Nothing is more beneficial to your health and well-being than receiving restful sleep. It can work wonders for your body and brain and there’s a lot of study around sleep and its significance in that regard. Yet if we don’t remember our dreams all the time, we do still journey when we sleep. This raises the question we have all wondered about at some point or the other in our life: Why do we have goals? And how are we supposed to interpret them, especially when they’re occasionally frightful or crazy?

On normal, a person may have between one and six goals a day, and the most colorful versions occur during REM sleep. No one recalls every desire they have, but it frequently just so happens that you wake up from one that is specifically disconcerting or unusual and wondering why you were having it in the first position.

We talked to three sleep professionals to help you find our what your goals mean. What we learned about desires, what they mean, and why you have them, below. &nbsp,

What do dreams mean? &nbsp,

According to Alan Kuras, a licensed clinical social worker at Westmed Medical Group, “dreams are thoughts, photos, feelings, and occasionally sounds that arise during sleep,” in plain English. &nbsp,

Although there is no conclusive evidence for what a dream consists of, it is generally accepted that dreams are a collection of ideas, problems, emotions, situations, persons, places, and images that are or are related to the dreamer. &nbsp,

Although you can wish during different stages of sleep, the most vivid dreams commonly occur during REM sleep. &nbsp,

What causes me to journey? &nbsp,

According to Kuras, there are many ideas about how goals function. ” They appear to aid in memory formation, integration, problem-solving and combination of thoughts both about ourselves and the globe”, he says, adding that scientists have discovered that goals help with data processing and feeling rules, also.

There is still a lot to learn about what happens physiologically, despite the fact that scientists are well-versed in what happens biologically when people desire. For instance, researchers know that people with post-traumatic stress disorder are likely to have hallucinations. However, those who don’t have PTSD also experience hallucinations, so it’s not to be assumed that they always go along with psychological problems. &nbsp,

According to imaging studies, one of the areas most emotionally involved in dreams is the brain, which is one of the areas that is most effective during dreams. &nbsp,

Why am I unable to recall my goals?

Part of this is genetic, Kuras says, as neurotransmitters that shape thoughts are less lively during sleep. The level of electric activity in the brain during desires also seems to be a factor in fantasy ignorance.

Moreover, it could have something to do with the information of your dreams. According to early psychodynamic theory, difficult or traumatic info in desires is suppressed, and the visionary is less likely to recover or examine it.

Dr. Meir Kryger, a sleeping medication physician at Yale Medicine, tells CNET that most people remember their goals when they’re awakened in the middle of a fantasy or in the first several times after a dream has ended. The problem is that the memory simply persists for a short period of time. Unless you write it down or record it in your head over and over, there’s a good possibility you’ll miss the vision. According to Kryger, forgetting our goals is more prevalent than remembering them. &nbsp,

When you wake up is also important. Research has shown that people who wake up during REM sleep review more brilliant, detailed dreams, whereas people who wake up during non-REM sleeping report fewer dreams, no dreams or dreams of small importance. &nbsp,

What does my dream mean? &nbsp,

Different cultures throughout history have ascribed meaning and importance to dreams, though there’s little scientific evidence that dreams have particular meanings attached to them, Kuras says. No one has yet accurately defined what dreams or the images in dreams mean. That dreams are significant indicators of one’s subconscious mind is a basic assumption in various cultures, but in different ways”.

According to Kryger, “dreams are primarily speculative with a specific meaning.” He continues that there are two main trains of thought in the scientific community: One is that every part of a dream has a specific meaning, and the other is that dreams are entirely spontaneous and mean nothing.

Sigmund Freud, who is credited with creating the first system of definitive meanings for dreams, is credited with inspiring the first train of thought, such as the notion that dreaming of your mother and father, according to Kryger. &nbsp,

Although the development of dream psychoanalysis may have started in the last century or two, Kryger claims that dreamers have been studying them since 325 BCE.

Lauri Quinn Loewenberg, a professional dream analyst, says the problem with arriving at proof across the board “is that dreams and their meanings are so very personal because they are based on the person’s individual life experiences” .&nbsp,

Additionally, according to Loewenberg, neuroscience tends to concentrate on the purpose of dreams ( like memory retention ) rather than the” comparative analysis between the imagery in dreams and the content of the previous day, which is how I approach dream analysis.” &nbsp,

Having said that, some dreams do have meaning attached to them, if for no other reason than because they are significant to many people. Below, Kryger, Kuras and Loewenberg discuss the potential meanings of common dreams and symbols in dreams.

What does it mean when you have water, wind, or fire in your dreams? &nbsp,

Some associations seem to be prevalent despite the lack of concrete proof that the elements have specific meanings ( it’s mostly speculation, Kryger says ). &nbsp,

According to Loewenberg, water is thought to represent emotions, and various kinds of water can represent various emotions. For instance, muddy water can represent sadness, tidal waves can represent overwhelm and clear water can represent emotional clarity. &nbsp,

Fire most often equates to anger or distress, Loewenberg says, while wind can represent imminent changes or changes that you’re currently going through. &nbsp,

” As far as these being accepted meanings, all that truly matters is what fits for the dreamer”, Loewenberg says. You have to account for your personal associations with symbols, she explains, even though many symbols have a general meaning that fits most people and common situations. &nbsp,

What does it mean when you have a death dream? &nbsp,

Kryger claims that it’s very common to have dreams about dying, especially when someone close to you has lost a loved one. It’s also common to interpret those types of dreams as communication from the dead, which isn’t really a surprise:” Death has such a great impact on the living that it is often incorporated into dream content”, he says. &nbsp,

Loewenberg says dreaming about death can signify the end of something in real life, and that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of a life. &nbsp,

” To dream of your own death isn’t a premonition but rather a reflection of how you are coming to realize that life as you now know it is coming to an end”, she says, adding that it’s not unusual to dream about death during things like moving, the process of quitting smoking or making a career change. &nbsp,

According to Kuras,” This all depends on what these images mean to the dreamer in the context of their life and challenges. Dream work is in some ways connected to the “work” of managing life and its difficulties because it explores feelings and meaning for the dreamer.

What does it mean when dreams are set at nighttime vs. daytime? &nbsp,

Like the elements, there’s no scientific proof that darkness and light have set meanings, but many dreamers associate each with a particular feeling, Loewenberg says. For instance, dreams that occur in the dark can represent uncertainty in the real world, such as when you are “in the dark” about something happening and require more information to make a decision. Darkness has also been associated with sadness or loneliness.

On the other hand, daydreams that occur during the day may not be of any significance to most people. But if you typically dream in dark settings and suddenly have dreams set in the daytime, it could signify that an issue was resolved or that you’ve come out of a period of sadness. &nbsp,

Again, dream interpretation is almost entirely speculation, and what’s important is how you relate your dreams to your own life. &nbsp,

Why some dreams are common

Have you ever experienced a fall and jerking awake in a dream? If you’ve ever discussed said dream with other people, there’s a good chance someone else chimed in saying,” I’ve had that dream, too”! According to Loewnberg, dreaming of falling seems to be a common occurrence and an archetype. &nbsp,

By definition, an archetype is” a very typical example of a particular person or thing” ( Oxford ), and as an extension of that definition is” a pattern of the psyche” ( Oxford ).

Other common dreams, which may or may not be archetypes depending on what’s happening in your life at the time you have the dream, include: &nbsp,

• showing up late for a crucial event
• Being chased by someone or something
• Flying
• Dreams about sexual relations that shouldn’t occur in real life ( such as your partner having a relationship with someone else )
• Encountering someone who has died
• Being lost
• Being paralyzed or unable to speak
• Being embarrassed or naked in front of a crowd

Loewenberg says these dreams are so common because they’re connected to common behaviors, actions, thoughts and fears. For instance, many ( if not most ) people are concerned about arriving late for an important event like a flight or a presentation at work. Likewise, many people may worry about their partner having an affair, which can show up in dreams. &nbsp,

Having dreams where you appear naked or embarrassed in front of a crowd is often related to social anxiety, Loewenberg says, or worrying about how others perceive you. &nbsp,

How to interpret your dreams

You have to interpret your dreams in ways that make sense because, as mentioned before, there is no conclusive body of evidence about the meanings of dreams. &nbsp,

According to Kuras,” the determination of the interpretation of dreams are specific to the person and the current situation will inform meaning in each case.”” So what the person is experiencing, what challenges they are facing, and what psychological developments are occurring will inform the determination of what dreams convey.”

Dreaming is a thinking process, Loewnberg reiterates. Our subconscious thoughts, the strange little stories we experience every night while we sleep, are actually our thoughts, she says. ” They are a continuation of our stream of consciousness from the day” .&nbsp,

However, Loewenberg claims that you are talking to yourself in symbols, metaphors, and emotions while you sleep rather than in words. The change in language happens because your brain works differently during REM sleep: Notably, the prefrontal cortex, or decision-making center of your brain, is less active or inactive, while the amygdala, the emotional center of your brain, is highly active. &nbsp,

That’s why dreams can be so frightening or frustrating and feature events that shouldn’t or couldn’t happen in real life. &nbsp,

” In a nutshell”, Loewenberg says, “dreams are a conversation with the self about the self, but on a much deeper, subconscious level”.

Learn how to get a good night’s sleep every night.