Last Updated on October 27, 2019
We all know the feeling of waking up in a cold sweat with our hearts beating and skin clammy due to a terrifying nightmare. Some of us may have even found ourselves trying to wake ourselves up during a scary dream — particularly if we’re being chased or experiencing something threatening in the dream world.
But if you’re prone to psychic visions, you may also get psychic messages in your dreams. And not every psychic message is a happy one. For example, I used to have dreams of plane crashes in the days before major plane crashes would occur.
If this is the case, how can you tell whether a nightmare is simply a bad dream as opposed to a psychic message warning you of something terrible to come?
When it’s most likely a nightmare
There are some cases when the odds are probably greater that you just experienced a nightmare.
—If the nightmare is about something that’s been weighing you down during the day. Dreams are often our subconscious mind’s way of working out issues in our life. If you’ve been struggling with an issue during your waking life or you’ve been struggling with fears about something and the nightmare highlighted those fears, you’ve probably simply had a nightmare.
—If you ate a large meal before going to sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, eating a meal before bed can increase your metabolism, which can then cause your brain to become more active. Why is that important? Because a more active brain is more likely to create a nightmare. If you’ve eaten before sleeping, your dream was likely a nightmare.
—When you feel no connection to the dream. You’ll typically feel a connection to a psychic dream, whether it’s strong emotion or a simple knowing that the dream is important. If the dream inspires no feelings other than the initial fear, it may likely be a nightmare.
Signs you’ve had a psychic dream
Just as there are signs that you’ve had a nightmare, there may be signs that you’ve experienced a warning that you need to pay attention to.
—You have a sixth sense or knowing. Always trust your gut. If your gut is telling you that a dream or nightmare is important or that you need to pay attention to it, make sure you do that. Also, if your gut is telling you to take some type of action after the dream, you might want to do it.
—The dream seemed particularly vivid. Psychic dreams are typically not dull; instead they tend to be more vivid with more distinct colors than other dreams. They may even feel like they’re happening in slow motion as the dream plays out in your mind.
—The dream is recurring. Any dream that happens over and over again is one to pay attention to. It could be the Universe’s way of making sure you get a message that you’ve missed. If you have the same nightmare more than once, consider whether there might be any precautions you should take just in case it is a warning.
—You sense a Spirit Guide or ancestor either during the dream or after you wake up. Sometimes a dream is associated with a loved one who has passed over to the other side. If your deceased father is in the nightmare, for example, you may be experiencing a lucid dream or you could be receiving a warning message from him. Some people may even feel the presence of a spirit. If that’s the case, consider the possibility that the spirit had some type of message for you. Just as you can send a message to someone in your dreams, someone can send a message to you.
If you’re still not positive about what type of dream you had, pay close attention to what happens next. Consider asking during meditation what information you should take from the dream and see what comes to you.
