What Does It Mean When You Dream About Someone? The Experts Are Here to Break It Down

Have you ever fell asleep and had a dream involving a crush, an ex, or that random coworker from five years ago? Waking up and realizing it is such a weird feeling, especially when you can't really make any sense out of why the dream happened in the first place. But even though these might feel out-of-the-blue, a dream isn't random at all, and analyzing them can help you learn more about yourself.

“Dreams are like a reality show—dramatic, exaggerated, and totally unpredictable," says astrologer Ally Lewber, who was on the reality show Vanderpump Rules. "While science nerds and psychology buffs have been pulling their hair out over them for ages, the common consensus is that dreams are like messages from your unconscious self." TL;DR? Dreaming about other people can provide insight into our own inner thoughts and subconscious, revealing what we feel and project onto these people. After all, it’s our minds, spirits, and hearts that are keeping these people active in our subconscious.

Ivana Naskova, a psychic at the astrology platform Nebula, agrees that we could all stand to examine the hidden significance of our visions. “Often, our dreams—whether they involve other people or not—present lessons we need to learn, things we need to heal from, or challenges we must overcome to grow, move forward, and expand,” she says. “I firmly believe that dreams can also offer a glimpse into other dimensions or realities, such as our past lives, our future, or parallel worlds where other versions of ourselves exist.”

But if you struggle to even recall your visions, Lewber suggests dream journaling. She has “a difficult time remembering [her] dreams, but when I do I make sure to dissect it and consider every potential outcome or hidden meaning!" she says. "Journals are helpful so we don’t forget and so we can transcribe all of the different possible outcomes.”

Keep reading below for what these two experts have to say about what it means when you dream about someone.

If you dream about someone, it signifies the notion that they have affected your life in many ways. There is a deep connection here that transcends time and logic. Even if you're no longer in touch, the cord that finds you together cannot simply be cut off. Your connection is strong and will last a lifetime.

It can! Not only that, but it can show that they’re thinking of you more than you are of them. For all you know, they could be trying to connect with you telepathically or share a secret with you. Prepare yourself for a big reveal that they could be telling you in the near future.

Lewber says that recurring dreams show us that the “particular person is practically your dream’s VIP, they’re always on the guest list. And recurring dreams about the same person could mean your subconscious is stuck on repeat, trying to get you to pay attention to something.” Lewber asks us to reflect and ask questions: “Is there a lingering issue? An unacknowledged feeling? Or is this person reflecting a part of you?” She adds, “I tend to go for the latter. Personally, I believe when we are thinking of someone we are tapping into their energy, which can ironically offer us some personal lessons.”

Dreams about a crush represent a failed attempt at connecting with that person and a longing to bond with them. TBH, spending a lot of time daydreaming about a crush could create an imprint of them on our psyche and subconscious.

Honestly, this kind of dream can be scarier than connecting with a ghost. Unlike other apparitions, dreaming of an ex makes us aware of the fact that we miss them or their energy on some level. Personally, when I dream about an ex, it’s an intuitive warning that something good or bad is happening in their life and they’re thinking about me. The same can apply to anyone else, too.

Dreaming about a significant other means that we want to be closer with them at that moment in time. Maintaining a deep relationship can be hard, especially in difficult times. After all, intimacy takes time and care. If you are feeling ignored or your significant other is busy with other things (like work or family matters), you could dream about them in an effort to get the attention and affection you miss.

We’ve all had dreams like this, when a deceased loved one comes to you when you are sleeping. It could mean that the spirits are trying to communicate with you in the astral realm. It could also reveal feelings of loneliness that you feel inside. The person who passed might have filled a void within you that no one can complete—except for them.

Weirdly enough, sex dreams aren’t usually about the physical act of being sexually active. They usually represent a situation or relationship in which you feel out of control. Sex is the way to control the situation, or even yourself. These dreams can also represent the desire to tap into your creative energy or other repressed aspects of your personality. Another interpretation is that these dreams reveal a subconscious need to bond and connect with the person you're dreaming about.

Dreaming about the death of a loved one doesn’t necessarily mean that they are dying. It usually represents a change or end of a relationship. In a dream, death signifies transformation—which is what you are doing when leaving a situation or partnership. It can also mean that the person you know is undergoing a personal evolution of sorts or that your feelings for this individual are changing.

Ever heard of a spiritual link? “It could be a result of our subconscious minds being interconnected,” Naskova says. “When we sleep, our conscious mind is at rest, allowing our subconscious to surface. With that in mind, the person you're dreaming about *might* just be having thoughts about you too. Naskova suggests that it could be beneficial to reach out to that individual and check on how they're doing.

This signals unfinished or simply unaddressed business—your subconscious mind’s just reacting to repressed emotions. “The presence of such dreams doesn't necessarily mean that you will engage in a physical altercation in reality,” Naskova says. “Instead, they may suggest that your subconscious is grappling with unresolved conflicts or emotions during the REM phase of sleep, attempting to make sense of these feelings.”

Sometimes we want nothing more than to get somebody off the brain. In order to make this happen, all you need to do is identify and confront the outstanding issue that might be causing your mind to drift back to them so regularly. “Your mind may be replaying experiences with this individual in an attempt to fill in gaps or find closure,” Ivana notes. “Taking steps to resolve any lingering emotions or conflicts in reality can help reduce the frequency of these dreams, giving you more control over your subconscious.”