Losing things and being lost in a dream 

Your question: Losing things (includes Being Lost in a Dream): “I dream about losing things. What could be behind it?”

If the objects you lose in the dream are not specific then this could represent an overall fear of loss that you have in waking life, which has manifested in your dreams.

You may have suffered a bereavement or experienced another form of loss like a relationship breakdown or recent illness.  If you are actually losing (or forgetting where you put things) during the day, then this can play out in your dreams at night. Sleep deprivation can cause poor memory (there’s a free factsheet on sleep here) but it’s always worth getting it checked out with your doctor too. 

To dream of losing your handbag or your wallet can represent a financial situation with which you need to keep an eye on.  To dream of losing your teeth can also represent a fear of losing something important. (Click here for a more in depth exploration of dreams about losing teeth). 

Being lost in a dream is common following retirement, divorce or at certain times in life where change has either been thrust upon you; even something as simple as reach a certain milestone in age (e.g. 30, 40, 50) can prompt this dream. 

Dreaming of being lost can suggest you may have reached a crossroads in life or that you’re not really sure which direction to take next. Sometimes this may relate to a change in career or that you’re feeling unsure about which path is the ‘right one’ and so inevitably remain still rather than take a step in to the unknown.

Keeping a dream diary is a useful way to notice patterns in your dreaming and understand why you dream what you do. You can access a free guide to keeping a dream diary in the members area of the Helping you Sparkle™ website when you subscribe to my dreams mailing list.