Dream Of Being Locked In A Room? The 118 Detailed Answer

Home » Dreams about being trapped – symbolism and meaning Dreams about being trapped – symbolism and meaning Apsara

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One of the most terrifying dreams you can experience is seeing yourself trapped in a situation or place from which you cannot escape. Dreaming about being trapped can be a nightmare and it feels like there is no way out.

These types of dreams are usually terrifying, and we often wonder what these dreams mean and if they would manifest in our lives. In order to find answers to these disturbing questions, it is crucial to understand why they arise in the subconscious in the first place.

Dreams about being trapped can have multiple interpretations, mostly negative than positive. Here are some of the most popular interpretations.

Types of dreams about being trapped

Dreaming of being trapped can be extremely uncomfortable and can have many different meanings. The peculiarities surrounding the ream can also change the interpretation of the dream.

Dream about feeling trapped

Generally, dreams in which you feel trapped and unable to escape indicate that you are feeling emotionally and physically trapped. It could mean that you are in a difficult, limiting or even dangerous situation. Such dreams can be triggered by stress and frustrations in your waking life, and your subconscious is working to help you feel free and detached.

Dreaming of being trapped in the midst of a wildfire

If you see flames engulfing you from all sides in a dream, it could mean that something in your waking life is causing you fear and it is likely that you have little or no control over it.

Also, another interpretation of such a dream could be that someone close to you acts rashly without considering the consequences. You may feel stressed because there is nothing you can do to stop their actions.

Dreaming about being caught by an evil person

Dreaming of being kidnapped or captured by a person with evil intentions is quite common. If the person in your dream is someone you know, you may have a bitter or troubled relationship with them. However, if the person is a stranger, it could symbolize that you are not comfortable with someone in your life.

Dreaming about getting stuck in an earthquake

If you dream about lying under the rubble of an earthquake with no way to escape, it could mean that you are living in an inappropriate environment with people you cannot or should not trust.

You may not realize it, but you may have a constant fear of the unknown and you may find that you cannot confide in them. The fact that certain events may not be under your control can cause you constant distress. In this case, being trapped in an earthquake could be the direct psychological result of your mental discomfort.

Dream about your friends/family being trapped

Sometimes people have dreams about their family members or friends who are trapped and calling them for help. Although they are not necessarily foreshadowings of what might happen to that person, these dreams can be a message or a signal that your loved one is facing problems or difficulties in their life. Dreams about other people being trapped can indicate that your loved ones are in trouble and that you might be able to help them.

If you dream about family or friends being trapped, it can also indicate how you feel about someone in your care. When you are caring for someone like your parents or children you may feel like you are not doing enough for them which can lead to dreams that they are trapped.

Dreams about seeing other people trapped can also be a sign of degeneration or loss of soul. Sometimes people who face multiple obstacles in their lives angrily say that a piece of their soul has died. However, once they start moving on with life, accepting their destiny and slowly learning to live life to the fullest, they will likely feel whole again and stop seeing such dreams.

Why You May Feel Trapped

Circumstances that may cause you to dream about being trapped could include:

An unsatisfying job

A wrong career choice

Parents/Family Issues

Enormous work pressure

Difficulty balancing personal and professional life

An unstable romantic relationship or marital problems with a partner

Experience of a traumatic incident in the past

If you think something uncomfortable in your life is triggering dreams about being trapped, finding out what those issues are can help you address them. If the dreams return and are affecting your quality of life, often because of low mood and sleep deprivation, talking to a therapist can help.

If the dreams are not triggered by a traumatic experience or stressful situation, there may be other reasons that you have overlooked. It could be that you have a more negative outlook on life and the dreams are caused by the negative emotions you are feeling. Some simple lifestyle changes and a positive attitude can help you encourage better dreams.

Shortly

Although dreams about being trapped can be traumatizing, they often arise because of the information stored in your subconscious. They are mostly a sign or warning that something is wrong in your waking life.

If you don’t have personal freedom and feel out of control, chances are you’ll see more of these scary dreams. They may be telling you that it’s time to step back and correct what isn’t quite right in your reality.

With our dreaming minds, we are able to recreate memories of people, intense emotions, and complex situations each night without consciously trying – which is why the feeling of being stuck in a dream you can’t wake up from can be so powerful can (and even disturbing) experience. If you’re trying to wake up from a dream but can’t, there might be a scientific explanation for why you can’t shake off the state. However, if you are open to dream interpretation, these nighttime visions could also indicate that your subconscious is trying to send you a symbolic message about your waking life.

Whether the explanation is medical or mystical, being stuck in a dream and not being able to wake up can be confusing and even scary. Many of us have had this experience before – maybe it involved being so deep in a dream state that you slept through your alarm clock, or maybe you even tried unsuccessfully to wake yourself from a dream you knew you were having you have it were.

If you’re trying to wake up from a dream but can’t, there are some explanations – both scientific and symbolic – that can help explain why. Read on to find out what it means when you get stuck in a dream.

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You experience sleep paralysis

Have you ever felt like your mind woke up before your body, leaving you paralyzed on your bed and still experiencing some of the sensations from your dream? If so, it’s possible you’ve experienced sleep paralysis, a well-documented medical phenomenon that affects up to 8% of the population at some point. During sleep paralysis (which occurs when someone is between a sleeping and a waking state), a person feels fully conscious but cannot move or speak, and may experience a feeling of intense fear, the sensation of suffocation or even hallucinations . It can feel a bit like being stuck in a waking nightmare that you can’t wake yourself from.

The reason we feel trapped during sleep paralysis is because the body is still “paralyzed” from sleep (a natural instinct that keeps us from walking around or moving while dreaming). If consciousness is partially awakened before your REM cycle is complete, you can experience this strange and disturbing phenomenon. While it may feel like we’re trapped in a bad dream, sleep paralysis is actually a harmless mistake in our sleep cycle — and people suffering from sleep deprivation, trauma, anxiety, or depression might be at a higher risk of experiencing it.

You have a “false awakening” dream.

Have you ever found yourself waking up, turning off your alarm, getting out of bed and starting your morning routine… only to find you’re actually still dreaming? These types of dreams are known as “false awakenings” (yes, they have a name!) and they can be difficult to wake up from. False awakening dreams can occur repeatedly in a single REM cycle and can be extremely vivid and realistic – so when they occur, it can feel like you’re actually stuck in a dream.

If you’re caught in a repetitive loop of false awakenings, some sleep experts advise waking yourself up by attempting to wiggle your toe or move a limb, blinking rapidly, or performing a complex physical maneuver like walking or dancing in the dream to execute . By focusing on moving your physical body, you may be able to trick your brain into a conscious state and give yourself an escape route from your dream loop.

You are sleep deprived

Having ultra-realistic dreams that are difficult to wake up from can simply be a side effect of not getting enough sleep. According to Scientific American, sleep intensity and dream vividness are increased in people who are sleep deprived. This is because during an average night’s sleep, our longest REM (dreaming) cycle is around 40 minutes. However, studies show that both the intensity and length of your REM cycles increase dramatically when someone is sleep deprived. If you find yourself getting stuck in intense and prolonged dreams on a regular basis, make sure you get a full night’s sleep to offset the feeling.

You feel held back by something in real life

You may also want to explore the symbolic reasons why you are trapped in a dream – as feeling stuck in a dream with no way out can be a sign of the frustrations you are facing in your real life. “When you feel trapped in a dream, it represents areas where you feel stuck in your waking life,” mystic MaKayla McRae tells Bustle. This could be related to anything from an unhealthy relationship that’s keeping you from finding love to a dead-end job that’s become a hindrance to your career growth.

Being stuck in a dream could also indicate that you are holding onto old belief systems that no longer serve you (like old family traditions that don’t align with your values, or long-held negative beliefs about yourself that need to be dismantled). If you regularly find yourself stuck in a dream you can’t wake up from, dig deep and re-evaluate your relationships, belief systems, and current life situations to find areas where you feel limited, powerless, or prevented from being you to be yourself. Once you address these issues and break free, maybe you will stop having so many dreams that are difficult for you to get out of.

You are about to make a breakthrough

If you’re stuck in a dream and can’t wake up, it could indicate that you’re about to reach a goal, cross a threshold, or make an important shift in your waking life—but you haven’t quite made the mark reached. “Dreams you feel like you can’t wake up from symbolize situations where you feel like you’re about to make a breakthrough or about to break a bad habit, but it’s still unattainable” says McRae. “You’re almost there, but not quite — it’s that ‘on the tongue’ kind of feeling.”

When you are close to a personal finish line in your real life, you may feel a sense of impatience with the situation – which may manifest in your dreams as a feeling of being trapped or stuck in one place. Try to see if there’s anything that makes you feel a sense of anticipation of moving forward, and find ways to channel that frustration-productivity.

You need to revise your routine

Being stuck in a dream that you can’t seem to wake up from could indicate that you need to mix things up in your daily life – as it can be a metaphor for feeling stuck or stagnant in your current routine. “Ongoing dreams can represent an area where you feel like your life is playing out in loops – as if what’s going to happen next in your life is so predictable that you’re bored,” says McRae. “This type of dream is a sign that you need to shake up routines that make you feel stuck.”

If these types of dreams are common, McRae suggests asking yourself where in your life you feel like you’re repeating the same things over and over again. Find ways to bring fresh energy and variety into your relationships, daily habits, or any situation where you feel stuck.

Just a heads up on that next week: I’m heading to a wedding in Seattle and I’m trying to queue up some blog posts for the week so I don’t have to think about it, but forgive me if some do slightly off schedule. I’ll be back very late next Sunday, but I try to post regularly for my readers!

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Susan had yielded to her mother. She was finally going to see someone about her vivid dreams, though she was determined not to go to the damn psychic her mother recommended. She wanted to try to keep this at least somewhat grounded, so she made an appointment with a psychologist in the next town, someone who explicitly stated on his website that he practiced Freudian and Jungian dream interpretation. Whatever that was. It sounded almost as terribly mystical as the koolaid the crazies would make her drink, but she couldn’t sleep and had to do something.

The office was almost clinical in its bareness. She had expected something warmer and more welcoming in the waiting room than bare green walls and plastic-covered furniture, but who was she to say what kind of feelings the doctor was trying to evoke. Maybe they wanted to increase their patient’s anxiety and throw her off balance when she first walked in, because that’s how she felt. There wasn’t even music to break the monotony, or a receptionist. Just a sign telling patients to wait, the doctor would be right outside.

After about ten minutes, the only other door to the room opened and a young woman stepped out. Susan mistook her for another patient until she came over and held out her hand. “MS. Krantz? I’m Dr. Glenn, but you can just call me Kathryn.”

“Kathryn, hello.” Susan put away her Kindle (on which she read reports from work) and stood. “Sorry, I was expecting someone-”

“Older.” The doctor was done. “I get that a lot. I’m actually in my thirties and have been practicing for ten years. i just look young It’s all that yoga and good jeans.”

Susan was taken aback by the woman’s casual demeanor and searched for an answer. “So your mother looks young too?”

“Nope! She’s a witch, but you can find the right pair of blue jeans and your ass will always look phenomenal.” She laughed at her own joke and Susan smiled, finally relaxing a little. “Come back to my cave and let’s get started to sort you.”

The back office was much warmer and more welcoming than the waiting area. There were soft abstract paintings on the wall and multiple seating options, from a thickly padded armchair to a sofa that looked like it would swallow you up if you sat on its cushions for too long. Kathryn dropped into an uncomfortable looking wooden chair and motioned for Susan to sit wherever she wanted, so she chose the couch.

“Thanks for completing the pre-survey, it really helps me get a feel for you before you come in. So you’re here because of disturbing dreams?” The doctor pulled up a side table and picked up her teacup, grimacing when she realized it was cold.

“Not disturbing per se, but I can’t seem to rest. They are so alive and I feel like I expend so much energy in the dreams that I just feel exhausted in the morning. Like I ran a marathon in my sleep.”

Kathryn nodded and made notes on a piece of paper. “So ultra vivid dreams that exhaust you. But no bad dreams?”

“No, not really. I try to open things, but there’s always a lock, and no matter what I try, whatever keys I have, I just can’t open it.” Susan didn’t want to tell her the part about that She felt like if she didn’t open it something was going to go wrong, it never did, it was just a feeling.

“Well, there are locks and keys, but they don’t fit.”

“Yes, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a box, I can’t open it, I can’t kick down the door if it’s a door. It’s locked tight.”

Kathryn got up to go to her bookshelf, pulled down a volume and started leafing through it. “Do you have any idea what’s behind this? Or in it?”

“I don’t know, I just have this overwhelming feeling that I have to go for it.”

“Or what happens?”

Susan took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. She didn’t really want to tell this woman, but maybe, just maybe, her mother was right about needing to talk to someone. “I’m going to lose myself.”

“What do you mean? Lose yourself?” Kathryn put down the book, made a note and gave Susan her undivided attention.

“That’s it. I’m just going to – phew.” Susan made little poofing motions with her hands. “Not like disappearing, just not being able to find myself.” She leaned back in the corner of the sofa and crossed her legs and arms. “It makes no sense if I say it out loud. In the dream it makes perfect sense.”

“No, I would say it makes perfect sense here as well. This lock somehow prevents you from protecting yourself. Have you ever tried to experience lucid dreaming?”

Susan snorted. “I heard you can’t.”

“It doesn’t. It just takes practice. Here, I’ll give you a focus.” Kathryn stood and rummaged around her massive antique desk in the corner, eventually emerging with a vine-wrapped brass key. “Take this, carry it on a chain. Think about it all day, even wear it at night, and when you fall asleep, repeat to yourself that this can open any lock. It is a skeleton key, unobstructed by any obstacle. If you then If you start dreaming of the locked door or chest or whatever, you will find that you are carrying it in the dream and you will be able to unlock the door.”

“Is that it? That seems pretty…too easy.” Susan reached for the key and when Kathryn dropped it into her palm, she was surprised at its weight.

Kathryn dropped back into her chair. “The human mind is sometimes extremely simplistic, especially when it comes to basic functions like dreaming. It will probably take some time and practice, but I’m confident you’ll get it. Now it may not be so easy to deal with what is behind that door.”

“What do you mean? Whatever’s behind that door. I just feel like I have to go through it.”

“Sometimes the things we think we need to do aren’t necessarily the best things for us, like peer pressure etc etc. Anyway we can take care of that when you come through the door. Sounds like a plan? See you back here in a month?”

Susan got up and pocketed the key. “Sure. Maybe I’ll come through the door by then.”

***

She did exactly what she was told. She carried the key all day and all night, she even carried it to the shower. Waking up exhausted from the fight all night, she held it tight and said to herself, “This can open any door. Any lock can be opened with it.”

Three weeks passed and there was no change. Every night she threw herself against unyielding wood or metal or stone, and no magic key appeared.

Finally, the night before her next appointment with Kathryn, she fell into the dream just as she slammed herself into a solid wooden basement door. And as she bounced back from it, she felt the weight of the key hit her chest. Almost crying with relief, she grabbed it, took it off the chain and approached the door.

Whatever was behind the door seemed to glow brighter as she approached, key in hand. Taking a deep breath, Susan put the key in the lock and turned. She felt rather than heard the glasses fall and she closed her eyes, hand on the doorknob. She could feel everything, the light and heat behind the door, the brass inlays of the knob pressed against her skin.

And she let go. She stepped back from the door and it dissolved, leaving an empty opening in front of her. There was nothing behind the door, actually the door wasn’t even in a wall, it stood alone in the middle of the room, a brass key lay on the threshold.

Susan took the key, smiled and put it in her pocket.

The next morning she woke up relaxed and exhilarated. She wasn’t quite sure what the empty space meant, the fact that there was nothing on the other side of the door, and in fact it hadn’t separated her from anything.

When she showed up for her appointment, she was waiting impatiently in the waiting area. dr Glenn came out and Susan gave her the key.

The psychologist turned the key and looked at it. “Did it work?”

“Yes, thank you, I don’t think we need to meet today. I feel fantastic.”

“What was on the other side of the door?” Kathryn pocketed the key and leaned against the door frame.

“Nothing, it was an obstacle to nothing. All these months we’ve been banging on the door and it just… unraveled.”

“Well, maybe that’s a symbol of something then. Work? A relationship? Just relax and it will sort itself out somehow?”

“Maybe. I don’t care. Not now that I can pick any lock.”

nightmares

Recurring nightmares indicate a particularly serious problem in our waking life that we need to confront. We can wake up from these dreams with feelings of acute distress or worry, or even panic. These fears can arise from our deepest frustrations, repressions, and inner conflicts. They can also be a form of self-punishment for unacceptable parts of ourselves that we have to come to terms with.

A common theme is being hunted or pursued by a monster or demon. This may indicate an aspect of our emotional lives that we are trying to escape from. Monsters in mythology often guard the treasure sought by the hero. They often guard sacred or holy places. We are the heroes in our dreams just as we are the heroes in our daily waking life. We need to confront and understand the monster in the dream that represents an unwanted part of ourselves that we need to confront and integrate in order to regain the treasure that is a deeper psychological understanding of ourselves. Often, if we can turn and face what we fear, it will transform in the dream and cease to be terrifying once its nature is identified.

We sometimes dream that someone is trying to break into our house. This is often an internal psychological figure that represents a shameful or unwanted part of ourselves that invades our consciousness. It is about to invade our consciousness, and then we must confront this unwanted aspect of ourselves. The purpose of this character seems to be to reflect all the worst aspects of our character so that we can become more aware of those traits and accept those unwanted but vital parts of ourselves. These aspects are often quite obvious to those we live with or who know us well, but are hidden from our own conscious opinion of ourselves and will therefore appear strange and frightening to us in our dreams. The intruder in the dream can represent an awareness or insight about to invade our consciousness. It seems frightening because it is unknown what demands it will make of us, but it should really be welcomed into our psychological home because it brings with it a gift of self-knowledge. Each aspect of the dream represents a part of ourselves. The intruder in the dream represents a part of ourselves that we have kept out of our awareness for too long and now need to be let in. It can represent a feeling or an attitude that we need to be more aware of.

Another nightmare is the disaster dream. These are often very lively and we can wake up scared and anxious. These dreams should not be ignored or taken literally. The catastrophe may indicate an emotional upheaval that is taking place or is about to occur in our lives. The catastrophe can include an earthquake, our world is shaken; or an avalanche, feeling overwhelmed and buried by a situation we find ourselves in, or perhaps the thawing of some frozen emotions; or high water, being caught up in the currents of everyday life and not feeling on solid ground; or a fire, being consumed by passion or anger or some other strong emotion that can feel out of control. Disaster can be a positive image, pointing to a significant change that is tearing down old patterns of behavior and a turning point of opportunity, or it can be a warning of something valuable in our lives that is falling apart or being swept away. Sometimes it can represent both aspects, since changes and crises often bring both positive and negative feelings. The nightmare is a dream to be taken seriously. They are urgent psychological messages that something in our emotional psyche needs attention and can no longer be ignored or we are doing so at our peril.

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Description: You are lost, maybe you are feeling desperate. You may be trying to navigate a forest, city streets, a large building, or some other maze-like structure. Or you may dream that you are unable to move, perhaps unable to scream or breathe. Circumstances vary. You may be buried alive, caught in a net or cage, or otherwise trapped, and you usually feel frightened.

Frequency: Lost or trapped dreams are common. Some people have them frequently, others only in times of crisis. They typically occur when you feel a great deal of confusion or conflict about how to act in a waking situation.

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Common meanings: You may feel lost, trapped or confused by something, that you are lost and don’t know what to do or where to turn.

Questions to ask yourself:

Lost Variant:

Where did you want to go in a dream? Home? School? Business?

where did you get lost What disturbed you most about the area you got lost in?

What circumstances seemed to have misled you?

What actions did you take to find your way in the dream?

Which area of ​​your life is currently puzzling you?

Be Caught Variant:

Where did you get stuck in the dream?

What restricts your movement?

How did you try to save yourself in a dream?

What waking situation in your waking life does this remind you of?

Home » Dreams The meaning of dreams about not being able to come home The meaning of dreams about not being able to come home Apsara

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To dream of being lost and unable to come home can make you anxious and uncomfortable as to what the dream could mean. Finding yourself in a place that is totally unfamiliar to you without knowing how to get back home can be scary and you may be afraid that it portends problems in your waking life.

Many believe that such dreams are bad omens or signs of impending danger. While this may be true for some dream scenarios, it is not always the case.

General Interpretations

Seeing a dream where you cannot come home can mean that you are looking for stability in your waking life or that you are in an uncomfortable situation and you want things to get back to normal. It is likely that your subconscious triggers this dream when you are feeling insecure about something or someone.

Seeing this type of dream is not uncommon, especially when you are overwhelmed by certain events in your life. You can have close connections with your indecisive nature. For example, if you are having trouble making important decisions and you have decided to leave them for the moment, you may have such a dream. It could be a sign that you are confident in yourself and in every decision you make.

A dream about being lost and not being able to come home can alert you that you have strayed from your path in life. Maybe you’ve been working hard to achieve your goals, but recently lost sight of them.

Feeling weak and vulnerable can also trigger this type of dream. It could mean that you are relying on others way too much and that it is time to learn to stand up for yourself.

If you are dreaming of desperately trying to get home, chances are you will see yourself wandering around in different directions and turns while trying to find your way. It could symbolize wrong or unwise decisions that you have made or will make in the future.

Types of dreams about not being able to come home

Dreaming about being lost in a vehicle

To dream of not being able to get home in a vehicle may indicate that you are distracted and have lost your focus on achieving your goals. Your subconscious may be telling you that it’s time to exercise some self-control and pay attention to your goals in life.

Dreaming about being stuck in a hospital and not coming home

If you are dreaming about being stuck in a hospital or getting lost and cannot find your way home, it could mean that you are feeling like you cannot escape from certain problems in your life. You may have tried your best to fix these issues without success. This dream could also represent your fear of inevitable things in life like old age, death or illness.

Dreaming of being stuck in a derelict building

A building in ruins can represent bad luck and sadness. On the other hand, it can also just be a warning that you should take better care of your health.

If you had a dream about being stuck in a derelict building, it could indicate a past relationship that you couldn’t get out of.

Also, this dream can represent mistakes or immoral actions that you have committed in the past. It’s likely that you’ll be reminded of what you did and feel guilty about it.

Dreaming about being lost in a fog

If in a dream you cannot get home due to fog, it could be a sign that you are in a strange, undesirable situation. It could also mean that someone in your life is making you feel confused or insecure.

Dream about losing yourself in the dark

If you are dreaming about getting lost in the dark and not being able to come home, it could mean that you are feeling disgusted with something or someone in your waking life. Feeling alone and depressed could be another reason for seeing this dream.

Being lost in the dark, unable to get home, also indicates feelings of insecurity, fear, or sadness. Fumbling in the dark and finding your way around can mean you have to make an important decision but don’t have enough information to do so.

You might want to slow down, step back, and do some thorough research before making any decisions.

Dream about not coming home from the city

Maybe you are a very private person who likes to stay away from people or social situations. If you do, this dream could indicate that you cannot avoid such a situation and go back to your comfort zone which is your home. There may not be an easy way for you to get away from people without creating a scene or hurting their feelings.

Dreaming about being lost in the forest

To dream of being lost in the woods and unable to return home can mean that you are in a new situation and you are still trying to adjust to it. If you see someone else getting lost in the woods, it indicates that you are having trouble knowing exactly who you are.

Being lost in the forest also symbolizes hopelessness, pessimism and loneliness in your waking life. Maybe you feel lonely and don’t get enough support from those around you.

In contrast, a dream about not coming home from the forest could have a very positive interpretation. It can indicate tremendous growth or wealth that you are about to receive in your professional life.

How to stop dreams about not coming home

Dreams about being lost and not being able to return home can be disturbing, but they are not always negative. Such dreams can be warning signs that bad luck or something negative is coming, giving you time to prepare to overcome it.

If you kept having dreams about not being able to come home, maybe you should think about your life. This would help you identify any issues in your life or stressors that may be causing you to experience negative feelings such as anxiety, depression, dissatisfaction, or anger.

If you keep seeing dreams like this that make you uncomfortable or anxious, it may be a good idea to talk to a therapist or psychologist. An experienced professional can help you resolve any underlying issues you may be going through.

Shortly

Although dreams about being lost and not coming home can be scary and seem negative, they can actually help you find solutions to certain problems in your waking life. In some cases, your subconscious might try to show you the solution or answer to a problem through the dream.

Some dreams about not being able to come home can show you something negative about yourself that you need to change. Others may alert you to certain issues in your waking life that you may not have noticed before. By carefully analyzing your dream, you can better understand yourself and the world around you.

The neuroscience of sleep and dreams teaches us that there are three basic brain states: waking, REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, and non-REM (NREM) sleep.

We have our most vivid dreams in REM, while physiologically restful sleep occurs in conjunction with NREM slow waves. What determines or creates and maintains each of these three states is a different mix or profile of brainstem-generated neurotransmitters (aminergic and cholinergic modulation) activity levels, and different patterns of forebrain activation and deactivation. The three different brain activity profiles that lead to the three different brain states must be viewed as probabilistic profiles.

Each brain state’s profile can be fully or partially activated. The transitions between the brain states can also only be partial. Because the mechanisms that control brain states are probabilistic, transitions between states are almost always partial and incomplete. When the transitions between states are partial, we get a hybrid brain state—for example, a mix of REM and waking, a mix of NREM and waking, or REM with NREM. When these hybrid states occur, we tend to have eerie, weird, and bizarre experiences.

For example, sleep paralysis is a mix of REM and wakefulness.

The patient is conscious and awake, but is paralyzed and unable to move because the muscle atony associated with REM persists into wakefulness. In addition, the patient hallucinates an intruder, possibly because many REM dreams are about potential threats, etc. But what about the closely related false awakening experience?

When we mistakenly believe we’re awake (but are actually still dreaming), the brain is probably moving towards waking and for some reason believing it’s arrived. If some level of activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is the standard physiological cue the brain uses to believe it is awake, then it seems reasonable to argue that this cue can sometimes be misused. But the dream-within-a-dream phenomenon isn’t just being fooled into being awake because you’re still fully dreaming. The dream within a dream requires an explanation other than its mere paraphrasing as a partial awakening.

Perhaps the dream within the dream is more like lucid dreaming, resulting from a mix of REM and waking states because the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is partially activated. When the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is activated during the REM phase, the individual gains some self-awareness and becomes so conscious that they are dreaming. A false awakening would involve skipping self-awareness as a dream step that occurs in lucid dreaming and is associated with moving into the waking state. Instead, the awakening process would be interrupted and the individual awaiting awakening would continue dreaming. But why dream of normal morning rituals and waking activities? We do not know the answer to this question.

Is Sleep Paralysis a Symptom of a Serious Problem? Sleep researchers conclude that, in most cases, sleep paralysis is simply a sign that your body isn’t moving smoothly through the stages of sleep. Rarely is sleep paralysis associated with underlying psychiatric problems. Over the centuries, the symptoms of sleep paralysis have been described in many ways, often attributed to an “evil” presence: invisible night demons in ancient times, the old witch in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and alien abductors. Almost every culture throughout history has had tales of shadowy evil creatures that frighten helpless people at night. Explanations for this mysterious sleep paralysis and the associated feelings of terror have long been sought.

What is sleep paralysis? Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person alternates between waking and sleeping phases. During these transitions, you may not be able to move or speak for a few seconds to a few minutes. Some people may also experience pressure or a feeling of suffocation. Sleep paralysis can accompany other sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is an overwhelming need for sleep caused by a problem with the brain’s ability to regulate sleep.

When does sleep paralysis usually occur? Sleep paralysis usually occurs at one of two times. When it occurs while falling asleep, it is called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis. When it happens upon waking, it’s called hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis.

What happens in hypnagogic sleep paralysis? As you fall asleep, your body slowly relaxes. Usually you become less aware, so you don’t notice the change. However, if you remain or become conscious when you fall asleep, you may find that you cannot move or speak.