Dream researchers have discovered several distinct categories of dreams, and these dream categories can be very useful both to people attempting to interpret their own dreams and to professional psychologist and therapists striving to interpret the dreams of others.  This article will discuss these categories of dreams.

Dream #1 - the Daydream
While not technically a dream, since it takes place while we are awake, researchers are looking into just where the daydream fits on the spectrum of dreaming, and what it can teach us about more traditional dreams.

It is estimated that most people spend between 70 and 120 minutes each day engaged in daydreaming.  Daydreaming is thought to be a level of consciousness below that of a normal waking state but above that of sleep.  Daydreaming falls about midway between these two extremes.  

During a daydream, we allow our imaginations to take us away from the mundane tasks of the day.  As the mind is allowed to wander and conscious awareness is reduced, we can become lost in the fantasy or imaginary scenario.

Dream #2 - the Lucid Dream
Lucid dreams are among the most fascinating subjects in all of dream research.  Lucid dreaming takes place when the dreamer realizes that he or she is dreaming while still immersed in the dream.  Lucid dreaming occurs in that moment when you tell yourself - "This is only a dream".  The occurrence of lucid dreams varies widely from person to person, with some people reporting never having lucid dreams and others reporting almost 100% lucid dreams.

While most dreamers wake up when they realize that they are in a dream, other people are able to develop the ability to remain in the dream and take control of it.  These people are able to become an active participant in their dreams, and to take the dream narrative where they want it to go.  These people experience some of the most enjoyable and interesting dreams.

Dream #3 - the Nightmare
Many people are troubled by frightening and disturbing dreams, commonly known as nightmares.  Young children in particular often suffer from nightmares brought on by fears of monsters in their closets and under the bed, as well as other types of fear.  

Of course nightmares are not confined to childhood, and many adults, particularly those who have suffered real life trauma, are particularly susceptible to nightmares.  Those people suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as soldiers returning from war, and rescue workers who have been through harrowing situations, report a higher incidence of nightmares than the public at large.

Many people who suffer from frequent nightmares report a history of real life problems, including psychiatric problems, problems with drugs or alcohol, or problems with family relationships.  Treatment for frequent nightmares should therefore be aimed at dealing with the initial trauma or traumas that created the situation in the first place.

Dream #4 - the Recurring Dream
Most people have had a recurring dream at one point in their life, a dream that repeats itself, with minor variations or even none at all.  Recurring dreams can be about any subject, and they focus on that subject night after night.  

Some recurring dreams are positive and uplifting, but studies show the majority of recurring dreams to be negative in nature.  Dreams can recur in this manner because the real life event that triggered it has remained unresolved.  Dealing with the real life trauma responsible for recurring nightmares is often the best way to banish the bad dream.

Some dreamers report experiencing narrative dreams, in which the dream picks up where it left off night after night.  These dreams are somewhat rare, but the people who experience them report them to be very vivid and memorable.  Keeping a dream journal can be a big help in both remembering and interpreting these kinds of dreams.

Dream #5 - the Healing Dream
Healing dreams are often seen as sending a message to the dreamer regarding his or her health.  Healing dreams often spur the dreamer to take a long delayed trip to the dentist or doctor.

Dream #6 - the Prophetic Dream
Prophetic dreams are also known as precognitive dreams, and the people experiencing these dreams often report the ability to use them to foretell the future.  Independent studies of these types of dreams are rare, and the jury remains out on whether this ability to see the future exists.

One non supernatural explanation for the prophetic dream is that the subconscious mind pieces together bits of information encountered throughout the day, then puts them together in a form that makes sense to the dreamer.

Dream #7 - the Epic Dreams
Epic dreams are somewhat rare, but they are unforgettable to those who experience them.  Epic dreams are so vivid, and so compelling that they simply cannot be ignored.  The tiniest details of these dreams are often remembered for many years.   These epic dreams may possess lots of symbols and meaning for the dreamer.

Before we can understand just what takes place in the dreaming mind, and what it all means, it is a good idea to have an understanding of the sleep cycle, and the function of dream sleep within this sleep cycle.  Dream sleep is a distinct part of the sleep cycle, different in almost every way from other types of sleep.

There are four distinct stages to the sleep cycle, and every human goes through several such sleep cycles in a typical night.  The average full sleep cycle lasts from 90-120 minutes, so an average eight hour night of sleep could contain four or more separate sleep cycles.

Dreams may occur at any of the four stages of sleep, but the most vivid dreams, and the ones most likely to be remembered in the morning, occur during the REM stage of sleep.  This sleep stage is generally referred to as REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.  The name comes from the eye movements that are observed during this stage of sleep.

Since the entire sleep cycle repeats at least four and sometimes as many as seven, times per night, it is therefore possible and even likely that the same person will experience several different dreams every night.  In most cases, however, the only dreams that are remembered are those that take place closest to waking.  Not remembering dreams, however, does not mean they have not occurred.

Let us begin our look at the four stages of sleep.

Stage 1
During the first stage of sleep, the sleeper's eyes move back and forth in an erratic fashion.  For this reason, this stage of sleep is referred to as REM, or rapid eye movement, sleep.  This stage generally occurs from 90-100 minutes after the initial onset of sleep.  During this period of sleep, the blood pressure rises and the heart rate and respiration speeds up and may become erratic as well.  During this stage of sleep, the voluntary muscles become paralyzed.  This stage of sleep is the one in which the majority of dreaming occurs.

Stage 2
Stage two is a light sleep, and it is characterized by non rapid eye movements.  During this stage of sleep the muscles are relaxed that the heart rate is slowed.  This stage of sleep prepares the body for deeper sleep.

Stage 3 and 4
Stages three and four also feature non rapid eye movements.  During stages three and four of the sleep cycle, the body enters into a deep sleep.  You are completely asleep during both stages, but stage four is more intense than stage three.

All four stages of sleep repeat themselves throughout the sleep period, generally occurring from four to seven times.  Each time the sleeper enters REM sleep, dreaming occurs.  Sometimes dreamers remember dreams from earlier in the night, but in most cases the dreams that are remembered are those that occur closest to waking.  

Researchers know, however, that dreaming occurs during all four to seven sessions of REM sleep.  They know this through their work with volunteers who agree to be awakened during REM sleep.  Those awakened during REM sleep generally provide very vivid descriptions of those dreams, as do those who awaken naturally during a particularly vivid, intense or frightening dream.

The word archetype is actually derived from the Latin and Greek languages, but the world of psychiatry, particularly the work of Carl Jung, is what brought the word into common usage.  Simply stated, an archetype is a prototype, or an original model.  An archetype can also be used to mean the ideal example of a type.

Carl Jung used the word archetype to mean an instinct pattern of thought or imagery that was derived from collective experience.  Jung believed in the existence of the collective unconscious - that is that people are born knowing things learned from their ancestors.

There are several archetypes used in dream interpretation, and one of the most common of these archetypes is that of the child.

The child is quite a common symbol in dreams, and it is probably the most easily recognized archetypes.  After all, everyone can remember what it was like to be a child - the freedom of being a child, the unconditional love received from parents, the laughter and the innocence of the imagination.

In the world of dreams, the child reminds us of our past and our childhood.  Dreams involving children, or dreaming of ourselves as children, often symbolizes an unconscious desire to go back to a simpler time.  People in need of unconditional love often dream of being children or being surrounded by children.

Every psychology student is familiar with the concept of the inner child, the part of everyone that refuses to grow up, and is constantly in need of encouragement, comfort and unconditional love.  

There are several other child archetypes and metaphors, and one of the most powerful of these is the Divine Child.  The Divine Child archetype is often encountered in mythology, and there are examples of the Divine Child in almost every major religion and belief system in the world.  This worldwide appearance is one of the hallmarks of a true archetype.

The Wounded Child, like the Divine Child, is also an archetype that is seen in cultures and religions all over the world.  The wounded child archetype is most closely associated with children who have been neglected or abused.  Dreaming of a wounded child, or dreaming of yourself as a wounded child, is often the manifestation of a desire for a loving, wonderful childhood.  

In addition, the Wounded Child archetype may appear when you are facing something that reminds you of being a Wounded Child.  For instance, being blamed for something you did not do at work can take you back to the times a parent treated you unfairly.  Therefore, such a negative event in the workplace could trigger the appearance of the Wounded Child archetype in a dream.

There is no question that children are powerful dream symbols, and dreams about children can have many interpretations.  When interpreting any dream, it is always important to consider the context of the dream, and to take it into account when examining the dream.

Recurring dreams involving children can have their own meanings as well, and they can often be triggered by memories of childhood.  Often a return to a hometown, a grade school reunion, or running into a childhood friend you have not seen in years, can trigger dreams of being a child again.  These types of dreams are among the most common in the world of dream interpretation.

Dreams about teeth, particularly dreams where the dreamer finds his or her teeth falling out, are much more common than you might think. Some common forms of this dream include dreams in which the dreamer's teeth crumble in his or her hands, or dreams in which the teeth fall out with just a light touch.  These dreams can be extremely frightening, even more so than chase dreams or falling dreams.   In addition, such dreams often leave the dreamer with an image that is hard to shake even after waking.

There are many theories about just what teeth, and losing teeth, represent in the dream world, and these can be some of the most difficult dreams to interpret.  One theory holds that dreams about teeth, and losing teeth, are a reflection of the dreamer's anxiety about his or her appearance, and about how the dreamer thinks others perceive him or her.

This interpretation is certainly valid, especially since we live in a society that seems to value physical beauty above all else.  Since a good set of teeth play an important role in physical beauty, it is easy to see how uncertainties about one's appearance could manifest themselves in dreams about losing teeth.

Since teeth play such an important role in physical attraction scenarios, such as flirting and getting the attention of the opposite sex, dreams of losing teeth can be manifestations of fears of getting old, fears of sexual impotence or other dating related anxieties.  

Other interpretations of dreams of losing teeth hold that they are representations of fear of embarrassment or making a fool of oneself.  For instance, someone who is dreading a potentially embarrassing situation, such as making a speech or other public speaking engagement, may dream of his or her teeth falling out.  This type of dream would represent an exaggeration of already present fears or anxieties brought on by the upcoming event.  People who are troubled by dreams of losing teeth or teeth falling out should examine their own lives for the source of possible embarrassment or appearance based anxieties.

Another theory holds that teeth in dreams represent power, since they are used in real life to tear, chew, and bite.  Therefore, the loss of teeth in a dream represents a perceived loss of power or influence.  People who feel frustrated, or who feel that their voices are not being heard, may have dreams about losing teeth.  Feeling ineffective, or feelings of inferiority, are often associated with such dreams as well.

Finally, some of the latest dream research has revealed that women have more frequent dreams about teeth as they enter menopause.  These dreams about teeth may be related to anxieties about appearance and fears of getting older.

There are of course other interpretations of dreams of missing or losing teeth.  There are interpretations of this dream in a number of cultures around the world, further testament to the fact that teeth are a common dream theme in many cultures.

One biblical interpretation of the dream of losing teeth holds that the bad teeth mean the dreamer is placing his or her faith in the works of man rather than in the word of God.  Thus the falling teeth in the dream are urging the dreamer to turn back to God for guidance.

The ancient Greeks believed that dreams about loose, rotting or missing teeth were warnings that a close friend or family member was very ill or near death.

The Chinese hold that teeth falling out is a punishment for lying, and that dreams of falling teeth are manifestations of guilt over telling lies.

Some have even suggested that dreams of missing teeth are associated with money.  This connection probably goes back to the old tooth fairy story, where children are rewarded with money for putting their lost teeth under their pillows.