I've always thought dreams can hold real meaning … and according to a new study, they do! New research investigating the predictive value of dreams has found that having nightmares about a partner cheating could actually indicate the relationship is headed for trouble.
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Scientists at the University of Maryland asked 61 participants, who were from the ages of 17 to 42 and had been dating someone for at least six months, to record their dream and relationship activity in a journal over a two-week period.They found that having visions of infidelity in sleep led to reduced love and intimacy the next day. Meanwhile, images of involved jealousy or arguments also led to next-day conflict.
Dreams about sex had varying influence. In solid relationsihps, it seemed to lead to heightened sense of intimacy. But in weaker ones, it had the opposite effect. "Sex can be good or bad in a dream in the same way that it can be good or bad in real life," lead researcher Dylan Selterman told the Huffington Post.
Um, am I the only one who finds this strangely fascinating? I am one of those people who almost always remembers their dreams very vividly, so I find it pretty remarkable that they can actually have real-life consequences on your relationship! And hey, it makes sense! If you're consistently having dreams about your partner cheating, your concious is probably trying to tell you something's up–something you might not want to admit to yourself in the daytime.
But those aren't the only kinds of symbolic dreams! Below, check out 5 other common dreams and their meanings:
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Teeth falling out
My abuela always used to tell me that dreams about losing teeth signifies death. And it turns out she was right (as usual!). According to some researchers, losing your own teeth can challenge your survival as your ability to eat is impacted, so dreams about the same thing could indicate disease.
Falling
Dreams about falling are the mind's symbolic way of making the dreamer aware of a situation in his or her waking life where they feel out of control.
Being naked in public
Most people have had this dream at least once, but many don't know what it means. Though all dream meanings are widely subjective and this one especially has been long since debated, most agree that this dream indicates you are feeling exposed, awkward, or vulnerable, or you are afraid that you have revealed too much of yourself recently.
Being chased
Getting chased in a dream can signify you're feeling threatened in your daily life or that you're avoiding a certain person or emotion while awake–so it's worth reflecting on who or what is chasing you or in some cases, who or what you're running from.
Pregnancy
Getting pregnant means there's a whole new chapter in your future. So having dreams about pregnancy can indicate you're craving a change or looking to find some new, exciting, creative venture.
