Dreams seem to help us process emotions by encoding and constructing memories of them. What we see and experience in our dreams might not necessarily be real, but the emotions attached to these experiences certainly are.
Scientists and psychologists, old and new, tell us that dreams reveal critical aspects about ourselves. Dreams are a reflection of your recent state of mind, future possibilities, and changes that you have experienced.
"Dreams are often about identity, because we're figuring out who we are and what we need, and the beliefs and perspectives we hold," says Wallace. "If you feel unfulfilled, undervalued or not the person you want to be in waking life, your dreams will often reflect that.
So, “if you're dreaming about [someone], it's not likely they're dreaming about you as well.” As dreams are all about the self—your feelings and behaviors—if you're dreaming about a specific person in your life, then it's likely there's some aspect of them that is currently at work in your life, Loewenberg explains.
Dreaming can help our brains sort through information while we sleep. Dr Mayer also said that dreaming about someone over and over again shouldn't be interpreted in a literal way. That person might actually be symbolising certain stress or anxiety we are going through.
Unresolved Feelings About Your Ex
If you still have feelings for your ex, they may appear in your dreams because dreams can replicate reality. However, your real-world feelings toward your ex do not necessarily have to be romantic ones. You may also experience frustration, anger, sadness, or jealousy.
Although the messages are communicated to you via symbols, your dreams are ultimately trying to help you. Dreams offer you important messages and guidance at critical turning points of your life.
One of the most common reasons people dream about someone is because they miss that person. It's human nature to feel a sense of well-being when we're with someone we care about. In other words, if you dream about someone often, and think it means they miss you, it may be because you're the one missing them.
At this time there is little scientific evidence suggesting that dreams can predict the future. Some research suggests that certain types of dreams may help predict the onset of illness or mental decline in the dream, however.
Falling. Falling is the most common recurring dream people have, according to a 2022 survey of 2,007 Americans conducted by mattress and sleep product company, Amerisleep.
Sometimes the dreams we have seem so real. Most of the emotions, sensations, and images we feel and visualize are those that we can say we have seen or experienced in real life. This is because the same parts of the brain that are active when we are awake are also active when we are in certain stages of our sleep.
It often helps to tell a trusted adult about your bad dreams. Just talking about what happened might make you feel better. If something has been troubling you during the day, talking about those feelings also may help. Some kids "rewrite" their nightmares by giving them happier outcomes.
It is important to remember too that the images in the dream are not to be taken literally. The dream will often exaggerate images and feelings in grotesque and bizarre ways to try and get our attention. Understanding dreams is more like reading poetry than prose.
You have to be willing to take your dreams seriously because the world would come to a stop if there were no one with new ideas, thought or imagination. It definitely takes a daring and tenacious effort to be on a journey to pursue something beyond your current reality.
Conclusion. Generally, dreams are symbolic of your deep emotions and energies. Dreaming about someone frequently means that they're constantly in our thoughts and you share a connection. They could be an old flame, a relative, or a deceased loved one.
According to sleep specialist Alesandra Woolley, someone will often appear in a dream if we spend a lot of time with them. It can also happen if someone is able to get us interested in them in real life. Because we think about them so much, the chances of seeing them in our dreams are higher.
According to Freud, the latent content of a dream is the hidden psychological meaning of the dream. This content appears in disguise symbolically and contains things that are hidden from conscious awareness, often because it may be upsetting or traumatic.
Paying attention to your dreams can provide rich insights into the issues that are playing on your mind. Dreams are the brain's way of working on important issues, problems or emotions that are leftover from when we're awake.
Researchers say two-way communication is possible with people who are asleep and dreaming. Specifically, with people who are lucid dreaming — that is, dreaming while being aware you're dreaming.
Sometimes, people are still thinking about their Ex for months, or even years after the relationship ended because of lingering insecurities or comparisons they're making — even subconsciously. This is often true when your Ex has moved on before you have.
There can be a significant meaning here. "If you dream about an ex from a long time ago or your abusive ex, and they're wanting you back in your dream, that's just your subconscious giving you a heads up that you might be becoming weak to a current situation that is similar," Loewenberg says.
There are a few practical signs that your ex misses you, like if they tend to keep popping up in your life or you notice them liking your social media posts. Those are the biggest indicators, but it's best to be straightforward and ask someone if you want to know how they're feeling.