Dreams.

Mike J.

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Nov 14, 2021
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For years I've very seldom had any dreams I can remember. But for the last 3 weeks I've had dreams every night I can remember. They aren't nightmares and I'm not frightened in anyway, but they are very confusing. Nothing has changed with my pre bedtime pattern. As usual, if I'm a little hungry I might have a piece of toast but I've done that for years. I learned a long time ago not to eat anything sweet before bed because that will give me the most frightening nightmare imaginable. As said, these aren't nightmares, they're just very confusing.

Places don't look anything as they do but at the same time I know where I am. One example is; If I had a dream about being at a place where I use to work it doesn't look anything like it did but yet I know where I am and it's always cramped, dark and very disorganized. If I dream where I'm home it doesn't look like home but again, I know where I am but things are in disarray.

I've been typing these dreams out on an excel sheet and the theme is constant. Confusion, disarray and trying to overcome obstacles. But there's nothing pressing on my mind that I'm aware of. I'm retired and am a content homebody. My house is paid for, no car payment or credit card bills either. Just the usual monthly bills we all have. I'm not rich by any stretch but I'm doing okay. I keep in shape the best I can by walking 2 miles a day on my treadmill. I eat right and take my vitamins. I play my guitar, I read and dabble in art from time to time. A pretty content and happy guy. No relationship worries either as I value my freedom above all.

Just can't figure out why these dreams are of such a confusing nature and why I'm having them every night. If my subconscious is trying to tell me something I'll be darned if can can figure it out what is.

I'm not looking for answers here and I don't know if there is a universal meaning to dreams.

Anyone else going through this? Ever find an answer?
 
My last job was a stress factory for me. When I left I had frequent dreams about that place and some of the people there. Crazy stuff.

It's been nearly 9 years since I quit that job but occasionally I'll still have one of those dreams.
 
Maybe it's the seemingly unstable and confusing state of affairs here in the US and worldwide influencing your dreams. Even if you're not consciously worried about it, it may be lurking deep in your subconscious.
 
Maybe it's the seemingly unstable and confusing state of affairs here in the US and worldwide influencing your dreams. Even if you're not consciously worried about it, it may be lurking deep in your subconscious.
In the back of my mind that's what I was thinking. While I don't exactly dwell on it I am fairly concerned about things.
Got a hunch something really big is about to go down.
 
I spent 30 years running my own business. It was an all encompassing venture and it literally ruled my life. Sure I had "distractions" to keep me sane, mostly sporting ventures (hockey, baseball, racquet sports) but 80 and 100 hour work weeks didn't make it easy, Sleep really wasn't part of the regimen, just crashed when I could, 4 hours a night was pretty much it. Missus worked on the road for a few years when we were first married so home life didn't really suffer for it, we had our "routines". As the years went by and I sold the business, I found other means of employment, but quite often I find my now regular sleep time filled with crazy dreams of my former business days. Like Mike mentioned, it's kind of the same location and surroundings, but things are, well, somewhat weird. Just prior to waking, it becomes clear to me that I'm dreaming, probably the onset of consciousness filtering through. It's not unnerving really, but it is strange. Maybe old habits just die hard.
 
Disclaimer:

I have no psychological training whatsoever and am talking out of my hat
but I'm not being a wiseass here. I'm actually trying to help.

Sounds like your awake life is very relaxed, organized, stable and peaceful. (What's that like? It sounds nice.)
Maybe when you go to sleep your subconscious brain is manufacturing mild chaos because it's bored?
 
I’ve been having some crazy dreams lately. A few weeks ago, they announced that we’d start having open gym basketball nights at the church. For the first time ever, I have decided not to even bother this year. The last few years, I’d go, there’d be too many people there and I’d get to play a game, maybe two, then sit out for a half our before our next game. At my age, that doesn’t work. 10 minutes sitting and I’m done. After stretching and loosening up properly, then running full court for 20 minutes or so, sitting out for 30 minutes leaves me so tight there’s no way I can play. Then I get frustrated because I don’t get to play enough to get back in the groove.

So the dreams…. I had at least 10 dreams in the days and weeks after they first started announcing that we were playing. My dreams were, that I was still in my early 30s, and was still playing in my serious leagues, but that suddenly I had “lost” my jump shot. This may seem silly but to me it was quite disturbing. So in my dreams, I just keep missing and missing to the point I’m talking to my friends on the team and convincing myself that I am going to give up basketball because I’m not good anymore. My friends keep telling me “it’s just a slump” and I keep saying “I don’t have slumps, so this means, I’m getting old and it’s time to quit.” They keep convincing me to keep trying and I’ll get it back, because I’m still in my 30s and I’ll be fine for years. But ever game, I keep missing shot after shot. After about 3 times, I start dreaming that we’re right at the end of a game and down a point or two and my team wants me to have the last shot, I miss it and we lose. I wake up after this happens. I think it’s my brain trying to tell me that my playing is finally over, which is something I have a hard time accepting. What I can’t figure for the life of me, is why the one thing I prize the most, my shot, is the problem. I could see if I was dreaming that I was too old to run up and down the court, and just couldn’t physically handle it, but that’s not the dream. It’s that I’m still plenty young enough to play at a high level, and I just can’t shoot anymore. That, too me, is a nightmare.
 
Disclaimer:

I have no psychological training whatsoever and am talking out of my hat
but I'm not being a wiseass here. I'm actually trying to help.

Sounds like your awake life is very relaxed, organized, stable and peaceful. (What's that like? It sounds nice.)
Maybe when you go to sleep your subconscious brain is manufacturing mild chaos because it's bored?
You're right in that my daily routine and life is pretty darned peaceful which is the total opposite of my working years. While I was always grateful for the jobs I had they could be very stressful at times. But that ended when I retired in March of 2020. Just in time for the virus!!

Am I bored at night? All I can tell you is I'm never bored during the day because there's always a little something to do. Clean up here and there, go to a store if I need to, play my guitar, read etc. There are times as I'm getting into bed where I many think to myself "oh jeez, I forgot to do that today" or "darnit, I didn't practice this on guitar today" but I can assure you it's nothing that upsets me in any way, shape or form.

At the risk of boring those who read this, here's what I remember about last nights dream. I used to work in CNC machine shops for 30 years, leaving the last shop in 2013 where I went to a different field of work. Anyway..... I was outside of the building walking towards it. It didn't look like the building but yet it was. It was very overcast outside and appeared to be late fall because no leaves were on the trees. I was holding some sort of a plastic lid and I threw it in the air in a Frisby sort of fashion. It really took off then hovered over the building. I was thinking that I wished I had a camera because it looked like a UFO.

I got into the building and the office spaces were really crowded with very narrow aisles. You were actually pressing against somebody if you tried to walk past them. Cabinets and trays with papers were everywhere and in the way of everything. I heard there was some sort of party going on and they provided food. The food was in a dark hallway and while it didn't look gross it all appeared to be half eaten. I passed on all of it.

Next thing I knew I was in a room that was about 15x15 feet with one of the guys from church who was about to sing and play guitar for the congregation. There were other people in the room but not very many. He said he couldn't play because his guitar had broken and sure enough, he handed me the guitars body with one hand and the neck with the other hand. I remember trying to put it back in the case for him but wasn't having much luck. He then walked up to the microphone and started to sing but soon gave up.

I dunno know what that was all about but that's a sample what my dreams are like lately. There's other scenarios I dream about but they're just as odd.
 
I have the worst dreams, always have.

I just came to the realization my subconscious hates me and try and move on.
 
I have the worst dreams, always have.

I just came to the realization my subconscious hates me and try and move on.
Are you eating anything before going to bed that might be a trigger? As said, I avoid anything sweet before bed otherwise I have horrific nightmares.
 
Are you eating anything before going to bed that might be a trigger? As said, I avoid anything sweet before bed otherwise I have horrific nightmares.
No, not really. Plus, my diet, alcohol consumption, drug abuse, stress levels, and sleep times have changed many times throughout my life, and my dreams have always been jacked.
 
For years I've very seldom had any dreams I can remember. But for the last 3 weeks I've had dreams every night I can remember. They aren't nightmares and I'm not frightened in anyway, but they are very confusing. Nothing has changed with my pre bedtime pattern. As usual, if I'm a little hungry I might have a piece of toast but I've done that for years. I learned a long time ago not to eat anything sweet before bed because that will give me the most frightening nightmare imaginable. As said, these aren't nightmares, they're just very confusing.

Places don't look anything as they do but at the same time I know where I am. One example is; If I had a dream about being at a place where I use to work it doesn't look anything like it did but yet I know where I am and it's always cramped, dark and very disorganized. If I dream where I'm home it doesn't look like home but again, I know where I am but things are in disarray.

I've been typing these dreams out on an excel sheet and the theme is constant. Confusion, disarray and trying to overcome obstacles. But there's nothing pressing on my mind that I'm aware of. I'm retired and am a content homebody. My house is paid for, no car payment or credit card bills either. Just the usual monthly bills we all have. I'm not rich by any stretch but I'm doing okay. I keep in shape the best I can by walking 2 miles a day on my treadmill. I eat right and take my vitamins. I play my guitar, I read and dabble in art from time to time. A pretty content and happy guy. No relationship worries either as I value my freedom above all.

Just can't figure out why these dreams are of such a confusing nature and why I'm having them every night. If my subconscious is trying to tell me something I'll be darned if can can figure it out what is.

I'm not looking for answers here and I don't know if there is a universal meaning to dreams.

Anyone else going through this? Ever find an answer?
"Man And His Symbols" by Carl Jung might be interesting for you right now. For a less scientific approach you could try one of many books on dreams. Despite the hokey name of "The Mystical Magical Marvelous World of Dreams" Wilda Tanner has a good resource according to my wife.

The mind works with symbols (why advertising and religion depend on them so) and if you have some reference to apply you may get some of the answers. But then who knows; the collective unconscious may be contributing.
 
I’ve been having some crazy dreams lately. A few weeks ago, they announced that we’d start having open gym basketball nights at the church. For the first time ever, I have decided not to even bother this year. The last few years, I’d go, there’d be too many people there and I’d get to play a game, maybe two, then sit out for a half our before our next game. At my age, that doesn’t work. 10 minutes sitting and I’m done. After stretching and loosening up properly, then running full court for 20 minutes or so, sitting out for 30 minutes leaves me so tight there’s no way I can play. Then I get frustrated because I don’t get to play enough to get back in the groove.

So the dreams…. I had at least 10 dreams in the days and weeks after they first started announcing that we were playing. My dreams were, that I was still in my early 30s, and was still playing in my serious leagues, but that suddenly I had “lost” my jump shot. This may seem silly but to me it was quite disturbing. So in my dreams, I just keep missing and missing to the point I’m talking to my friends on the team and convincing myself that I am going to give up basketball because I’m not good anymore. My friends keep telling me “it’s just a slump” and I keep saying “I don’t have slumps, so this means, I’m getting old and it’s time to quit.” They keep convincing me to keep trying and I’ll get it back, because I’m still in my 30s and I’ll be fine for years. But ever game, I keep missing shot after shot. After about 3 times, I start dreaming that we’re right at the end of a game and down a point or two and my team wants me to have the last shot, I miss it and we lose. I wake up after this happens. I think it’s my brain trying to tell me that my playing is finally over, which is something I have a hard time accepting. What I can’t figure for the life of me, is why the one thing I prize the most, my shot, is the problem. I could see if I was dreaming that I was too old to run up and down the court, and just couldn’t physically handle it, but that’s not the dream. It’s that I’m still plenty young enough to play at a high level, and I just can’t shoot anymore. That, too me, is a nightmare.
Uhh...where's Julie?:p

Seriously though, I NEVER remembered my dreams until after my crash. Weird I know. It's almost like the impact jarred something loose. These days I have really vivid nightmares, with a consistent theme. One of being with my dad when he passed and the 4 days that led up to his death. (seriously traumatic for me) The other is me flying thru the air then everything going black on impact. Since the dreams have happened, I've been diagnosed with P.T.S.D.. I take meds and it actually keeps me from dreaming for the most part. One sneaks past the meds now and then, but for the most part they are less frequent now.

It's kinda strange though, I've lost a total of four friends right in front of me on motorcycles, lost my best friend to an accidental overdose standing right in front of me as we were talking, just to name a couple of tragedies I witnessed in person, that were what I would call traumatic events.

I guess I'll never understand why it's just those two traumatic events that I dream about. But me being an armchair shrink, I really believe that the two I have, are directly related to the two events that drastically changed my life forever. But who really knows?
I don't believe anybody will truly understand what they are all about. Still, fascinating stuff.
 
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Are you eating anything before going to bed that might be a trigger? As said, I avoid anything sweet before bed otherwise I have horrific nightmares.
Watch you watch or read can affect the nature of your dreams too. I would not recommend watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre while having a third portion of Suicide Chicken Wings.
 
Last vivid dream I had, I wrote a full song, lyrics, melody, horn parts, arrangement, the full Bhuna!

I woke up and was raging, because I could remember any of it.

It was a Soul type song, with female vocals.

Best song I never wrote!
I dreamed I got to play on stage with Frank Zappa's band. We played "Little House I Used To Live In" and "RDNZL".

I'm a big Zappa fan, but I'm admittedly not great with titles. I couldn't hum either one of those songs for you.
 
Also, the whole “die in your dreams and you die in real life” like you hear about in movies is a lie.

I’ve died in at least a dozen dreams over the course of my life, and I’m still here (as far as I know).

I could seriously write Dreamscape II based on the BS my subconscious subjects me to.
 
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