The mind and the imagination are incredibly powerful things. Most people can visualize images, and imagine scenarios in their minds.
Artists are able to visualize what they wish to create before they have even seen it. Musicians can hear notes without them being played.
You may not see yourself as creative in any capacity, but your imagination is still active. Dreams in particular are one way that everyone visualizes images, events, and symbols.
In ancient cultures, it was believed that dreams were there to tell the person something. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed these dreams represented something from the past or something that would occur in the future. They also believed they may have a message about a present-day event.
Dreams can be entertaining, but they are also linked with mental development. The American Psychological Association has shown some links between children’s dreams and their cognitive development.
Some dreams though, particularly those with numbers and words often seem to be meaningless.

Do dreams actually mean anything?

It is a lesser-known fact that humans cannot imagine a face that they have never seen before. Anytime that you dream about a person, it will be someone you have seen in real life, or on television.
Despite human’s incredible imaginations and the power of the mind, this is a rather strange phenomenon. No one really understands why humans cannot imagine a made-up face.
People also have trouble deciphering their dreams. Regardless of the fact that you have dreamt up a wonderful scenario in your sleep, you will very often be left clueless as to what it means.
People have tried to decipher these dreams since time began. There are many dream resources such as EverSpiritual who try to help dreamers understand their nightly images.
However, some things are difficult to decode, such as numbers.

Why don’t numbers add up in dreams?

In numerology, all numbers from 0 to 10 have some form of meaning. They can relate to success in business, relationships, health, and other areas.
Repeated numbers and so-called angel numbers are also said to have hidden meanings.
Dreaming of numbers could be related to this, but most people are unaware of numerology. This means that dreams appear to be pointless sometimes, and are easily forgotten.
Some people believe that when you dream of a number, it is a message trying to break through to you.

What do these numbers mean?

If it is true that numbers have different vibrational qualities, then seeing digits in your dreams may mean your subconscious is trying to communicate.
Dreams are often a way for the mind to file away the events of a day. Often during times of stress, you will dream about work or other things that are bothering you.
A lot of dreaming could be attributed to the subconscious. However, working out the meaning of these dreams isn’t always simple.
One of the problems with working out what numbers in dreams mean is that you will find different definitions across the internet. You may need to find some word associations for your numbers.
Numerologists believe that 1 is the symbol of power and confidence. It is straight and upright and conveys this image.
When dreaming of numbers though, you may need to discover more personal meaning.
If you dream of the number 4 for instance, write down everything you associate with this number. Birthdays, house numbers, the number of people in your family.

Can you read words in dreams?

While numbers are confusing in dreams, words are even worse. You may think you know everything about sleep, but did you know that you cannot read in your dreams?
It is one of those strange facts that lots of people have never heard before.
You may now be shaking your head and saying this isn’t true, but scientists are adamant that it is impossible to read, write, or even use proper language in a dream.
This doesn’t mean that you haven’t understood what is happening in a dream. It is just that the brain is processing signals differently.
When you sleep, certain parts of your brain remain active, and others much less so. The parts that understand how to read, for instance, are barely active during dreams.
When you ‘see’ words in dreams they are merely projections from your subconscious, and your imagination lets you believe you are reading them.

Is it possible that you are not remembering important dream moments?

The most vivid dreams occur when you hit the deep REM sleep. But for some people, dreams are completely different.
There is a condition known as aphantasia which limits an individual’s ability to visualize.
Where most people can recall past events, or even dream up fantasies, someone with aphantasia may not be able to.
One in 50 people have this condition to some degree, and it can even affect how they dream. Across the community of patients with this condition, dreaming varies. Some report dreaming in flashes, or small moments of visual imagery.
Even with people without this condition, it is common to be unable to remember dreams.

How can you decipher your dreams?

Not everyone remembers their dreams, some people believe that they don’t dream at all. Most people do likely have some dreams, they just cannot remember them.
Trying to decipher dreams when they are floating away can be frustrating. It is at that moment of waking where you try to cling on to your dream but it just slips from your mind instead.
If you cannot remember your dreams, what hope do you have of working out what those mystery numbers mean?
Yet, there are some tricks you can employ to boost your dream memory so to speak.

Establish a sleep cycle

Get into a routine with sleeping. Try to go to bed at the same time each night. This will help to establish a consistent sleep cycle. Achieving REM sleep can give you more of those vivid dreams that are easier to remember.

Practice the power of suggestion

You might want to try thinking of certain events or people before you fall asleep. Thinking of these events with your eyes closed can sometimes result in dreams based around them.

Keep a dream journal

Noting your dreams as soon as you wake will also help. For this, you can use what is called a dream journal. This is simply a notebook where you capture as much of your dream time as you can.
By having clearer dreams, and noting the details as much as you can, you will recall more.
If this happens then you will have a better chance at understanding confusing words or numbers.

Summary

There are plenty of things you can use to improve your sleep, these include scented candles and aromatherapy oils.
These may help you to achieve a deeper, more restful sleep. If you can achieve this then you may find yourself dreaming more vividly. Whether these dreams will make sense or not may depend on what images you dream up.
If a particular dream is bothering you, then you can use resources on the net, or seek out a dream dictionary. There may be an explanation in these journals that makes sense.
Sometimes though, dreams can just be enjoyed for what they are.

WRITTEN BY

Clara Rose