- The theme body has 21 symbols in the dream dictionary.
- The most searched symbols of the theme are teeth falling out, being pregnant, poop.
- Every symbol is read three ways: folk dream books, psychology and sleep research.
- The details of the dream, the colour, the behaviour and how you felt, change the reading.
- Dream interpretation is a tradition of reading symbols; it does not predict events.
What body mean in a dream
In the 20th century psychology joined the tradition. Sigmund Freud read dreams as the expression of repressed wishes, Carl Gustav Jung as the psyche’s attempt to restore balance. Modern sleep research shows that the content of dreams is shaped largely by the day’s impressions and by sensations in the sleeping body.
If you cannot find the exact word, start from a theme. Inside each theme the symbols are grouped and compared with one another.
Most searched dreams about body
Teeth falling outBodyA dream about teeth falling out is traditionally read as a sign of loss, ageing or worry about how others see you. Sleep research points somewhere more ordinary: tension in the teeth and jaw while you sleep, and the anxiety of the day.Being pregnantBodyA dream about being pregnant is traditionally read as something growing: a plan, a project or a change that is not yet visible. Psychology reads it the same way, as a new part of yourself taking shape, and research finds pregnancy dreams most common in people who are pregnant or thinking about it.PoopBodyA dream about poop is traditionally read as money: in folk dream books excrement means unexpected profit, and the more of it the better. Psychology, following Freud, reads it as what one produces, holds back or is ashamed of, and research treats it as a bodily-sensation dream that often follows a real need in sleep.Broken toothBodyA dream about a broken tooth is traditionally read as a loss that is partial rather than complete: damage to health, standing or a relationship that can still be repaired. Psychology reads teeth as confidence and the face shown to others, and a crack as that confidence giving way, while research links teeth dreams to real tension in the jaw during sleep.Losing hairBodyA dream about hair falling out is traditionally read as a loss of strength, attractiveness or standing, and, in the old books, as worry and illness through generosity. Psychology reads hair as vitality and identity and its loss as fear of ageing or of losing control, while research groups hair-loss dreams with teeth dreams as anxieties about the body on display.BloodBodyA dream about blood is traditionally read as a warning: dream books tie it to enemies, illness and strained affairs. Psychology reads blood as life force, family ties and strong feeling; research adds that blood dreams often follow injury, illness or vivid news.Loose toothBodyA dream about a loose tooth is traditionally read as insecurity: Miller says loose teeth bring failures and gloomy tidings. Psychology reads the wobbling tooth as something in life that is no longer firm; research links teeth dreams to real tension in the jaw during sleep.TeethBodyA dream about teeth is traditionally read as a sign about health, family and standing: Miller ties an ordinary teeth dream to sickness or disquieting people. Psychology reads teeth as how we bite into life and show ourselves; research links teeth dreams to real tension in the jaw during sleep.Rotten teethBodyA dream about rotten teeth is traditionally read as strain: Miller says decayed and snaggled teeth mean business or health suffering from intense strains. Psychology reads decay as neglect and shame about how one appears; research links teeth dreams to tension in the jaw during sleep.
All symbols: body
Being blindA dream about being blind is traditionally read as a sudden loss, and seeing a blind person as someone worthy asking for help. Psychology reads blindness as refusing to see something, and research notes that dreams of failing senses often follow real fatigue, anxiety or the eyes' own state during sleep.Being nakedA dream about being naked is traditionally read as scandal, exposure or an unwise commitment. Freud made it one of his typical dreams and read it as a return to childhood freedom mixed with shame, and research confirms nudity in public is among the most commonly reported dreams.Being pregnantA dream about being pregnant is traditionally read as something growing: a plan, a project or a change that is not yet visible. Psychology reads it the same way, as a new part of yourself taking shape, and research finds pregnancy dreams most common in people who are pregnant or thinking about it.BloodA dream about blood is traditionally read as a warning: dream books tie it to enemies, illness and strained affairs. Psychology reads blood as life force, family ties and strong feeling; research adds that blood dreams often follow injury, illness or vivid news.Broken toothA dream about a broken tooth is traditionally read as a loss that is partial rather than complete: damage to health, standing or a relationship that can still be repaired. Psychology reads teeth as confidence and the face shown to others, and a crack as that confidence giving way, while research links teeth dreams to real tension in the jaw during sleep.Cutting hairA dream about cutting hair is traditionally read as loss of strength or a change of fortune, good if you chose the cut and bad if it was forced. Psychology treats hair as identity and power, so cutting it is change or loss of control, and research links such dreams to periods of transition.FaintingA dream about fainting is traditionally read as a warning about illness in the family or disappointing news, while psychology reads it as being overwhelmed and needing rest. Research notes that dizziness and falling sensations can arise from the body during sleep.Giving birthA dream about giving birth is traditionally read as a new beginning: Miller promises a married woman joy and a legacy. Psychology reads it as something new emerging in the dreamer's life, and research shows childbirth dreams are especially common during pregnancy.HairA dream about hair is traditionally read as vitality, pride and how you present yourself, with long glossy hair a good sign and tangled or grey hair a warning. Psychology reads it as identity, attractiveness and the energy you feel you have.Loose toothA dream about a loose tooth is traditionally read as insecurity: Miller says loose teeth bring failures and gloomy tidings. Psychology reads the wobbling tooth as something in life that is no longer firm; research links teeth dreams to real tension in the jaw during sleep.Losing hairA dream about hair falling out is traditionally read as a loss of strength, attractiveness or standing, and, in the old books, as worry and illness through generosity. Psychology reads hair as vitality and identity and its loss as fear of ageing or of losing control, while research groups hair-loss dreams with teeth dreams as anxieties about the body on display.MiscarriageA dream about a miscarriage is traditionally read as a plan or hope that fails before it is ready, not as a sign about a real pregnancy. Psychology reads it as fear of loss and of not being able to protect something fragile; research shows such dreams are common and anxious in pregnancy and after loss.PeeingA dream about peeing is traditionally read as release: letting go of a pressure, a worry or an unwanted feeling. Sleep research adds the plainest explanation of all: a full bladder often writes itself into the last dream before waking.Period bloodA dream about period blood is traditionally read as release, a cycle ending, or worry about the body and about being seen. Psychology reads it as femininity, shame and letting go; research shows menstrual dreams follow the cycle itself and the dreamer's hormonal and bodily state.PoopA dream about poop is traditionally read as money: in folk dream books excrement means unexpected profit, and the more of it the better. Psychology, following Freud, reads it as what one produces, holds back or is ashamed of, and research treats it as a bodily-sensation dream that often follows a real need in sleep.Rotten teethA dream about rotten teeth is traditionally read as strain: Miller says decayed and snaggled teeth mean business or health suffering from intense strains. Psychology reads decay as neglect and shame about how one appears; research links teeth dreams to tension in the jaw during sleep.TattooA dream about a tattoo is traditionally read as a lasting mark on one's life: Miller ties a tattooed body to a long absence from home and tattoos on others to jealousy. Psychology reads the tattoo as identity made visible; research ties body-image dreams to real decisions about the body.TeethA dream about teeth is traditionally read as a sign about health, family and standing: Miller ties an ordinary teeth dream to sickness or disquieting people. Psychology reads teeth as how we bite into life and show ourselves; research links teeth dreams to real tension in the jaw during sleep.Teeth being pulled outA dream about teeth being pulled out is traditionally read as a loss forced on the dreamer: illness, bad news or a break in the family. Psychology reads it as something taken before you were ready, and research links teeth dreams to jaw tension during sleep rather than to events.Teeth falling outA dream about teeth falling out is traditionally read as a sign of loss, ageing or worry about how others see you. Sleep research points somewhere more ordinary: tension in the teeth and jaw while you sleep, and the anxiety of the day.VomitingA dream about vomiting is traditionally read as getting rid of something harmful: a bad deal, a false friend, a secret that has been eating at the dreamer. Psychology reads it as rejection of what cannot be digested, and research notes that nausea in sleep often produces the dream itself.
Questions people ask
What does it mean to dream about body?
It depends on the symbol and the details. Folk dream books give each symbol a fixed reading, psychology asks what this image means to you, and sleep research reminds that dreams rework the day. Open a symbol for all three.
Does the same symbol always mean the same thing?
In dream books, mostly yes. In psychology, no: the same image can mean different things to different people, and your feeling in the dream is the key.
What if my symbol is not here?
Use the search. If nothing comes up, describe the dream in a few words on the search page; the editor reviews suggestions and adds the symbols that people ask for.
Sources
- Miller G. H. Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted, 1901.
- Freud S. The Interpretation of Dreams, 1899.
- Jung C. G. Man and His Symbols, 1964.
- Artemidorus. Oneirocritica, 2nd century.
- Hall C. S., Van de Castle R. L. The Content Analysis of Dreams, 1966.
- Schredl M. Dream research: an introduction, in various editions.
How this page is made
Each symbol page sets three readings side by side and names where each comes from. A symbol is published only when its page has a full description with sources. Search volumes decide which symbols are written first.