Why do we get recurring dreams?



According to a study published in Dreaming Journal in 2022, between 50 and 75% of adults have experienced a recurring dream at least once. These tend to be negatively toned, with some common examples including falling into thin air, finding oneself naked, losing one's teeth or failing an exam. and how often a recurring dream recurs really varies from person to person.



According to CNN, recurring dreams don't always happen in close proximity to each other. They can pop up multiple times per month or years apart. It might also be the exact same dream coming back over and over, or just a similar scenario or worry.



Are there any common patterns in recurring dreams?



Like I said, most of them tend to be negative, and they often feel a bit like nightmares. Recurring dreams are usually filled with strong emotions like fear, sadness, anger or guilt.



In fact, more than half of all recurring dreams involve some kind of threat or danger. That said, some people do have more positive recurring dreams, which are often euphoric in nature. They might be erotic dreams, or dreams in which a person discovers a new room in their home.



What does it really mean to dream about the same thing over and over?



Many experts agree that recurring dreams often point to unresolved internal conflicts. Your worries don't just disappear when you go to sleep, they continue to surface in your dreams. During periods of intense stress, the unconscious mind keeps working through your problems even at night. It's a way of processing emotions and preparing for stressful situations by playing them out in advance. If you find yourself having the same dream repeatedly, try to explore what might be behind it.



Bear in mind though that it's not always helpful to take the content of the dream literally, as dreams don't follow any universal symbolism. For example, if you often dream about being at work, it doesn't necessarily mean there's a direct link to your job, It might reflect difficulties at work, but it could also suggest that you need to do some personal work on yourself, as if your subconscious was nudging you towards self-development.



There's also an important distinction to recognise between recurring dreams and traumatic nightmares. These tend to replay a real trauma exactly as it happened, almost like a flashback. They're one of the most common symptoms experienced by people with PTSD.



Are there any ways to stop recurring dreams?



Well, understanding your dreams can help reduce or even stop them altogether. It's a way of making sense of what's going on beneath the surface. CNN says that writing about them before bed can be helpful to alleviate negative recurring dreams and stress in general. Just take a few minutes to jot down what's on your mind, what's bothering you, and anything you remember from recent dreams.



Noticing patterns and tuning in to how these dreams make you feel can help bring clarity and eventually a sense of release. So if a dream keeps coming back, it might be that your subconscious is trying to tell you something. The real challenge is learning how to listen. There you have it.



词汇表

recurring dream [rɪˈkɜːrɪŋ] 重复的梦，反复出现的梦

negatively toned [ˈneɡətɪvli təʊnd] 带有负面情绪的，带有消极色彩的

thin air 空中，虚空（形容事物突然消失或出现的地方）

recur [rɪˈkɜː(r)] 再次发生，反复出现，重现

vary from person to person [ˈveəri] 因人而异

proximity [prəˈksɪməti] 接近，邻近，临近

pop up [pɒp] 突然出现，冒出

scenario [səˈnɑːriəʊ] 情景，场景

That said 尽管如此，话虽如此

euphoric [juːˈfɒrɪk] 欣快的，狂喜的，极度愉悦的

erotic dream [ɪˈrɒtɪk] 春梦，色情梦

unresolved internal conflicts [ˌʌnrɪˈzɒlvd ɪnˈtɜːnl ˈkɒnflɪkts] 未解决的内心冲突

surface [ˈsɜːfɪs] 浮现，显露

unconscious mind [ʌnˈkɒnʃəs] 潜意识，无意识

work through 逐步解决，处理（问题、情绪等）

play out in advance 预演，提前进行

literally [ˈlɪtərəli] 字面上地，照字面意思

universal symbolism [ˈsɪmbəlɪzəm] 普遍的象征意义

work on oneself 自我提升，自我完善

subconscious [ˌsʌbˈkɒnʃəs] 潜意识，下意识

nudge [nʌdʒ] 推动，促使；轻推，劝说

traumatic nightmare [trɔːˈmætɪk ˈnaɪtmeə(r)] 创伤性噩梦（通常重现真实创伤经历）

replay [ˈriːpleɪ] 重现，重放，回放

flashback [ˈflæʃbæk] （往事，故事）闪回，重现，倒叙

PTSD 创伤后应激障碍（Post-Traumatic Stress Disorde）

make sense of 理解，弄明白

beneath the surface [bɪˈniːθ] 表面之下，潜意识层面

alleviate [əˈliːvieɪt] 减轻，缓解

jot down [dʒɒt] 快速记下，草草写下

tune in [tjuːn] 关注，留意，注意

clarity [ˈklærəti] （思路）清晰，清楚，明晰



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