Waking up from a dream about taking an unprepared test, especially when you’ve been out of school for years, can raise some questions. While your dreams are personal, certain themes come up commonly for many people.
Doctors suggest that these recurring dreams have underlying reasons, though interpreting them isn’t straightforward. “It’s complicated,” says Timothy Sullivan, M.D., who leads psychiatry at Northwell’s Northern Westchester Hospital. “There’s a lot of research but we still don’t completely understand why we dream.”
Many experts believe that dreams may help us sort out problems and reflect on our emotions, but, as Dr. Sullivan notes, this doesn’t fully explain the phenomenon of dreaming or why certain dreams occur.
If a dream has lingered in your mind, you might wonder what it means. Here’s what some specialists think.
What causes dreams?
Dreaming seems to connect with how we process memories. “They happen while processing memories, like clearing out what we don’t need or filing them for the long term,” explains Beth Malow, M.D., a neurologist at Vanderbilt Health. This is why dreams often relate to experiences from our days.
According to Aarti Grover, M.D., a medical director at Tufts Medical Center, dreams are a normal and healthy part of sleep. “While interpretations can be subjective, many people share recurring themes that resonate with universal human concerns,” she mentions.
Most dreaming occurs during REM sleep, which takes up about a quarter of our total sleep time, as Christopher Winter, M.D., a neurologist and sleep expert, notes. This stage is crucial for memory and emotional processing.
The science behind common dreams
While everyone has unique dreams, some themes are surprisingly common. Here’s what those dreams might suggest:
Your teeth fell out.
This dream could indicate health worries or a sense of losing control, according to Dr. Winter. Increased life stress, particularly from significant changes, might trigger it, Dr. Grover adds.
You’re being chased.
Whether it’s a person, an animal, or an unknown entity, being chased often reflects anxiety or feelings of insecurity. It may symbolize the pressure of impending deadlines, according to Dr. Winter, and could also relate to instinctive survival responses, as noted by Dr. Grover.
You’re falling.
This sensation may connect to hypnic jerks, or sleep starts, experienced while dozing off. Dr. Winter describes it as often tied to feelings of powerlessness, with stress or work obligations increasing its likelihood.
You’re naked in public.
This dream is linked to issues of confidence, imposter syndrome, or body image struggles, per Dr. Winter. Dr. Grover remarks that it can arise from vulnerabilities associated with new situations where you must demonstrate your abilities, like starting a new job.
You’re unprepared for a test.
This can lead to anxiety upon waking, especially when you haven’t been in school for a while. Dr. Winter suggests it relates to performance anxiety, perhaps spilling over from worries about an upcoming work presentation.
You can fly.
Flying dreams might embody feelings of liberation tied to an issue in your waking life, says Dr. Grover. Conversely, they could indicate a desire to escape from challenges, according to Dr. Winter.
There’s cheating in your relationship.
Dreaming about infidelity can reflect feelings of neglect or disconnection in your relationship. It may surface insecurities, including fears of abandonment, explains Dr. Grover. Dr. Winter agrees, highlighting its ties to emotional vulnerability.
You’re drowning.
This scenario can suggest feelings of losing control, as Dr. Winter says. Dr. Grover adds it might also signify you’re facing overwhelming emotions or situations.
You interact with loved ones who have died.
Such dreams could be part of coping with loss and unresolved emotions, according to Dr. Grover. Dr. Winter points out that they may also reflect feelings of abandonment related to the deceased.
You’re having sex.
This may stem from unmet desires—be they physical or otherwise—or simply from the natural arousal that can occur during sleep, as noted by Dr. Winter.
Ultimately, experts emphasize that dreaming is universal. The meanings behind these dreams vary greatly, which is part of what makes them intriguing.
