"Dreams don't happen to us, we happen to them," says
Edinburgh-based dream psychologist Ian Wallace, author
of The Top 100 Dreams. In other words, we're the
director, star, and producer of all the movies that play
inside our heads after we fall asleep (in fact, we create
about five 15- to 40-minute dreams per night). But it's
not just for our own entertainment. "In dreams, new
information is combined with old information of the
person's life in a creative way so that new solutions
might emerge," says researcher Michael Schredl, PhD,
from the Central Institute of Mental Health sleep
laboratory in Germany. If you want to make sense of
your own dreams, first put paper and pencil on your
nightstand, and write down what you dreamed about
when you first wake up, Schredl advises. Then compare
notes with this list of 10 common dreams, what they
mean, and what to do about them. It's about to get
straight-up Inception in here.

1. Being Chased

The Dream: Run as fast as you can. You still won't get
away from whatever's on your tail, even if you don't
have a clue what it is.

What It Means: Just like you can't seem to lose the bad
guy behind you, chances are you're having trouble
getting past some issues in your waking life. It could be
a relationship squabble, a business opportunity, or just
a nasty nagging feeling, according to Wallace.

What You Should Do: [/b]What are you avoiding?
According to Schredl, this dream is often a
representation of avoidance behavior, which is linked to
psychological problems including anxiety and
depression, according to a 2003 study published in
Addictive Behaviors . By examining the issues you can't
seem to shake—and are probably running from in the
real world—you can address them head-on and
eventually move past them.

[b]2. Teeth Falling Out

The Dream: It's like a scene out of a cheesy horror film
—your teeth dangle, crumble, shatter, and leave you
freaking the hell out.

What It Means: Teeth are symbols of power and
confidence. After all, you show them when you are
smiling, biting, or even snarling. Having this dream
means that your self-assurance may have taken a hit in
the kisser, says Wallace.

What You Should Do: Fake it till you make it, Wallace
suggests. Studies show that mimicking confidence leads
to the real thing. For example, research by Harvard
social psychologist Amy Cuddy, PhD indicates that
confident body language increases testosterone levels,
which leads to higher feelings of confidence. Similarly,
research from the Kellogg School of Management at
Northwestern University shows that if you dress to
impress, you'll feel pretty darn good about yourself.
Everyone loves a good placebo effect.

3. Unable To Find A Toilet

The Dream: After running around like a madman and
waiting through one freakishly long line for the
bathroom, you discover that the toilet you've been
waiting on is filthy or exposed to the whole world—not
to mention that there's not a scrap of toilet paper in
sight.

What It Means: If you can't take care of business in
your dream, it's possible that you're metaphorically
blocked in waking life, Wallace suggests. You may have
something you need to purge—whether it's a toxic
friend or a soul-crushing job—and you fear it will be
messy (cue the poop humor). So what do you do? Hold it
in.

What You Should Do: Learn to say "no" from time to
time. Stop letting people dump all of their problems on
you and look out for Number One. Research has linked
people-pleasing tendencies to everything from weight-
gain to depression. "You need to take care of your needs
first and foremost," says Wallace.

4. Naked In Public

The Dream: You're naked—full frontal and everything.
And while no one seems to notice, you're desperate to
hide yourself.

What It Means: "You're feeling out-of-place, vulnerable,
and scared of being exposed," Wallace says. But just like
no one notices your package, your fears remain hidden
as well. Perhaps your new job or relationship is making
you uneasy. If the dream takes place in a classroom, it's
possible that whatever you learned there continues to
make you insecure. If the dream is in a cafeteria, this
could reflect social anxiety, no matter how long you've
been out of school.
What You Should Do: It's time to let it all hang out—
emotionally, that is. Give some thought to your
insecurities and share them, Wallace advises. In the end,
it's less exhausting than taking pains to make sure no
one sees your inner turmoil. "With help, you might even
find solutions to your problems," he says.

5. Unprepared For An Exam

The Dream: You're back in school and it's time to get
out the number-two pencil. Only problem is you've done
absolutely no studying. Why? You're not quite sure. You
knew about the test and bought the books—but now
you're screwed.

What It Means: Are you a perfectionist? If this is a
recurring dream (or nightmare), chances are you live in
fear of messing up even things you're well prepared for,
suggests Wallace. If you dream about flunking an exam
you've already passed, this could reflect worries about
performance, not actual competence, Schredl adds.

What You Should Do: Give yourself a break or you'll
always feel like a failure, advises Wallace, who notes
perfectionists are more likely to suffer from anxiety and
depression. What's more, perfectionists have 50% higher
rates of early death, according to researchers from York
University in Canada. It might be time for you to
differentiate happiness from success, and start making
the former your goal, rather than the latter.

6. Flying

The Dream: Whether you're soaring on your own or in
an aircraft, your head is literally in the clouds. Even
Superman would be jealous.

What It Means: Just like in your dream, you've most
likely surmounted a big obstacle in your life, according
to Wallace. At this moment, you may feel free of
limitations, and open to making unfettered decisions.

What You Should Do: "Look for other opportunities on
the horizon," Wallace says. The best time to make a
move is when you're feeling confident from recent
accomplishments. After all, having an expectation that
you will succeed is the strongest predictor of
achievement, according to research from the University
of Florida.

7. Falling

The Dream: You step off of a curb and fall flat on your
face—or you take a nosedive right off a cliff. Either way,
you usually jolt awake as soon as you hit the bottom.

What It Means: While the sensations may feel similar,
these are actually two types of dreams, according to
Wallace. The minor slip dream happens when you first
fall asleep and have that last little twitch (called a
myoclonic jerk) after your muscles completely relax. The
second, more dramatic dream, happens when you're
already in a deep sleep. This dream often reflects a
perceived failure in your life or a realization that you
don't have control over a situation.

What You Should Do: [/b]Whatever type of fall you take in
your subconscious, tension is to blame. And not to make
you even more anxious, but 60 to 90% of doctor visits
are related to stress or stress-related symptoms,
according to the American Psychological Association. So
relax. Do something you enjoy, spend time with friends,
exercise more, or stretch before bed. People who
exercise regularly have 20% less anxiety than those who
don't exercise, according to a 2012 study from the
University of Georgia. Also, it might be time to pinpoint
what exactly is stressing you out and work toward
solving it, Wallace says.

[b]8. Out Of Control Vehicle

The Dream: You're barreling down a road, over
sidewalks, and screaming like a baby. You hit the
brakes, turn the steering wheel, but still have no control
of the car. Crap.

What It Means: In dreams, vehicles represent an ability
to move toward a goal or destination. And if the car is
out of control, your life probably is, too, suggests
Schredl. You're afraid that a wreck is imminent.

What You Should Do: Just like you learned in Driver's
Ed, overcorrecting only makes things worse. But it might
be natural: MRI scans show that every time you do
something—like worrying—you create new brain cells
for that exact purpose in the future. Don't let worry
cells overtake your brain. "Evaluate what areas you can
take charge of in your current situation," Schredl
advises. Calmly approach those details, and learn to stop
fighting the ones that are beyond your control.

9. Finding An Unused Room

The Dream: You're walking through a house, maybe the
one you grew up in. Normally, you'd know every square
inch of that place—but you soon find a door you've
never seen before. Behind it is an empty room.

What It Means: Home is the most frequently occurring
symbol in dreams. It actually represents the Self, and
each room reflects a different aspect of your personality
(sociability, strength, sexual prowess). When you find
an unused room, you are discovering an aspect of your
identity that you may be stifling, according to Wallace—
it could even be an untapped talent or passion. The
bigger the room you find, the bigger the opportunity you
may have to realize your full potential.

What You Should Do: If you're frequently having these
dreams, doors should be opening up for you in your
real life. First, you must identify them. According to
research from leading economist Israel Meir Kirzner,
PhD, opportunity recognition is central to all
entrepreneurial success. Stay open to things you would
otherwise be hesitant to explore, says Wallace, who cites
the Corridor Principle of economics: Starting one
venture allows you to recognize other opportunities you
couldn't have imagined or taken advantage of otherwise.

10. Being Late

The Dream: You thought you had plenty of time to hit
your deadline, make your meeting, or get to your date.
But now you're supposed to be across town in 15
minutes and everything is going wrong. The alarm
didn't go off. Your phone is ringing. Traffic's a bitch.

What It Means: Whatever you're rushing to in your
subconscious represents a real-life goal or milestone,
Wallace says. There is likely an actual deadline looming
or maybe an arbitrary one (like having a certain salary
by the age of 30 or 40), and it's stressing you out big
time.

What You Should Do: Ask yourself: In the waking
world, are you being proactive—or reactive? There may
be changes that have distracted from your original goals
in life, according to Wallace. Now is the time to commit.
Once you start to focus, you'll control your own time,
dictate a schedule, and get to where you really want to
be. Try an accountability partner: A recent study from
clinical psychologist Gail Matthews, PhD showed that
people who write down their goals, share them with
others, and send progress updates to that friend are 33%
more successful in hitting their goals than those who
don't.

Source: www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/what-your-dreams-say-about-you

Number 6 happens to me like always

Was hoping to see "bleepinq in the dream" Nice article tho