The Most Common Sex Dreams Decoded

An unexpected partner appearing in your nocturnal fantasies probably doesn’t mean what you think 
Cynthia Ramnarace

what does it mean?

Have you ever had a sex dream starring someone other than the guy you're sharing a bed with? If so, don't worry--it doesn't mean you want to cheat. Instead, the person you're dreaming about usually signifies what's going on deep in your psyche. "If we pay attention, there may be something we can learn from our dreams," says marriage therapist Sharon Gilchrest O'Neill, author of A Short Guide to a Happy Marriage. "Maybe there's something missing in our lives, or maybe there's a problem in our relationship we haven't wanted to think about." Here are some of the most common sex dreams and what they really mean.

6 Common Sex Dreams—Decoded

Find out what standard steamy nighttime visions mean

By Sarah Jio

You’re happily married, so why did you have a sexually charged dream last night about…the copy guy at work (who, um, has a mullet!)? Could it mean that you’re unhappy in your marriage? Secretly crushing on a man that’s not the least bit your type? Have some kind of embarrassing sexual secret or problem? According to Debby Herbenick, PhD, author of Because It Feels Good: A Woman's Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction, the answer is none of the above. Sex dreams are normal, she says (not to mention out of our control), and women shouldn’t be embarrassed about them. Here, she and other experts decode the most common sex dreams.