Everyone dreams. It is only a matter of whether you remember the dream or not.

While dreaming, our central nervous system goes into an active state and the body experiences some physiological changes. Our brain waves change, the heart rate increases and breathing gets more rapid. Also, large muscle movements are inhibited in order to prevent injuries.

While the science behind dreaming is still largely unexplored and filled with uncertainties, the idea that dreams are an expression of our emotions, the physical changes in our body, cultural assumptions and personal experiences has been growing in popularity among psychologists.

Interpreting dreams can prove to be very difficult, so we tried to provide you with a list of the most common dreams and their interpretation. Most dreams have positive and negative versions which suggest what the dreamer is feeling at the moment.

Dreams have always eluded scientists from ancient times. Some have considered them to be a message from the gods, some think they hold the secret to our future and some have been able to reach extraordinary experiences through dreams. What we need to remember however, is that dreams are a product of our own minds, which may in fact be as mystifying and enigmatic as the first.

1. Falling or Drowning Dreams

In your sleep you are scared and falling in mid air or drowning. The meaning of falling in dreams is feeling insecure and having nothing as a support. The meaning behind drowning is being overwhelmed are feeling ready to give up.

The positive variant of this type of dream is the flying dream. Such dreams are always delightful and enjoyable and everyone who’s had them remembers them as their favorite dreams. Sometimes you use flying as an escape from a bad situation, you may be using wings or flying devices or may just be floating above ground by peddling your feet or flapping your hands. The many variations of flying dreams have many different meanings but it generally reflects your determination, confidence and spiritual aspirations.

2. Being Naked in Public

In this dream you are either nude in front of a large audience, or you are dressed improperly for the situation (for example you are at work in your pajamas). The meaning behind this dream is that you feel vulnerable and exposed, revealing too much about yourself. You may also feel liberated and free.

If in your dream you feel well dressed, it could be a metaphor as how you feel about your body.

3. Being Chased

Usually you are being chased by a threatening entity like an attacker, wild animal or monster. Sometimes the villain catches you and harms or kills you. The dream could also be a replay of a previous event in your life.

This type of dream usually occurs when we are feeling threatened by someone. You were frightened before going to sleep. This might cause sleep problems as you might wake up during the night because of the intensity of the dream.

The positive correspondent of this dream is being embraced or loved. The person we are embracing is not necessarily someone we have a love interest with, it could be a total stranger, someone you barely know or a public figure. This dream may reflect our desire to connect with the person that we are embracing or with a quality that that person represents.

4. Failing a Test

You may arrive late for your test, be unable to find the testing room, be totally unprepared for the subjects or you may not be able to finish in time. Other variations of this type of dream could also involve playing in a band or a sports event.

This nightmare occurs frequently, even for those who have graduated from school long time ago. It is usually an expression of your fear of failure.

The positive variant of this dream is performing extremely well at a test.

5. Being Lost or Trapped

If in a dream you are lost trying to find your way out of a maze-like structure (forest, city streets, large building) or you can not move (trapped in a cage, web or being buried alive), sometimes being unable to breathe or scream, you may be confused in real life, not knowing what to do or where to turn.

One possible positive variant of this dream is discovering new spaces such as hidden rooms in your house or new areas in your neighborhood. This dream may signify the fact that you feel as if you’ve found something amazing that you wish to explore, like a new part of your personality or a new skill.

Another possible positive correspondent of the “being lost or trapped” dream is having the ability to walk through walls in your dreams. Walls are a signify obstacles and problems you encounter in your life. Walking through walls in your sleep may be a metaphor of your confidence to overcome these obstacles.

6. Missing a Boat, Plane, Train or Bus

In this type of dream you are missing a plane, boat or any kind of public transportation, missing tickets or you could arrive late at an important event. The meaning of this dream is that you feel as if you’ve missed an opportunity in your life or that you need to make an important decision. It could also represent the fear of not being able to make a connection with someone.

Although very infrequent, dreams about traveling happily signify that you are pleased with yourself and the opportunities that you’ve taken advantage of.

7. Bad Teeth

In this type of dream, your teeth are decaying, they fall out of your moth into your hands or you simply discover that your teeth are missing. Such dreams may reflect your anxieties about your appearance or fear of embarrassment and lack of power.

A positive variant for this type of dream is unknown at the moment.

8. Ill or Dying

If, in a dream, you or one of your loved ones is ill, injured or dying, you may be emotionally hurt or fear that you will be. If in the dream you are the one that is dying, you may be unhappy with your current situation and be seeking for a change in your life.

Some think that seeing one of your loved ones dying in your dreams can be a bad omen. However, this type of dream can also be an indicator of the fact that you feel as if you’re lacking a quality representative for your loved one. You may feel that you’re loosing them or that you want them to go away.

The opposite variant of this dream is being healed, giving birth or being reborn. You may have this dream when recovering from an illness or getting a new start. Pregnant women often dream of giving birth, reflecting their hopes for their new baby. Additionally, giving birth may also represent the hopes and excitement for a new life with your loved one.

9. Car Problems

There are a lot of variations to this dream. You can be in or outside the car, you can be driving or on the passenger seat, you might lose control of the car, have no breaks, no steering, crash into something or head over a cliff.

The usual meaning of this nightmare is that you feel you have no control over the events of your life.

In the positive variant of this dream you are enjoying your ride. You would be driven by someone you find attractive or driving yourself, having complete control over the vehicle. If the car is good looking, that may be the reflection of how you feel about your own body.

10. Phone or Machine Malfunctions

Most of these dreams involve difficulties in using a telephone (trouble dialing, bad connection or getting disconnected), problems with your computer (a virus deletes all your files, loss of Internet connection) or machines jamming.

Most of the times this dream signifies the fear of loosing touch with someone or being unable to make a connection on an emotional level with one of your loved ones. It can also refer to a health problem, your body not working properly.

The positive variation of this dream, a phone or machine working perfectly, occurs very rarely.

Using this information you might be able to figure out some of the strange dreams you are having.