We're sleep experts - this is why you're having such vivid dreams in spring and what they mean

A sleep expert has explained why you might be experiencing especially vivid dreams at the moment as he reveals the top 10 places your unconscious mind might drift during the spring. 

Martin Seeley, the CEO and sleep expert at MattressNextDay, has revealed that we are actually more likely to dream vividly in Spring, or more specifically, April. 

He also explained how longer days and lighter evenings, plus the production of sleep hormone melatonin, play a part in the quality and length of our sleep. 

Martin said: 'A study found that we experience the most disruption to our sleep in the spring season. This is because our wake times are earlier - due to the longer daylight hours - and, therefore, our sleep duration decreases. It's also been recorded that our time asleep is shorter when there are longer days.

'In fact, the same study revealed that, during spring, our time asleep is reduced by 25 minutes - even when going to bed two minutes earlier than in winter.

'This could be attributed to melatonin production, which is a hormone that helps you sleep. Melatonin is regulated by light and darkness; when there is more light (such as in spring and summer), you don't produce as much melatonin. With less light, you produce more.'

After conducting an extensive study which analysed over 279,750 dream-related Google searches to uncover which are most likely to occur, dreams analyst Inbaal Honigman also decoded what these dreams really mean...

The top 10 spring dreams 

1. Teeth falling out 

Inbaal said: 'Teeth are a sign of life's ages and stages. We are born with none, go through two sets in childhood and adulthood, and start to lose them again in old age. 

'Therefore, dreaming about losing teeth symbolises loss, like leaving a relationship behind or even moving house.'

2. Pregnancy

According to Inbaal, many pregnancy dreams are simply predictions. 

She said: 'Parents-to-be dream of their pregnancy even before the home pregnancy kit turns pink, and it's common to see your baby's gender or predict the date of birth correctly. 

'Beyond fertility, pregnancy in a dream can represent the wanting of a new job or creative project, like a 'new lease of life'.'

3. Spiders 

Inbaal revealed dreams about spiders are usually a sign you need to 'confront your fears and insecurities'. 

She said: 'Just like spiders face the challenge of creating and maintaining their webs with precision, you are being prompted to tackle your life challenges with resilience and determination. 

'It's a time to face challenges with resilience and determination. Pay attention to the details in your dreams for more specific insights into your unique situation.'

4. Falling 

Martin Seeley said: 'When you dream of falling, this is actually a physiological reaction to the body going to sleep. 

'As the nervous systems begin to calm, and your heart rate and blood pressure drop, this can trigger a falling dream, otherwise known as a 'hypnic jerk'. 

'The movements can be minor but sometimes, they're violent enough to wake you up. These sudden movements typically last only a second or two, but they can be quite startling if you're not expecting them. 

'While they're not a dream, if they happen a lot, they're a metaphorical nightmare as they disrupt your sleep.'

5. Hair falling out

'Losing hair in a dream can symbolise concerns about ageing, stress, or feeling out of control,' Inbaal revealed.

'It's a reflection of your inner thoughts and anxieties about physical appearance and self-image.'

6. Fire 

Inbaal revealed dreams of fire can have many different meanings. 

'It can symbolise passion, light, destruction, anger and more,' she revealed.

'The trick to working out what your fire dream means is to look at the rest of the dream. If you were unafraid of the fire, then it could be a reference to your own internal fire. 

'Your views and opinions could be changing, bringing forth a renewal of self. If you are burned by fire, it indicates that your temper is raging, and you are 'burning up inside'.'

7. Ghosts 

Martin Seeley said: 'Ghostly apparitions are often the effect of a sleep disorder called sleep paralysis. We move through different stages of sleep through the night. 

'REM (Rapid Eye Movement) is when we dream. We're also paralysed at this stage so that we don't act our dreams out. But sometimes we can partially wake, experiencing hallucinations but struggling to move. 

'It can be terrifying, but it does explain why you could 'see' a person or figure near your bed or in your room and also feel unable to move.'

8. Being cheated on 

Inbaal said the upsetting nature of dreams about cheating in relationships means they can have an impact on your sleep. 

'The sense of betrayal, shame and hopelessness that go along with infidelity can ruin a good night's sleep,' she said.

'If you dream of an ex-partner cheating, you might be trying to make sense of the split. You could be worried that their loyalty was never for you, and you may be suspicious that they were cheating in real life too. 

'Or if you dream of your current partner cheating on you, this dream shows your own insecurities rather than any unfaithful thoughts about your partner.'

9. Drowning 

'Drowning in a dream is often a fear of losing yourself in some way.,' Inbaal explained.

'Whether this is from being overwhelmed by work, a relationship issue, or stress, there's the fear of 'drowning' under the weight of emotions and being unable to handle or process them. 

'Even if you're not in turmoil, simply dealing with life's daily struggles and trying to survive as a well-functioning human being in today's society is enough to induce these dreams.'

10. Getting lost 

'To dream of being lost can invoke feelings of frustration, not fitting in, and confusion,' Inbaal said. 

'If you have a situation in your waking life where you are anxious that you may not find your way, these dreams can help you find direction. 

'It can also be a dream for those grieving, a way to process the loss of a person, or part of yourself that is missing. 

'Although other people in your dreams can often represent other parts of yourself, so it could also be that you feel you have lost an aspect of yourself.'