You’re dreaming, and suddenly, you feel like you’re falling. It jolts you awake, heart racing and palms sweating. Falling dreams can be jarring, but did you know they actually have a spiritual meaning? Well, yes and no, depending on your situation.
Falling In Our Sleep
Falling dreams often happen when we’re in a state between wakefulness and sleep. As your body starts to relax and your mind is drifting off, your sense of how your body is positioned can get mixed up. Your brain has a hard time figuring out what your inner ear, eyes, and other senses are actually telling it about keeping your balance and orientation. This mix-up leads to you feeling wobbly or like you’re tumbling through the air even though you’re just lying in bed.
Anxiety And Stress
If you’re feeling anxious or stressed during the day, that can sometimes cause you to feel like you’re falling at night while sleeping. It’s because your brain is still thinking about all that worry, even when you’re drifting off. And that processing can lead to physically feeling like you’re dropping.
Perhaps you saw a video or movie earlier where someone fell, and your dreams just inserted that imagery. Or it could be that you were looking at a tall bridge or building during the day, and your mind worked that into a dream where you’re falling.
Irregular Sleep-Wake Cycles
Having an irregular sleep schedule or sleep deprivation can make you more prone to hypnic jerks and the feeling of falling. Your brain has a harder time switching between sleep stages smoothly, and that’s what causes the falling sensation. The real move is getting your sleep schedule on lock. Stick to the same times for bed and waking up every day. That’ll help your brain and body get with the program of when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to be awake.
Childhood Trauma
Sometimes, our past traumas can come up in our dreams. For instance, if you were scared of heights or falling as a kid, that could explain why you keep having dreams about falling. Even though you might be in your 40s or 50s now, your brain still remembers what scared you back then. The fears from when you were little can stick with you for a long time, even if you aren’t consciously afraid of the same things anymore.
The Spiritual Meaning Behind Falling Dreams
Spiritually, dreams of falling often symbolize a shift into new ways of thinking and being. Perhaps you’re “falling” into new spiritual insights or moving into a new chapter of personal growth. Falling dreams are your subconscious’ way of processing these transitions in thinking.
Letting Go of Control
When you fall in dreams it can really show how you’re feeling in your everyday life. Losing your balance and control in a dream means you might be holding on too tight to things when you’re awake. Are you stressing too much about getting a certain result or avoiding stuff that needs to change? Those falling dreams are trying to nudge you to relax your grip and go with the flow more.
It could also be a sign that money worries are taking over your thoughts. Maybe the dream is a reminder to take a deep breath and let go of being so afraid about your finances or attached to how things turn out. Just see where each day takes you instead of getting stuck in your head so much.
A Desire For Freedom
Sometimes, when we dream about falling, it represents a deep desire for more freedom in our lives. Do you feel trapped or limited lately? Your subconscious might be literally screaming that you need some liberation and more space to spread your wings. Maybe think about small ways you could gain more freedom of choice or movement each day.
It’s also worth considering where or how you fell in the dream. For instance, if you fell from an airplane high in the sky, that could literally mean you want more freedom. Or if you fell from a building, it might symbolize wanting a break from big responsibilities for your life or family. Maybe you just need a solo trip somewhere or time on your own to relax and unwind.
Recurring Pattern
If you’ve been having a lot of falling dreams lately, the first thing I’d do is try to figure out what might be stressing you out before bed. Are you watching really intense shows, working out too hard, or drinking coffee too late? Some small changes like that could help reduce stressful dreams.
My advice would be to start writing down what you’ve been doing and watching throughout the day. Over time, you may notice a pattern. For some people even just seeing videos of tall buildings or airplanes could trigger those dreams if they’re afraid of heights.
But if that doesn’t seem to be the issue for you, there’s a good chance your subconscious is trying to tell you something. Maybe it wants you to feel more free by letting go of something or someone, or just letting go of trying to control everything.
