People can better interpret their waking lives by understanding the types of dreams they are having. Types of dreams may be influenced by factors such as daily concerns and important, emotional events. Below are four types of dreams and their potential causes.

Recurrent

Recurrent dreams are the same dream experienced a minimum of two times in someone’s life. They tend to occur during periods of stress.

Lucid

A lucid dream is when people are aware they are dreaming. Fragmented sleep, which occurs when someone goes in and out of sleep, may cause this.

False awakenings

False awakenings are dreams in which people think they are fully awake. Dreamers may imagine they are in their bedroom or another familiar location. False awakenings are more likely to occur during lucid dreams.

Nightmares

Nightmares are frightening dreams. The causes of nightmares are unknown. Anyone can experience nightmares, but they are more frequently experienced by people who have post-traumatic stress disorder.