Alice Gibbs in Newsweek:
Dreams can transport us anywhere—from soaring above treetops to reliving the grind of office life—but what do they truly reveal? A recent survey by Talker Research for Newsweek asked 1,000 U.S. adults about their most common dreams, uncovering nine recurring themes. “Dream content is always intriguing,” Dr. Shelby Harris, director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis, told Newsweek. “I tend to approach the topic with a healthy dose of skepticism about specific ‘meanings.’ Dreams are less about symbolic messages and more about how the brain processes emotions, stress, and daily experiences.”
While pinning down exact meanings might be tricky, Dr. Harris offered insights into why these recurring dreams continue to surface—and what they might reveal about our waking lives.
1. Work
For many, the daily grind extends into sleep. Work-related dreams—whether about stressful deadlines, impossible tasks, or returning to the office after retirement—topped the list. “I dream I’m still working, even though I retired eight years ago,” shared one respondent, while another recounted struggling with “complicated tasks with nonsensical rules and directions.”
Why does this happen?
“Work dreams often reflect unresolved tension or concerns about productivity,” Harris told Newsweek. “They’re a clear sign that stressors are bleeding into sleep.”
More here.
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