The interpretation of dreams by dream experts may be almost as old as dreaming itself. We know that all humans, and many animals, dream every night, and humans have always been fascinated to learn what causes dreams and what they mean. We will examine some of the top five themes that researchers have found occur in our dreams: being naked, being chased, losing teeth, flying, and falling.



Being Naked

Dreams of being naked are possibly amongst the most common dreams people have. In dreams, clothes can represent concealment and hiding, so being stripped of clothes can mean being left defenseless and exposed. Often the dreamer has fears that he or she worries may be uncovered. Dreams in which no one but the dreamer notices the nakedness are often indications that the fears bothering the dreamer are unfounded, and that no one else is concerned about them. Being naked in a dream can also indicate fear of being caught off guard. For instance, many people dream that they are suddenly naked at work or at school. Being naked in front of a crowd can symbolize a fear of being exposed, a fear of being unprepared, or a fear that those around you know things about you they are not telling you about.

Being Chased

Dreams of being chased probably have a deep, evolutionary origin. After all, our ancient ancestors actually were chased by all manner of predators, and this fear of being chased and caught has remained part of our hard wired nature. In modern societies, dreams of being chased can often arise from feelings of general anxiety experienced in the waking hours. These dreams can often be very realistic, and chase dreams are some of the most commonly reported nightmares. People troubled by recurring dreams of being chased often benefit from an examination of their waking life. Finding the thing that they are running from in real life, and confronting it, is often an effective way of banishing frequent chase dreams. For instance, there may be something you are supposed to do but have been avoiding. If this proposed action is a source of fear, stress and confusion, is can sometimes manifest in your dream life as an attacker or pursuer. Instead of facing your fear, you are running from it, and the attacker in your dreams represents the thing you are trying to get away from or avoid in real life. In some cases the pursuer or attacker in a chase dream represents not an outside force but part of your self instead. Unresolved feelings of anger, jealousy and fear can often enter your dreams in the form of a threatening or frightening figure.

Losing Teeth

Dreams about teeth, particularly dreams where the dreamer finds his or her teeth falling out, are much more common than you might think. There are many theories about just what teeth, and losing teeth, represent in the dream world, and these can be some of the most difficult dreams to interpret. One theory holds that dreams about teeth, and losing teeth, are a reflection of the dreamer's anxiety about his or her appearance, and about how the dreamer thinks others perceive him or her. Since teeth play such an important role in physical attraction scenarios, such as flirting and getting the attention of the opposite sex, dreams of losing teeth can be manifestations of fears of getting old, fears of sexual impotence or other dating related anxieties. Another theory holds that teeth in dreams represent power, since they are used in real life to tear, chew, and bite. Therefore, the loss of teeth in a dream represents a perceived loss of power or influence. People who feel frustrated, or who feel that their voices are not being heard, may have dreams about losing teeth.

Flying

Dreams of flying may well be the most common of all dreams. Dreams of flying often fall into that special category of dreams in which the dreamer realizes he or she is dreaming. These dreams, called lucid dreams, are some of the most fascinating to both dreamers and dream researchers alike. Dreams where you are flying easily, soaring over the landscape and enjoying the serenity often mean that you feel on top of the situation and in control of your life. The flip side of that happy scenario are dreams in which the dreamer has difficulty remaining in the air, or dreams where you are unable to fly and begin to fall to earth. Obstacles like power lines, mountains and trees in a flying dream can be dream state manifestations of actual barriers in your waking life. Often the dreamer will experience fear while flying, or be afraid that he or she is flying too high. These types of dreams are often representations of fear of challenge, or fear that you cannot succeed. Identifying the barriers in your life, and overcoming them, can remove these barriers from your dream state as well as your waking life.

Falling

Dreams where you are falling are some of the most commonly reported dreams there are, and such dreams are one of the leading causes of sudden waking from a dream. Dreams of falling are most often interpreted as an indication of unresolved fears, anxieties, instabilities and insecurities. Dreams of falling can also represent a sense of inferiority or a sense of failure in your personal or professional life. These dreams of falling can represent a perceived failure to measure up to expectations, or a fear of losing your status, losing an important person in your life, or just a generalized fear or failure. Dreams of falling are most likely to take place during the first stage of sleep. That is because dreams at this stage are often accompanied by spasms of muscles in the arms, the legs or even the whole body. These sudden muscle contractions are known to science as a myclonic jerk. The dreaming mind can interpret these muscle spasms as falling, and thus incorporate falling into the dream state. Those who do biblical and religious interpretations of dreams often see falling dreams as meaning that the dreamer is taking his or her cues from the world of man instead of turning to God for guidance and advice.