What does it mean if you’re naked in your dream?

Ah, so you want to know why you keep dreaming about chilling at work, running errands, or being at school in your birthday suit, huh? Totally fair question. This is a super-common dream. (Like, so common, they even made it A Thing in the opening scene of Bring It On. More on that later.)

But if you’re curious ~what it all means~ to dream about yourself naked—maybe while in front of a crowd or even just chilling in a random space—we’ve gotchu. With the help of Nicole Bowman, certified dream analyst and adviser at Keen.com (it’s like Talkspace but for psychics), and Theresa Cheung, dream decoder and author of The Dream Dictionary from A-Z, we dug up the meaning behind why you dream about yourself being nakey-nakey-naked.

Okay, so what do naked dreams mean?

Remember in the opening scene of Bring It On when Torrance (you know, the soon-to-be captain of San Diego’s Rancho Carne Toros, obviously) dreamed that she was naked in front of the entire school cheering? Yeah, me too—and I still have anxiety about it.

But turns out, the meaning behind that dream, which happened the night before the first day of school (aka the night before she’d take over as cheer captain), definitely tracks.

“Nudity is connected to the fear of being vulnerable and embracing great change,” says Bowman. “Oftentimes, when we dream of being naked, that experience correlates to a huge transformation that is happening in our lives.” And in Torrance’s case, this = becoming the next HBIC of the cheer squad.

But for you, it could also refer to a new relationship, maybe a new job opportunity, a move, or just wanting to feel accepted for who you are in whatever circumstance you’re going into, says Bowman. “It’s a sign that you’re moving into uncharted territory. Which, ironically, can feel a lot like being naked and exposed,” she adds.

What does it mean I dream about being naked in public and I’m embarrassed?
According to Theresa Cheung, dream decoder and author of The Dream Dictionary from A-Z, it’s rare that you’ll feel embarrassed in a dream where you’re naked in public. In the majority of naked dreams, no one in the dream really cares or even notices you’re in the nude.

So the fact that your cheeks get rosy when you realize you’re unclothed can mean you’re not being yourself in some area of your life. Maybe you feel like others don’t accept you or you’re trying to be someone you’re not in an effort to impress others (It’s cool. We’ve all done it.)

If that’s the case, Cheung says this naked dream is a sign that your dreaming mind wants you to trust yourself and focus on authenticity. In other words, you do you, boo.

The good news? The fact that no one notices that you're naked means that those worries and self-doubts are probably (read: most likely for sure) unfounded. “You are creating problems for yourself that aren’t there,” Cheung says. Even better news? This is a classic imposter syndrome dream, she adds, that’s common among highly successful people. So you’re in pretty good company.

Still, if this type of dream leaves you feeling shaken up when you’re already lacking some pep in your step, let it be a reminder that no one is judging you. Everyone’s got their own ish going on. And, most importantly, you’ve got this.

What does it mean if I dream about being naked at work?

Being naked in public in front of strangers is one thing, but showing off your bare bottom to your colleagues at work definitely cranks the anxiety up a notch. In this scenario, Cheung says it’s likely that you’re feeling concerned about how your colleagues perceive you.

Maybe you overshared during a water cooler chat with a work buddy (oops). Or, perhaps you’re feeling anxious about receiving negative feedback on a big project. Whatever the case, your feelings are valid and totally normal. Just don’t let how your colleagues (or anyone else for that matter) perceive you become more important than how you see yourself, Cheung says.

What does it mean if I dream about someone else being naked?
It depends on your relationship with the naked person. If it is someone you’re close to, such as a partner or family member, “this suggests that you want this person to be more authentic and honest with you or perhaps they are starting to open up and reveal who they truly are, including their imperfections,” Cheung says.

On the other hand, if you don't really know the naked person that well, Cheung says the dream is not about them at all. Rather, they represent an aspect of yourself that you want to get to know better or be more honest about.

What does it mean if I dream about being partially naked?
If you’re not fully naked in your dream (like you're topless but in your undies), this can mean you’re in the process of changing your mindset or identity in some way. “Different levels of authenticity are required as you transition,” Cheung says. So, of course you feel more exposed, uncertain, unprepared, and maybe even a little chaotic.

And like with the dreams where you’re fully butt naked, Cheung recommends noting if you’re feeling embarrassed or if no one notices you’re naked. As a refresher, embarrassment indicates that you’re revealing more of your true self and fearing judgment from others, whereas no one caring points to self-judgment.

Is it weird if I dream about being naked over and over again?

Not necessarily. But dreams that involve nudity often relate to “feelings of insecurity and the need for self-acceptance,” says Bowman. So *earnest territory alert* it may be that your inner psyche is trying to tell you that you need to love on yourself a lil bit.

TL;DR: Make time for what makes you happy every day. Play that Spotify playlist that gets you hype, do that HIIT workout you love, and bake that cupcake recipe you saved on Pinterest.

How can I stop having dreams about being naked?

Bowman suggests asking yourself the following questions every morning after experiencing this dream.

What am I afraid of?

Is there something in life that I really want to accomplish but don’t feel like I have the courage to do?
Is there someone I want to be honest with who I feel will not be honest with me?
Is there a relationship, job, or experience where I do not feel supported?
Is there some aspect of myself that I am not in acceptance or appreciation of?
Assessing your answers in your head, in a journal, or talking them through out loud can be oddly therapeutic. Simply being honest with yourself and feeling your emotions could inadvertently help you feel better (and erase these dreams for good).

Take it from Bowman: “After answering the questions above, take the brave steps of speaking up, stepping out, and telling your truth. This can look like sharing your feelings with a potential love interest or applying for the position you always wanted,” she says. “This may also look like standing up for what you believe in, even when you know you will be criticized. It can also manifest as giving thanks for your physical body and how it carries you through life.”

And if you need help processing these thoughts with a mental health professional, try an app like Talkspace, which offers virtual chats with licensed therapists around the clock for your specific needs (from $69/week).

Okay, so is there any silver lining to this dream?

Ofc, Sigmund Freud did not make dreams his life’s work just so that we could be scared of them all the time. There’s definitely a positive spin here, says Bowman. “Dreams like this should encourage you to face your fear and become more transparent.” It’s a high-key sign that it’s time to branch out from your norm and embrace the obstacle that is changing things in your life.

And on another positive note, when you confront what your dreams are inadvertently telling you to do, that’s when you’ll see real change—and maybe some better sleeping habits once you squash those nightmares. “As you begin to make bold choices in life, you may find that this dream subsides—knowing in the end, you’ll be just fine,” says Bowman.