Have you ever wondered what that weird, recurring dream is? You tuck in for the night and then you wake up, covered in your own sweat after running from an unknown monster. Or, you have an awesome dream where you're with your dream date or eating the best meal ever and at the peak of the moment, you wake up and forget nearly all the perfect details. While these strange dreams definitely titillate your senses, they may serve an even greater purpose in your life.

Dreams can be interpreted and do present meanings that may explain emotions or situations one is currently facing. Some of the most common nightmares, such as being submerged in water or chased, have their own meanings as well.

1. Water

Water usually represents our emotions and how we feel at a certain time in our lives. When I'm facing tough situations in my life, water often has an interesting way of flowing into my dreams. Turbulent waters can signify trouble in one's life whereascloudy water can represent an unclear situation while calm waters are a sign of serenity.

When a person is submerged or surrounded by water, this often signifies a feeling of being overwhelmed by family members or responsibilities like work which can weigh us down.

2. Being Chased

Being chased can seem like a neverending nightmare. I often wake up in sweats when I have a chase dream, leaving me breathless. But what is that is making us run? Oftentimes, these type of dreams address issues in our personal lives that we try to run from or avoid. Like, for example, they can expose a toxic relationship we don't want to end or financial woes that have grown beyond our control.

3. People

We've all had that dream starring a crush (like Leonardo DiCaprio), enemies, or even random people from different stages of our lives. Well, the people in our dreams can represent traits in ourselves we often fail to recognize. To recognize the importance of these people, it helps to remember what stands out the most about this person whether it be their job, how the society views them or how they treat you.

4. Death

This may be the scariest type of dream. Whether it happens to you or someone you love, death in a dream seems devastating even though it solely exists in the subconscious. For me, death dreams are by far the most uncomfortable and the most memorable. However, death is symbolic, and it may not be as bad as we think. Death in a dream can signify the end of a chapter in our lives and the beginning of a new change or event in real life.

5. Falling

Falling is one of the most realistic dreams. It's what wakes me up in the middle of the night and keeps me up a little longer. However, falling does not always have to be a traumatizing experience. In fact, it can signify letting go for some dreamers. For me as well as others who see falling as a less than pleasant nightmare, it may signify feeling out of control in one's life .

6. Food

As a big-time foodie, it's not unusual for a slice of pizza or even a full-on feast to make its way into my dreams. As much as I enjoy a full belly in dreams, food can symbolize energy that relates to spiritual and emotional wellbeing. It can also mean we are hungry for more in life than we currently have, or perhaps, we're just hungry for breakfast.

7. School

Ugh, even during summer, school has a way of worming itself into the subconscious, and I am not okay with it. But recurring dreams that have to do with test taking and school-related activites may remain with us for the rest of our lives. Why? School's a place known for learning lessons (even if they have no real-world value), so our dreams relay lessons we still haven't learned from through subconscious metaphors.

The mind is complex and beautiful. Even while we sleep, there is so much more to learn about the way we're wired, and we do the things we do. Sweet dreamin'!