How to Interpret Your Dreams

Co-authored by Nicole Moshfegh, PsyD and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: January 20, 2023 References Approved

Interpreting your dreams is a fun way to gain insights into your unconscious mind. Many people also believe that dreams can help you better understand what’s happening in your waking life. If you want to interpret your dreams, you’ll need to start keeping a dream journal. Then you can analyze each element in your dream to determine what it means to you. Finally, you can determine what your dream means.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Keeping a Dream Journal

1
Place your dream journal next to your bed. Even if you don’t remember your dreams, you have them every night. Writing them down can help you remember your dreams. Along with your dream journal, keep a pen or pencil. This will remind you to record your dream as soon as you wake up.
- Don’t forget to bring your dream journal along when you travel.
- It’s best to date your entries. If you’d like, you can also leave room under each entry for your dream interpretation.
2
The moment you wake up, keep your eyes closed and try to remember as much of the night's dreams as possible. Then write them down. Make it your morning ritual to record your dream while you’re still in bed. You’ll remember the most right after you wake up. If you wait even a few minutes, your memory of the dream will start to fade away.
- Don’t even go to the bathroom, as that gives your mind time to forget!
- Also note your thoughts immediately upon waking, as these thoughts may have been on the verge of appearing in your dream (if you hadn't woken first). Is there suddenly a word, colour, or song in your head, especially one you haven't thought of in quite a while? This could be useful for your interpretation.
- You’ll get a more meaningful interpretation if you remember more details.^{[1]
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3
Record everything you can remember. This includes what you were doing, who was with you, how you felt, and anything you saw that could be a symbol. Write down as much as you can. Some people even draw what they saw in the dream!^{[2]
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Research source} Things to write down include:
- Emotions you felt
- People in the dream
- Animals
- The setting of the dream
- Colors
- A mode of transportation, if there was one
- A journey, if there was one
- A plot, if there is one
4
Avoid creating a plot in your dream if there isn’t one. It’s normal for dreams to not make sense. However, your conscious mind will want to create a story out of your dreams. Resist this urge! Write down only what you remember, even if it’s just a series of random emotions and images. This will give you a better interpretation than a made-up story.
- If you feel tempted to turn the dream into a story, focus just on the emotions you felt, what you saw, and adjectives to describe the scene.
- For example, you might have a dream where you're lost in the woods, being chased by a wolf. In addition to writing out what happened and how you felt, you might draw several trees to represent a forest from your dream, along with words like “lost,” “chased,” and “wolf.”
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Don’t try to interpret the dream while you’re recording it. This could influence what you write, making you change or omit important details from your dream. At first, just try to document what happened. You can interpret it later.^{[3]
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6
Title each dream. This challenges your mind to identify a specific theme or what stuck out most to you. Don’t try to make your titles meaningful, however. Just use whatever comes to mind first. This can help you get a better idea of what you really feel about the dream.
- For example, you could title the forest dream described above something like “The chase,” “Scary woods,” or “Running scared.”

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Analyzing Your Dreams

1
Question yourself about the dream. Asking questions is a great starting point because it helps you to start picking apart the dream. The questions you ask should vary depending on what your dream is about, as you will question the meanings and relationship behind the individual elements in that dream. Here are some examples of questions you could ask:^{[4]
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- Was I alone?
- Who else was there? Did I sense someone?
- How did I feel?
- What does the setting mean to me?
- How would I describe the setting?
- What does this image mean to me?
- What does this action mean to me?
- When was the last time that I encountered this item in real life?
2
Identify the underlying emotions. The emotions you felt in your dream could indicate that you are feeling those emotions in your real life. However, the situation in your dream may be different from what’s occurring in reality. On the surface, the dream might not seem to relate to your waking life, but focusing on how you felt can help you find direction.^{[5]
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- For example, ask yourself questions like, “How did this dream leave me feeling?” and “When have I recently felt that emotion in my waking life?”
- For example, you may have felt fearful or trapped in a dream about a wolf chasing you through the forest. This dream could mean that you feel trapped in a scary situation in your real life.
3
Examine the setting of the dream. Where the dream takes place is important, as well as the mood of the location. For example, a forest can be bright and peaceful, or it can be dark and foreboding. Additionally, it’s important to consider how you personally relate to that location.^{[6]
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- Ask yourself questions like these: Is it somewhere you fear? Does the place cause you stress in real life? Is it your comfort zone? Did something bad happen to you in a setting like this? Is the setting similar to that of a happy time in your life?
- For example, a beach could mean two different things to two different people based on their own associations. A beach could be a fun place to someone who had an enjoyable vacation there, but it could be a symbol of fear for someone who almost drowned.
4
Reflect on the other characters or animals in the dream. Consider your background with the person or animal, and what they might symbolize for you. It’s also important to note how you felt about the person or animal in the dream. Were you fighting? Were they trying to help you? Were they just in the background? Factor this into your analysis.^{[7]
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- Did you recently have a fight with the person? The dream could be related to the fight.
- Alternatively, does the person represent something to you? For example, your favorite teacher could appear in your dream because your unconscious mind wants you to learn something.
- The people you see in your dream more often represent yourself rather than that person.^{[8]
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  Research source} For example, seeing your sister who is in college in your dream may represent your desire to learn and seek opportunities, rather than your actual sister.
- If you’re afraid of dogs, a dog in your dream may represent a threat. On the flip side, it could mean safety if you have a dog for protection in real life.
5
Pick out the images or symbols in your dreams. This can be anything that appears in your dream. Consider what these things may represent to you. How do they make you feel? What do they make you think of? How do you use them in real life? Work through your thoughts to see what the image or symbol might mean for you.^{[9]
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- If you remember several images or symbols, focus on what seems the most meaningful.
- If you encounter the same images or symbols on a recurring basis, it’s a good idea to create a special key to help you understand their meaning. This could help you interpret your dreams faster. For example, you may notice that you often see a free bird when you feel good about a situation but a caged bird when you feel trapped.
6
Look for recurring themes in your dream. This could be a thought that you had in the dream, an emotion that persisted throughout your dreams, a symbol that you kept seeing, etc. Consider how this theme relates to your waking life. In some cases, it may be clear how your dream relates to your real life, but other times your dream may act as a metaphor that you will need to examine further.^{[10]
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- For example, you may have had the recurring thought in your dream that you were losing things and unable to keep track of items that you are carrying. You may connect this feeling to a real life situation where you lost an important item that you need for work or school.
- On the other hand, you may have a dream where you are being repeatedly chased and threatened. This could be a metaphor for feelings of insecurity at work or school.
7
Use a dream dictionary only if you get stuck. Dream dictionaries are a popular tool for analyzing dreams, but many experts say they aren’t very useful. That’s because the same symbol can mean different things to different people. It’s better to focus on how you felt in the dream and what each item in your dream means to you. However, you might want to use a dream dictionary for more insight or to look for additional interpretations.^{[11]
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- You can find dream dictionaries in print form or online.
- For example, maybe you’ve had several dreams that contain a key in the background. You might want to look up common meanings for the key symbol.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Recognizing Common Dream Tropes

1
Consider if something has ended in your life if you dream of death. Although they're scary, death dreams are not usually about an actual death. If you dream about death, think about what's been happening in your life. A death in your dream means that something in your life has come to an end, usually to make way for a new beginning.^{[12]
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- For example, you may be graduating from school. Although this is an ending, it kicks off an exciting new phase of your life.
2
Reflect on any vehicles you use to travel in dreams. If you're being transported in your dream, this often relates to the direction your life is taking, the amount of control you have over your life, and the obstacles you have on your journey. If you're driving, then you're in control, but someone else in the driver's seat may mean you lack control.^{[13]
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- For example, a broken down car might mean you are stuck in your life.
3
Relate flying in your dream to taking control over your life. Consider how you feel while flying in your dream. If you're flying high and feel good, then you may have let go of a burden in your real life. It could also mean you feel in control. However, flying low and struggling could mean that you feel like you're weighed down or out of control.^{[14]
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4
Notice how you feel when you're falling in a dream. Falling can mean several things. It might mean that you feel out of control. It could also mean that you either need to let go of something or have let it go. Pay attention to the emotion you feel as you fall when determining what this means for you.^{[15]
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- If you feel calm, you may be releasing something in your life that was weighing you down.
- If you feel afraid, you may feel like your life is out of control.
5
Look for something that you may be avoiding if you're being chased. Usually being chased in a dream means that there could be something in your waking life that you need or want to confront. You may feel like you've figuratively been "running away" from this issue, but your unconscious is telling you to address it.^{[16]
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- For example, you may be behind with your work and need to make arrangements to get back on schedule.
6
Look for reasons that you might be lost in a dream. Feeling lost in a dream or searching for something that is lost usually means that you are feeling anxiety and frustration in your waking life. Chances are, you feel "lost" in a situation in your life.^{[17]
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- For example, you may be struggling to find a job but don't have enough qualifications or experience to get the job.
7
Reflect on your performance if you're unprepared for a test. Having to take a test you aren't prepared for is a common, stressful dream. It could mean that you feel like your performance in life is lacking. It may also mean that you feel like you haven't learned a lesson you should have.^{[18]
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8
Consider that nudity often symbolizes vulnerability. Nudity is a way to bare yourself to the world, which makes you vulnerable. If you're upset about the nudity, then you may feel like you need to hide something or are not supported. If you're confident, then you may be embracing the vulnerability.^{[19]
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Don't panic if your teeth fall out. This dream usually means that you're anxious, incompetent, or powerless. For example, you may feel like you aren't ready to take on a new responsibility. The reaction that you and other dream characters have to the teeth falling out tells you how you feel about the situation.^{[20]
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- For example, if you meet your mom in the dream and she doesn't care that your teeth are falling out, this could mean that you feel like she doesn't care about your real-life feelings about a situation you're struggling with. It could also be your unconscious mind's acknowledgement that your mom believes you are competent enough to take on the new responsibility.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Determining Your Dream's Meaning

1
Recognize that dreams are not a prediction of the future. Some people believe that dreams can act as premonitions that foreshadow the future. However, experts agree that this is not the case.^{[21]
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Research source} Instead, dreams are stories that you tell yourself while you sleep. In some cases, they may help you work through a situation in your waking life or cope with emotions.^{[22]
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- If you have a disturbing dream that scares you, don't worry about it coming true. Instead, focus on the feelings you felt. Perhaps a real-life situation is making you feel this way.
2
Put all of the individual pieces of the dream together. Once you’ve analyzed each part of your dream, you can put it all together. This can give you a deeper interpretation of the dream.^{[23]
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- How does the setting relate to the characters and symbols?
- How does each part affect the meaning of the remaining parts?
- Taken together, what does the dream mean to you?
3
Connect the dream to your real life situations. Some dreams are straightforward, making them easy to interpret. You may have just encountered that person or situation during your day.^{[24]
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Research source} However, other dreams act as a metaphor for something that’s happening in your life. Use your analysis to determine how your dream connects to your waking life.^{[25]
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- As an example, dreaming about something that happened during the previous day may have a straightforward answer. If you had a fight with your mom, and you dream about fighting with her, the dream is likely about the fight.
- Alternatively, if you have a dream about a house fire that you can’t escape, then it’s probably a metaphor for something that’s happening in your life.
4
Listen to your gut. You are the only person who truly knows yourself! That makes you the best person to interpret your dreams. If you think your dream might mean something, accept that as the meaning.^{[26]
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Decipher love and sex dreams. These dreams rarely correspond to feelings of love and sex in your real life. Most often, love and sex dreams are about intimate connections in your real life. You may have gotten closer to the person featured in your dream, or they could represent something within yourself that you are embracing.^{[27]
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- For example, you may have a sex dream about an acquaintance. Ask yourself what that person could represent to you. Perhaps you like how this person is funny and outgoing. Your dream could mean that you're embracing these traits in yourself.
6
Notice recurring dreams or patterns. If you’re having the same dream over and over again, then it’s likely that your unconscious mind is trying to tell you something. Alternatively, you might be struggling with a situation in your waking life. Pay special attention to these recurring dreams or patterns.^{[28]
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- Note when the dreams occur, how often they occur, and if they seem to be triggered by something.
- Analyze the dream like you normally would, but pay special attention to what the dream could mean for your waking life.
- If the dream disturbs your sleep, you may want to talk to a mental health professional, who can help you work through the dream.
7
Talk with a therapist if your dreams are upsetting you. In rare cases, dreams can negatively affect your waking life. For example, some people have recurring nightmares that can be frightening. Although the nightmare is just a fantasy that won’t happen to you, it can still be very scary.^{[29]
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Research source} Fortunately, a therapist can help you work through your upsetting dreams.

Warnings

Don’t let your dreams have a negative impact on your real life. For example, don’t punish someone in your life for something they did to you in a dream.

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