There is an old wives’ tale that says if you dream you are falling and you hit the bottom, you will die. This is not true. Falling is one of the most common nightmares amongst people of all ages, and may be a reflection of feeling insecure, helpless or of having no support or solid grounding. Dreaming about drowning is less common and often occurs when you feel overwhelmed. Both scenarios involve life-or-death situations and can be traced back to prehistoric origins; dreams of falling reflect a time when our ancestors took risks when climbing trees. Falling dreams of modern life often take place from high buildings, elevators and rooftops. Likewise, dreams of drowning relate to our inborn need to breathe for survival. People often awake to ‘escape’ the danger in the dream.
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