What Does It Mean When You Fall In Your Dream?

What does it mean when you fall in your dream?

Most people have tried falling in a dream. It may happen either in the middle of the dream, or even before that as you are drifting off to sleep. Suddenly, your body jerks and you have the unmistakable sensation of falling, and falling, and falling.

Such dreams are never pleasant, and the truth is that dreams about falling tend to have a negative meaning. Fortunately, being able to interpret and understand what your falling dream may be trying to tell you about your waking life can prove extremely valuable.

If you listen to the wisdom of your subconscious mind through dreams, it can often guide and help you deal with the issues that your waking self may have been overlooking or suppressing.

So now, are you ready to delve deeper and discover what falling dreams are, what causes them, what they mean, and how to make them stop?

Different kinds of dreams about falling

There are many different kinds of dreams about falling, but they are all fit into one (or more) of the following loose categories:

A falling sensation as you are drifting off to sleep

Experiencing a falling sensation as you are drifting off to sleep, followed by a sudden awakening, is one of the most common dreams about falling – but it likely has more to do with your body falling asleep than it does with any profound underlying meaning.

It is theorised that this type of falling dream is caused by involuntary muscle contractions called Hypnic jerks. The sheer force and speed of this contractions cause the body to jolt awake.

Flying dreams

Dreams about flying can sometimes overlap with dreams about falling. Their meaning may also overlap in places, particularly when a dream about flying turns into a dream about falling.

Flying dreams are often a lot of fun and generally have a positive meaning. The sensation of flying in a dream can be quite exhilarating, fun and empowering. When you’re flying, you feel in control of the situation and confident of your own abilities.

When flying turns into falling, joy can also turn into dread. Having a dream where you are first flying and then falling can indicate a sense of losing your grip on something you thought you had a handle on. It can represent spinning out of control and losing your poise.

Dreams about losing balance and accidentally falling

Another fairly common dream about falling involves losing your balance, potentially as a result of stumbling over something, and then falling.

The dream interpretation of this dream is pretty clear. There is something, some obstacle or detail, that you have failed to notice, and it trips you up as a result. Feelings of embarrassment or shame may also be involved in a dream like this if there are onlookers to the accident.

Dreams about stumbling and falling can represent a fear of being ill prepared or ill equipped to deal with what life is currently throwing at you. It can also indicate a fear of failing in front of others, because you may dread their judgement or opinions. You’re afraid of being viewed as a failure or losing status in their eyes.

Dreams about falling from a great height but landing safely

Dreams about falling, being thrown of pushed from a great hight yet landing safely are often intensely dramatic. The fall may happen as part of a chase or a fight with another character in the dream. Either way, you land safely, which is probably an unexpected outcome.

Dreaming about landing safely following a great fall that should have been the end of you can be seen as a sign of your resilience. It might be your subconscious mind reminding you of your own power and the fact that you have the ability to land on your feet, even while navigating a tricky situation.

A dream where you fall, fear and then recover your bearings is almost always a positive dream, even if it feels dramatic in the moment.

Persistent nightmares about falling

Unfortunately, some people experience having a reoccurring dream about falling. Whatever subtype of falling dream we are talking about, having it repeat over and over again can be tiring, infuriating and worrisome.

A reoccurring dream about falling is usually a sign of a deeper, underlying issue that will have to be addressed before the dream can be made to go away.

Our dreams – even and perhaps particularly our most unpleasant dreams – have valuable lessons and wisdom to bestow. So if you are having the same dream over and over it is something you really should be paying attention to.

The things we neglect to deal with in our waking lives are often suppressed and relegated to the subconscious shadow – but that doesn’t mean they go away. Out of sight isn’t always out of mind, as dreams so often prove.

If there is something important, something that has been bothering you, it will find its way back into your consciousness, and dreams are often the ideal gateway for suppressed feelings and realisations to make their way back into the light of your conscious awareness.

Suppression can be a necessary short-term strategy, but it is not self-loving, and it doesn’t work in the long term. Trust your dreams on this point.

Falling dream interpretations

Now that you have a good overview over the different types of falling dreams, it is time for us to look at their potential underlying meanings. Let’s get right down to it.

A fear of losing control

Dreams often reflect feelings back at us that we have been trying to avoid.

Falling dreams are no exception, and one of their most common interpretations is a fear of losing control. When you think about it, falling is the ultimate symbol of losing control; you slip, or are pushed, and you lose your balance. The subsequent fall represents your inability to stop what is happening from happening. If you’re free-falling, there is usually nothing to hold on to and no way to hit the brakes. Instead, you are completely at the mercy of the situation.

If you are under high pressure and are shouldering a lot of responsibility, having a dream about falling is likely to be a manifestation of your fear of not buckling under or losing your handle on your responsibilities, your position and your future.

A lack of self-confidence

Sometimes, dreams about falling can uncover negative feelings of being inferior, anxious, overwhelmed, or generally lacking confidence.

Being confident means standing on your own two feet and moving in your desire direction. In many ways, falling is the complete opposite. When you’re falling, you haven’t got a handle on anything, and you aren’t going anywhere. Not anywhere good, at least. You are literally hurtling towards rock bottom, in your own perception.

If you are struggling with low self esteem issues and are having dreams about falling, you shouldn’t ignore it. Listen to your subconscious mind – it is trying to tell you that you need to pick yourself back up. You need to work on building some confidence, so that you have solid ground to stand on in life.

Internal conflict

In some cases, dreams about falling can reflect an internal battle or conflict.

Whether you are feeling overwhelmed because you are being pulled in different directions or are struggling against the maelstrom of an addiction or a bad habit that seems impossible to kick, falling in your dream reflects that feeling of not being able to get your feet under you, of not being able to steady yourself.

Shock

Falling can also represent the feeling of something you thought was firm, solid and reliable being pulled out from under your feet. It follows that dreams of falling could be your subconscious mind reacting to a sudden change, a shock or a betrayal in your waking life.

A few examples could be the death of a loved one, discovering that your partner is cheating, or being let go unexpectedly and unceremoniously from your job with no safety net.

Reckless behaviour

Falling dreams can sometimes be a reflection of reckless behaviour in your waking life. Even if you are not consciously allowing yourself to address a behavioural or circumstantial problem that is spinning out of control, your subconscious mind knows what’s what and is going to hold you accountable.

Reckless behaviors is, of course, an umbrella term and can imply lot of different things, from drug addiction to cheating on your spouse.

Whatever the negative actions or circumstances you are involved in are, sooner or later you are going to hit rock bottom and your actions, or lack of action, are going to have consequences. Your dream about falling might be your subconscious trying to warn you that you are falling and failing, and that now is the time to turn things around with everything you’ve got.

Taking a leap of faith

Dreams about falling don’t always have a negative meaning. In some cases, depending on what is going on in your waking life at the time, dreams about falling can simply represent the feeling of free-flowing exhileration mixed with dread that comes from taking a great big leap of faith.

Recurring dreams about falling are very common at times when you are making major life changes or decisions. In other words, if you are dreaming about falling shortly after moving into to a new house or landing a dream job, it is not unusual at all.

What causes falling dreams

All right, now you have a pretty clear picture of what your dream about falling might mean. But what really causes it? Is there always an underlying spiritual, mental or emotional reason for drams about falling?

A sleep disorder

One possible explanation behind falling dreams is physical: The sensation of falling may be brought on by involuntary muscle spasms. We are talking sudden and fast contractions of several groups of muscles that cause you to be jolted back awake.

Muscle spasms usually occur as your body is falling asleep, but they can also occur while you are in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Here, the jolts can catapult you onto the threshold between sleep and consciousness. While you are in this state, you may experience sleep paralysis and a falling sensation.

According to countless experts, sleep paralysis is entirely harmless, but the internet is also full of stories from people who believe that you can actually be harmed by unseen forces while experiencing sleep paralysis.

Whatever your belief system around sleep paralysis and other sleep disorders, they may be to blame for jolting you awake at night following a falling dream.

A specific issue that needs to be dealt with

A very common reason for dreaming about falling is that there is an unresolved issue or problem in your life that you are going to have to deal with.

Think of your inconvenient thoughts, feelings, desires and traumas as ghosts that come back to haunt you in your dreams. Sometimes, it is possible to let something go, but there are also situations where a serious mental or emotional problem is demanding healing and resolution.

Whether there is some old pain or an ongoing problem in your life, your falling dream may be trying to tell you that you shouldn’t be hiding from the responsibility of addressing it any longer.

Anxiety

Stress and anxiety are very common reasons for nightmares and negative dreams, including dreams about falling.

Anxiety can of course be caused by a great many different things, including past trauma and a stressful work environment. If you think that your falling dream could be an indication of excessive stress, it is important to start identifying the source of all of this anxiety so that you can turn the dial back down to a workable level.

Living in a constant state of high stress isn’t sustainable, and when you stress starts spilling into your dreams, you know it’s time to roll up your sleeves and do something about it.

Dramatic changes

Have you been catapulted into or making dramatic changes in your life recently?

Suddenly finding yourself in a brand new situation can be overwhelming, even if it is a situation you have willingly chosen to step into. The truth is that even the most positive life changes, from unlocking your dream job to welcoming a new baby, can be destabilising.

If your dreams about falling are happing at or around the time of a significant and life-changing event, don’t worry about it. It’s just your subconscious mind processing what is going on. As soon as you have acclimated to the new situation or the new set of circumstances, your mind is going to calm down and become more comfortable, too. It’ll then relax and stop plaguing you with dreams about falling.

How to prevent falling dreams

If you are having recurring falling dreams, you would probably like to know how to make them stop.

Since mental health has a tremendous influence on the quality of your sleep, getting a good handle on your mental health is the best and often most effective place to start. If you are experiencing a lot of stress and anxiety, do what you can to reduce both.

In this regard, it’s important to contemplate what your dreams about falling are trying to tell you. Let us say, for example, that you know or at least suspect that your falling dreams may be trying to warn you about the eventual consequences of your own behaviour. In this case, looking for other solutions is a moot point: You need to deal with your behaviour first. You need to use the key that the dream is giving you in the door that it fits in.

Dealing with the underlying issue, if there is one, is the best and surest way to make your falling dreams stop.

A few additional key things you can do include avoiding people or situations that you know are likely to trigger anxiety, avoiding working out shortly before going to sleep, reducing your caffeine intake, and using meditation and breathing exercises to wind down body and mind before bedtime.

What to do if you’re concerned about recurring falling dreams

Are you still having dreams about falling almost every night, even after identifying and dealing with the root cause, and reducing your anxiety levels? If so, you may be deeply concerned about what is causing your falling dreams and how to put a stop to them.

Your persistent nightmares may be keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep, something which in itself can lead to a variety of other issues including increased anxiety and sleep deprivation. The best thing you can do if you are having recurring and persistent dreams about falling is to seek out a mental health professional who can help diagnose and alleviate your sleep problem.