7 Water Dreams And What They Mean

Overhead shot of beautiful textures of water in the ocean
Evan Mcdougall/Wirestock - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only

Our Dreams Absolutely Have Meanings Tied To Them

Overhead shot of beautiful textures of water in the ocean
Evan Mcdougall/Wirestock – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

Picture this: it’s 4:37 a.m., and you just shot up from a turbulent sleep. It’s still dark outside, and there are no sounds of life inside your home. Confused, you grab your phone. Did you oversleep? What time is it? Alas, you realize that you still have a couple more hours before you have to get up and start your day. So, you lay your head back on the pillow, pull your comforter up to your chin, and try to will yourself back to sleep.

No matter how hard you squeeze your eyes shut or how many sheep you count, though, the weird dream that just woke you up will not leave your head. It’s like you were just shot with adrenaline, and your thoughts are whirling, despite the fact that it’s not even yet dawn. At this point, you might roll over, grab your phone again, and head to Google. Because, after all, your dream has to mean something, right? 

Here Are 7 Water Dreams And What They Mean

Serene young woman with dark hair sleeping at night on bed with white linen. Sweet dreams of pretty female. Calmness atmosphere.
Kuz Production – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person

All dreams, not just those involving water, are believed to be packed full of signs and symbols. At night, our subconscious can run wild– creating themes, patterns, and situations in our dreams that reflect current feelings or circumstances we are confronting in our real lives.

When dreams involve water, though, these cases are typically direct reflections of our real emotional state.

This is because water, as an element, is strongly associated with our emotions– and this does not change when it comes to dreams. After all, much like water, our feelings are fluid. Dreams that contain water can also represent other sides of our inner selves, too. For instance, spirituality or creativity.

In order to analyze your own water dream, though, and understand what it could mean, you have to take a look at the state of the water, what the water was doing, and how you actually felt when confronted with it.

Thankfully, there are seven very common water dreams that have been analyzed and interpreted by experts. So, let’s break down what they are and what they might indicate about your life.

1. Drowning:

Jump roper uses Double Dutch ropes to rescue teen from icy pond.
graja – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

One of the most common dreams– or rather, nightmares– that people have regarding water involves the sensation of drowning. And this word alone could be indicative of a struggle going on in some area of your life.

Do you feel like you are drowning in familial responsibilities or as a caregiver? Or perhaps work just keeps piling up on your desk, and you don’t know how you are going to get through it?

If so, your dream about drowning might be your psyche’s way of telling you that you are literally “in over your head.”

2. Tidal Waves:

MdzFahmi – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

If you dreamt that you were swimming in a tidal wave, perhaps unable to keep up with the ebb and flow of the current, then this might also signify major feelings of overwhelm.

Plus, much like a tidal wave, you may feel as though you are stuck in an emotional situation that keeps tugging on you. Maybe it is threatening to pull you away from your normal routine or forcing you to move farther away from a state of peace.

3. Rain:

Rearview portrait of an attractive young woman walking in the rain with an umbrella and a coffee.
T Hover/peopleimages.com – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person

Raindrops look a lot like teardrops. And when rain appears in dreams, they are usually related to our tearful emotions.

If you find yourself stuck in a torrential downpour while asleep, you might be suffering from some overwhelming grief or heartache.

Rain does not always have to mean sadness, though. For instance, you may be frolicking on the beach when a light spring shower passes overhead. The rain, in this situation, may represent happy tears or that you are finally experiencing a wide breadth of feel-good emotions.

4. Contained Water:

DmitryDolgikh - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only, not the actual fish
DmitryDolgikh – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual fish

Have you ever dreamt that you were peering into an aquarium or a fish bowl? If so, this contained water may say a lot about how you are currently handling your own emotions.

On the one hand, the water being “contained” may reflect how well you have been keeping your composure and not letting your emotions overrun your life.

On the flip side, though, the fact that water is contained might also represent how you are “bottling up” the feelings in your heart.

The best way to differentiate between these two possibilities in your own life is to pay attention to how the fishbowl looks. If it appears unkempt, you may need to open yourself up. But, if the water looks clean and clear, you may be experiencing gratitude for your self-awareness and control.

5. Murky Water:

Kitsada
Kitsada – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

On a similar note, murky water, in general, indicates that you are feeling clouded. You might have dreamt of a murky, stagnant pond or a muddy puddle.

Either way, these kinds of symbols often represent that something is darkening your otherwise clean mental health. So, it is best to figure out what is “bugging you” in the back of your head to keep these dreams from reoccurring.

6. Clear Water:

Top view or aerial view of Beautiful crystal clear water and white beach with long tail boats in summer of Zanzibar island
olyphotostories – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only – pictured above boats float on the Indian Ocean, home to these sea sponges

Clear water, on the other hand, indicates the opposite. So, if you have a dream that contains clear water, you quite literally may be experiencing a “clear head.”

Perhaps work is going well, or you and your partner are getting along better than ever. Maybe you finally conquered a stressful exam or are glad that the holiday stress is over.

Either way, you don’t have to be worried if your dreams contain clear water. Instead, this is a cue to feel grateful and content with where you are in life.

7. Floodwater:

Nicholas Ashley/Wirestock Creators - stock.adobe.com - illustrative purposes only
Nicholas Ashley/Wirestock Creators – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only

In floods, water levels tend to rise and rise until they become overbearing– leaving destruction and turmoil in their wake.

So, dreams that contain floods or floodwater may symbolize a similar phenomenon occurring in your own life.

Perhaps a situation just feels like it is getting worse and worse by the day. At the same time, you may be feeling more emotionally affected by the feeling of impending doom. In these instances, it is best to look inward, pinpoint what may be overwhelming you, and take proactive steps to relieve feelings of anxiety.

Katharina Buczek graduated from Stony Brook University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Digital Arts. Specializing ... More about Katharina Buczek

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