasant - often you even wake up from it. In dream interpretation, falling from a great height is interpreted as a symbol that you are afraid of losing control. Are you currently in a situation that you cannot influence, or are you facing a change that you cannot fully control? If so, this may be expressed through your dream of falling. If this dream keeps coming back and regularly wakes you up, you should find the cause so that you can sleep peacefully again soon.

Teeth falling out

Have you ever had teeth fall out in a dream? For researchers, this is not an unusual symbol in a dream. Teeth falling out represent fear of loss. This fear of loss can refer to a loved one but can also stand as a sign that you are afraid of losing your job or control over a certain situation.

On the run

Maybe you have even run away from a known or unknown pursuer in a dream. The meaning of such a dream depends entirely on what you were fleeing from. A monster, your boss, your mother-in-law... a situation from your private life can be as much of a trigger as a deadline at work. Emotional stress is usually the background to our dreams of running away from someone. The more often you are plagued by this dream, the sooner you should find out the exact trigger.

Animals in dreams

If you want to interpret your dreams, you should also know some animal symbols and their interpretation. In general, even for animals that appear in your dreams, the interpretation depends on your attitude towards the respective animal. However, some animals are attributed certain meanings similar to other symbols.

Spider

The spider as a dream symbol has different facets, depending on the dreamed situation and the feeling of the dreaming person. Are you watching a spider spinning its web? This is supposed to indicate good luck in finding an apartment. But the positive image can also be quickly reversed. If you get tangled in a spider's web, you may feel trapped and helpless in a real situation. In dream interpretation, the spider is often seen as a messenger of impending disaster, betrayal or hypocrisy.

Dog

If you dream about (wo)man's best friend, it is surely a good sign, isn't it? With the dog as a dream symbol, there can also be different interpretations, depending on the situation in the dream and how the dreamer feels about it. A trusting dog can be interpreted positively, as loyalty and friendship are associated here. You may feel comfortable and secure in your circle of friends. If, on the other hand, a dog is aggressive towards you in one of your dreams, or if you are afraid of dogs, the dream is more likely to reflect a feeling of fear and discomfort.

Cat

The cat also appears in dream interpretation. If you repeatedly dream of a cat, it could indicate your desire for more self-determination, independence, and freedom – because that is what cats embody. However, if a cuddly cat appears in the dream, the meaning is different: you seem to long for closeness and close relationships.

Tips on how to remember your dreams

Not being able to interpret a specific dream is one thing, but some people have a completely different problem: They generally have trouble remembering their dreams, which makes deciphering their meaning seem impossible. If this is also true for you, then some tricks will help you better remember the content of your dreams. Keep a dream journal on your bedside table and take 5 minutes after waking up to focus on the things you saw in REM sleep. If you assume your favorite sleeping position and keep your eyes closed, this will demonstrably increase your memory.

In addition to a dream diary, a fixed sleep routine can help you discover the hidden messages behind your dreams. Your body loves regularity, and if the natural sleep phases are not disturbed during the night, you will have a better chance of remembering the images you saw in your dreams. An extra tip: Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and a heavy dinner in the evening, as these factors can interfere with the sleep phases.

How improved sleep helps with dreaming

The quality of our sleep is also crucial for our dreams. Did you know, for example, that better sleep increases the likelihood of remembering your dreams when you are awake? Longer, more restful sleep increases the number of REM phases in which we dream particularly intensively. Improving your sleeping comfort can therefore help you to get to the bottom of the meaning of your dreams. Make sure that you have a high quality mattress and slat base that gives you the best possible sleeping comfort. This way nothing stands in the way of wonderful dreams!