Expert shares surprising meaning behind dreaming your teeth are falling out

A sleep expert has revealed what different types of dreams might actually mean.

Let's face it, we've all experienced the same few dreams - whether it be trying to escape a dangerous situation or the feeling that you're falling, there's an explanation behind it all.

Thanks to Netflix, a new survey has been commissioned ahead of its upcoming film In Your Dreams, revealing some of the most common dreams.

They did this by asking 2,000 Brits about what they dreamt about, noting what the most popular answers were.

An expert then went through them, explaining what they may all mean, as it's not as simple as taking them at face value.

Apparently, the most common dream is the feeling of falling, which is said to be experienced by more than half of the population.

The most common dreams have been revealed (Getty Stock Image)

Delphi Ellis, a qualified counsellor, mindfulness practitioner and author of Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, said that dreams are 'like a friend'.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said: "They can softly nudge us in the direction of what we want, point us towards what might help us heal, or offer insight - even answers - into a problem that's occupying our mind. It's one reason we say, 'sleep on it'."

She added that it's up to us to 'acknowledge or ignore them' but that we should listen to what our dreams have to say - so here are some of the most popular.

Dreaming about falling

Speaking about falling, Ellis said that this type of dream can mean you're feeling uncertain about something, adding: "It's especially common after redundancy, retirement and other major life changes. The adventure awaits, but can be scary as we venture into the unknown."

She said that this isn't to be confused with that 'jolt' you might get as you're falling asleep, which can be caused by tiredness to the point of stress.

Teeth falling out in dreams

Moving onto this terrifying dream, it can be an awful one to experience if you don't realise that you're not in reality as it's happening.

According to the survey, 21 percent of us have experienced this one time or another and it's said that this may symbolise our concerns with status or wealth.

She explained: "In the West we generally exchange our teeth for money when we are little... in some cultures, dreaming of teeth as they literally are (as bone) may symbolise anxiety about losing someone significant."

Waking up from one of these dreams can cause a real shock (Getty Stock Image)

Not being able to run

The survey revealed that nearly half of people (42 percent) have had a dream where they're being chased but they simply can't run - this can apparently reflect feelings that you don't want to be caught, or that you're struggling to catch up.

The expert added that this can symbolise being 'stuck' or that the progress in an aspect of your life may be too slow, or that a fear of something could 'catch up'.

Flying in dreams

If only we could fly in real life, eh?

Ellis said that this type of dream can depend on how the individual felt while it was going, explaining: "If the dream is positive and they’re loving it - 'flying high' may signify someone enjoying a period of success."

The counsellor said that if the feeling was negative, then you may be at a period of your life where you 'should be more sensible and keep their feet firmly on the ground'.