8 Surprising Things Your Dreams Are Trying to Tell You, According to a Sleep Doctor
Your subconscious has a lot to say.
Dreams can be confusing, comforting or downright bizarre—but they might also be saying more about you than you realize. While scientists are still unraveling exactly why we dream, there’s growing evidence that our nighttime stories are deeply tied to our emotions, sleep quality, and mental state.
To help us understand what’s really going on when we drift off, we spoke with Andrea Matsumura, M.D, a board-certified sleep medicine physician. Here, she explains what our dreams might be trying to tell us about our subconscious, how your daytime feelings influence your dream world, and why those wild plot twists actually make perfect sense (kind of).
Why do we dream?
Dreaming is a normal and healthy part of sleep — it happens during REM, the stage when the brain is active even though the body is at rest.“We don’t know exactly why we dream,” says Dr. Andrea Matsumura, “but research suggests dreams help us process emotions, consolidate memories, and work through experiences from daily life.”
In short, dreaming is your brain’s natural way of decluttering and making sense of everything you’ve absorbed.
What can our dreams tell us about our lives?
“Dreams are generally thought to reflect our unconscious mind,” says Dr. Matsumura. “While some dreams may be random or just flashes of memory, others are believed to offer messages from the subconscious mind, providing insight into our current mindset, including unresolved trauma.”
She adds that dream science is still evolving: “The science behind dreams is an active and evolving field with many unanswered questions.” In other words, while dreams might offer emotional clues, they’re not a one-size-fits-all diagnostic tool.
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Why do some dreams feel unfinished or cut short?
“If you’re not sleeping long enough, or if your sleep is fragmented,” Dr. Matsumura explains, “your body may not cycle fully into or through REM—which is when dreams occur—meaning fewer or less vivid dreams.”
She also notes that poor sleep raises cortisol and emotional reactivity in the brain, which “can make dreams more negative, fragmented, or emotionally charged.” It’s one reason why nightmares often show up when you’re stressed or overtired.
What do frequent nightmares mean?
An occasional nightmare is totally normal, especially after stressful days, alcohol, or a late heavy meal. But frequent nightmares that cause anxiety or wake you up repeatedly may signal something deeper. “Recurring nightmares can be linked to stress, trauma, or certain sleep disorders,” explains Dr. Matsumura. “In some cases, they’re associated with anxiety or PTSD.”
Improving sleep hygiene, managing stress, and creating a calming bedtime routine can make a real difference.
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What does it mean when you dream about being harmed?
Scary dreams where you’re being chased or attacked often trace back to stress.“These dreams may represent your body’s natural stress response playing out during REM sleep,” explains Dr. Matsumura.
They don’t predict danger — they’re your brain’s way of processing fear or anxiety. Reducing daily stress and improving sleep quality can often help.
What does sleep paralysis mean?
Waking up and not being able to move is one of the most unsettling sleep experiences — but it’s more common (and less dangerous) than you think. “Sleep paralysis happens when the brain wakes up before the body fully transitions out of REM,” says Dr. Matsumura. “Your muscles stay temporarily paralyzed, and it can come with vivid hallucinations or a sense of pressure.”
It’s usually harmless but can be triggered by irregular sleep schedules or high stress.
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What does it mean when dreams trigger physical reactions?
Ever dream of swimming, only to wake up sweating? Or dream of running, then wake with a racing heart? “When a dream aligns with a physical sensation — like sweating or bladder fullness — it often means your brain is weaving real bodily cues into the dream story,” says Dr. Matsumura.
It’s generally normal, but if these experiences happen often or interrupt sleep, it’s worth checking in with a doctor.
Are there ways to better remember or interpret your dreams?
“Keeping a dream journal and reflecting right after waking can help,” Dr. Matsumura says. She adds that it can be beneficial, “especially for emotional insight or therapy if that is of interest.”
Still, she cautions against overanalyzing every dream detail—sometimes your brain is just processing the day. But if you’re curious or working through strong emotions, journaling might bring patterns to light.
Isabelle Adler is a contributor for ELLE.com, Esquire.com, Harpersbazaar.com and Town&countrymag.com. When not writing about all things fashion, she can be found at a sample sale or sipping a Hendricks EXTRA dirty martini.
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