Emotions that are predominant in waking life are usually predominant in dreams. If someone suffers insecurity, it is highly likely the emotional insecurity will appear in dreamtime. The dream characters will reflect the unlikable aspects of the self, and experiences in the dream world will usually be similar to encounters with other people in physical reality.

Physical conditions are another influence on dreams. If the body is experiencing discomfort in some area, it is highly likely that it will show up in the dream in some context within an event.

Movies and stories influence dreams quite often. Almost everyone can remember a time when they watched a movie before going to bed and then dreamed that they were the hero in the movie who saved the day, or had heroic adventures.

Social situations are often an influence on dreams, especially if that social situation is unusual or out of character for the individual.

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