Dreaming of not being able to breathe may imply stress and anxiety, pressure, unaddressed trauma, and exhaustion in real life.
Dream About Not Being Able to Breathe – General Interpretations
In reality, being unable to breathe is a pretty serious condition. So, even in dreams, you might feel terrified and never hope to get such dreams again.
However, you can’t simply stop having a dream because you don’t want it. You must find the roots and eliminate them. If you’re wondering what they are, let’s get down to it…
It signifies tension, stress, and anxiety – Sometimes, you can’t breathe in dreams because you’re stressed, anxious, or tensed about the most basic things in life.
Your subconscious mind demands your attention – If you have recurring dreams of not being able to breathe, your subconscious mind wants to urgently convey a message to you.
You have untreated trauma – Sometimes being unable to breathe in dreams is a reflection of your deep emotional pain from the past.
You need a break from your work or relationship – You might also get such dreams when you can’t cope with your responsibilities, others’ demands, and expectations.
There’s no end to your worry – It means you take life too seriously. You’re all work and no play and amidst everything, you lose your chance to relish the joy of being alive.
You feel pressured – In reality, if you feel pressured by something, you might have trouble breathing in your dreams.
Dreaming of Not Being Able to Breathe – Various Types & Interpretations
In your dreams of being unable to breathe, if it’s due to smoke, you hide the truth or depend on someone excessively.
However, if it’s due to being underwater, you feel pressured. The small details mean a lot to interpret your dreams, so let’s dive into the list here…
Dream about not being able to breathe and trying to catch your breath
If you have a recurring dream about not being able to breathe and you are trying to catch your breath, it depicts your negative feelings like anxiety, tension, anger, or fear about an alien situation in life.
It might also remind you of a past situation where you felt these overwhelming emotions together.
Dream about not being able to breathe and holding your breath
In dreams, if you’re not being able to breathe because you’re holding your breath, it’s a message to leave the comfort zone. Otherwise, you can’t overcome your life hurdles.
Further, it may also imply that your conventional beliefs restrict you from knowing a complete truth.
So, your dream asks you to embrace new opinions and let go of your stubbornness. Broaden your horizon and consider the entire picture.
Not being able to breathe and struggling to breathe
In your dream of not being able to breathe, if you struggled for breaths, it portends great fear in your real life. It might be a person, a situation, or a possible yet made-up situation in your mind.
Alternatively, such dreams may also denote a simple lesson that life is full of endless struggles and the mantra for the survival of the fittest is constant fights.
Not being able to breathe underwater
The sight of not being able to breathe underwater in dreams shows that you feel pressured in your waking life due to your anxieties about something.
This is a sign to take active measures to change the situation in your life. Seek around for mentorship about your issues.
Not being able to breathe in smoke
Dreams about being in a room full of smoke and feeling suffocated are possible when you’re stuck in a room on fire.
This might imply that you excessively depend on someone in your waking hours. You must stop this immediately if you want to truly enjoy the taste of success.
Not being able to breathe for a short while
Dreams of not being able to breathe properly for a short duration portray that you’re feeling trapped in conscious hours.
This dream also tells you to love and cherish your life while you have the time.
Not being able to breathe because someone strangle you
If you dream about being unable to breathe because someone strangles you or attempts to strangle you, this depicts the presence of a person in your real life that can control you.
You feel uncomfortable and overpowered in their presence. However, you can’t do anything to rebel against them. This might be a parent, partner, or a superior at work.
Not being able to breathe because of an item
Dreaming about being unable to breathe due to an item like a bag usually refers to a transitional phase in your waking life.
You’ll soon close a chapter of your life and begin a new one.
A loved one not being able to breathe
The subconscious vision of a loved one like a partner, parent, or child being unable to breathe is a worrisome view. However, the dream doesn’t imply anything deep and your loved one is safe.
This dream instead shows that you worry about your loved one frequently. Your worries are projected in your dreams this way.
Not being able to breathe due to pain
Dreams of being unable to breathe due to something painful symbolize that something in your waking life lowered your self-esteem and confidence.
Despite your feelings, you try to hide them from others and even deny them.
Spiritual Meaning of Not Being to Breathe in a Dream
Spiritually, being unable to breathe in dreams shows that you have yet to find an important aspect of your life and you can’t progress in life without it.
From the spiritual viewpoint, if you can’t breathe in your dreams, it’s symbolic of your shortcomings in certain areas of your life.
You feel less than others and constantly seek the missing piece of the puzzle. Since you can’t find it, you try to make do without the missing aspect, but that’s impossible.
Is it sleep paralysis when you can’t breathe or move in dreams?
Being unable to both breathe and move in dreams implies you feel trapped or have health concerns but it isn’t the same as sleep paralysis.
If you can’t breathe or move in your dreams, it might imply that something is seriously wrong in your life.
Possibly, you feel trapped in your waking life and it won’t allow you to progress. Or, you have some severe health conditions and this is one of the first symptoms.
A word from ThePleasantDream
Dreams of being unable to breathe usually highlight the struggles of your waking life. In a way, these crazy, scary, and disturbing dreams try to help you focus on the lacking parts of your life.
Usually, you overlook these areas and compromise a lot in life. However, this inflicts deep emotional wounds in the long run. You might even regret relentlessly just because you took the easier road in life.
If you get dreams about cold feet then check its meaning here.
