Daydreams: What Do They Mean?

Let your imagination run wild. As it turns out, it’s good for you! Although your daydreams may be short lived and sporadic, they are very important for good mental health. Fantasizing can help you step out of your daily routine and visualize any number of positive (or sometimes negative) subjects.

The content contained within your daydreams can be very useful. The topics, events and scenarios you daydream about can reveal what you’re really feeling. They can even expose hidden, or subconscious, hopes and ambitions. Furthermore, daydreams can even help you to recognize and fulfill your goals in life.

When you allow yourself to daydream you are tapping into your right brain, which is the home of creativity. According to Psychologists, daydreaming meets all of the conditions of a “mild dissociation” from reality. This is to say, people who are daydreaming can ignore their environment and surroundings more than usual and turn inward for their sensory experiences.

Recently it has been discovered that daydreams are similar to dreams, in the sense that the human brain uses this time to process newly learned information. Other newly released research states that the areas of the brain which are linked with complex problem-solving become triggered during daydreams.

Have you ever heard the expression, “Worrying is just a misuse of your imagination?” Some experts classify bouts of vivid worrying as negative daydreams. Instead of using your daydreams to play out bad scenarios, why not use them as a tool for your own advancement? Make an effort to turn these “worry dreams” into motivating daydreams which are filled with hope. Optimistic daydreams can be very cleansing. They can refresh your entire perspective on life and be a source of significant stress relief.

Whether you are looking to end a conflict or simply move forward in life, envision your own success in detail. Many noted athletes, actors, dancers and musicians regularly use optimistic visualization techniques. Daydreaming about a winning lap time, landing an audition, having the perfect pirouette or playing a flawless guitar solo helps these high achievers get ahead in life and rise above their competition as well as their own self-doubts.

How to Interpret Your Daydreams

Step 1

Take some time to explore the general meaning(s) behind the daydream. Make note of the people, places and objects within it. In most cases, there will be at least one strong connection to something in your daily life.

Step 2

Narrow down exactly what part of your current situation is prompting the fantasy. Then, examine precisely how you feel (emotionally) in your daydream. It is very common to have multiple emotions within each daydream.

Step 3

Think about whether you’ve had this, or a very similar, daydream before. Repetitive themes are a red flag and they indicate that something is trying to get your attention. Take notice if anything shows up time and time again. It may be time to make that daydream a reality or face an issue head on.