Recurring Dreams: My Subconscious Needs a New Script
So, apparently, 75% of adults have recurring dreams. That means three out of four of us are stuck in some mental Groundhog Day every now and then, reliving the same bizarre nightmares or awkward scenarios. And let’s be real: if recurring dreams had a Rotten Tomatoes score, they’d probably get a solid 33%—because two-thirds of them are “negatively toned.” Shocker, right? It’s like our subconscious has nothing better to do than torture us.
For me, it’s always the classic “arriving late” dream. You know the one: you’re supposed to be somewhere important—work, a wedding, or, in my case, a made-up exam for a class I apparently forgot I was taking. Spoiler alert: I’m never prepared, I can’t find my pants, and the clock is ticking faster than a microwave minute.
And let’s not even get started on the “being chased” trope. Who’s chasing me? Why do they care so much? And why, for the love of melatonin, can I never seem to run faster than a toddler trying to escape bath time?
Experts, bless their vague little hearts, don’t really have answers for us. Recurring dreams remain a mystery, like why we still can’t find the matching sock in the laundry. What they do know is that these recurring nightmares tend to highlight unresolved stress, fears, or anxiety. Oh, great. Thanks, brain. Couldn’t you just send a polite memo instead?
And of course, the pandemic managed to infiltrate our dreams, too. Analysis of over 15,000 dreams (who even does this for a living?) found that fear, illness, and death skyrocketed in post-pandemic dreams. I mean, nothing screams “restful night’s sleep” like a recurring dream about coughing in a crowded elevator while everyone slowly backs away from you in horror.
So what’s the fix? Who knows. Therapy? Meditation? Screaming into a pillow? All I know is, if my subconscious doesn’t stop rerunning the same anxiety-fueled highlight reel, I’m going to start charging it rent. Maybe it’s time for a dream reboot. Subconscious, if you’re listening: I’m thinking something tropical. Maybe I win the lottery. Maybe I can finally run without looking like I’m stuck in slow motion.
But until then, sweet dreams—if you’re lucky enough to have them. And if not, at least know you’re not alone in this weird mental circus we call sleep.