What Does It Mean If I Dream About Roaches?

Dreams are often explained as a gateway into the subconscious. Because of this, a lot can be learned from the kinds of imagery that show up whilst we sleep.

There are some very common dream motifs that people know all about: flying, falling, your teeth falling, or the death of somebody close to you.

All of these are dreams that can be easily explained – but what happens when you’re having dreams that feature stranger, or more obscure images?

What about roaches? These are insects that are most commonly associated with negative emotions such as dirt and decay – but what does it mean if you keep seeing them in your dreams?

If you’ve been experiencing this, then don’t worry! Dreams of roaches are actually fairly common, and there are a lot of different reasons why you might see them. 

In this article we’re going to take you through everything there is to know about roaches in your dreams. We’ll take you through some of the common interpretations of this dream, and some of the history of this motif.

We’ve also included some additional information about interpreting dreams to help you in the future! 

Roaches

The first thing to note is that the word ‘roach’ is an abbreviation of the more common name ‘cockroaches.’ There are over 4600 species of cockroaches and they are some of the most robust and impressive insects in the world.

They are a very old type of animal, with roots reaching all the way back to the Carboniferous period of earth, which is somewhere around 300 million years ago. Cockroaches have survived all this time because of their unique survivability. 

Because of this, they are often seen as pests in the modern age. A cockroach infestation can be a real problem to deal with and there are whole careers made out of ridding homes of these insects.

It’s worth noting that there are a lot of different species of cockroaches, but most people refer to the ones that they would find in their home as ‘roaches.’ Cockroaches are generally no bigger than a human thumb, but there are some species that can grow much larger. 

It’s also worth noting that in eastern parts of the world, Cockroaches are turned into a tasty and fairly popular dish. Roaches are commonly used as imagery for horror movies/stories, so it would make total sense if you’re worried about them showing up in your dreams! 

We wanted to add this first section to explain how there are different connotations surrounding cockroaches depending on how you view them and what part of the world you’re living in.

If you’re from the United States of America, you most likely associate them with dirt, pest control, and horror movie imagery. This can be concerning when you consider the reason why they’re showing up in your sleeping mind. 

Common Roach Dreams

The problem with trying to give the exact meaning of why a person may be dreaming of roaches is that it depends entirely on the type of dream that they’re having.

If you’re feeling worried about your roach dreams, you should rest easy because these dreams are not likely to be totally unique to you!

Cockroaches are a dream that many people have, and to outline this we’re going to list a series of common roach dreams that you may or may not be able to identify with.

Roaches On Clothing

This is a common dream. If you find yourself dreaming about roaches either on or in your clothing, this could mean many things.

This dream is likely to show some form of dissatisfaction with issues including clothing, lifestyle, hygiene, or problems within your home. 

Roaches In Food

This dream is often seen with negative connotations, and it’s fairly similar to the section about the clothing we wrote above.

If you have some kind of problems within your life regarding your home life, then it makes sense that something negative such as roaches could appear in this setting.

Often, the symbolism of a roach within your food could mean that there is something close to you have anxiety over. After all, food is the nourishment for our bodies.

Trying To Deal With A Roach Infestation

Pests are a common worry for humans and have been for the entirety of our species. Depending on who you are and your personal experiences, this might be something that bothers you.

The idea of your home being invaded by a pest that you just can’t get rid of is a common dream that will vary depending on where you live in the world. This dream is very similar to fears surrounding mice or rat infestations. 

If dealing with pests isn’t something you commonly worry about, then it could symbolize something in your waking life that you can’t deal with.

Infestations often grow the less you address them, and this can have profound meaning for your life. Perhaps there is something negative in your life that you aren’t addressing.

In this case, reflect on what this might be and how you could fix it.

Dreaming Of Being Attacked By Roaches

One theory as to why dreams exist is the idea of ‘threat simulation.’ That is to say, we have developed dreaming as a way to simulate real-life threats so that we can better deal with them in the real world.

That’s not to say that you’re likely to be attacked by roaches in your life, but simulations against animal attacks are a common dream motif. This is simply your mind.

But if we were to analyze the symbolic connotations of this dream, it’s mostly a negative connotation that means you are worried about being attacked either physically or emotionally by something.

Like the type of dream we discussed before, it’s important that you consider what it could be in your real life to quell this kind of subconscious difficulty.

Is there something you’re very worried about? This might be something you need to say aloud or address. 

Roaches As A Pet

This is a more obscure dream that might take a while to puzzle out. But generally, having a roach as a pet deals with the idea of taming something that was once a pet or a nuisance.

In this case, there’s a fair chance that this dream has positive connotations. Have you recently made changes to your life that have allowed you to feel more in control? 

Roaches On Body Or Inside You

This is probably one of the most stressful dreams you can have on our list. Anything to do with your own body probably has to do with overarching concerns around your physical or emotional health.

If you’re regular dreaming of having roaches inside your ears or other parts of your body, then it’s likely that you have some anxiety surrounding your health. 

Is there some pre-existing condition that you’re not dealing with? Do you have worries about your health that could be remedied with a simple visit to the doctor?

No matter the reason, there are probably some ways that you can either fix or make peace with the issue, and these will allow you to dream of more positive things. 

Dead Roaches

Whilst this dream can be nerve-wracking, it actually could very well symbolize positive changes in your life. Dead roaches mean that they are no longer alive to bother you.

Perhaps you’ve recently experienced some profound changes in your life – this can mean that you’re growing and creating positive changes.

The dead roaches, in this instance, symbolize your growth and the death of old pests that used to bother you. 

Some Notes About How To Interpret Dreams

If you want to get better at understanding dreams, there are a few things that you’ll need to learn off the bat. 

The human tendency to dream is something that has baffled scientists, mystics, and religious people since the beginning of time.

It’s something that doesn’t serve any obvious function, especially when compared to other parts of the human experience.

Dreams can be thrilling, comforting, or terrifying depending on the dream in question, and people often wake up trying to figure out just what the images that they have meant.

Whilst there has been much scientific research into dreams, a lot of it is contradictory and nobody can seem to pinpoint why exactly we dream and how the best way to manage them is.

One this is clear, however, and that’s that dreams are inherently linked to the subconscious. Whether you believe this mechanism to be spiritual in nature, or some natural process that our minds use to prepare us for real-life situations, it’s very clear that dreams often follow common themes and patterns.

Because of this, there are a few ways that you can keep track and make sense of them. Below we’re going to give you a short, step-by-step guide that will help you manage your dreams and get to the bottom of what they mean. 

1. Dream Journaling 

Keeping a dream journal can be a fun or essential thing for you depending on the types of dreams you’re having and how much they bother you.

We suggest getting a journal that you can use to record every one of your dreams that you remember.

2. Write When You Wake Up

We remember dreams best in the morning when we are newly refreshed from sleep. As soon as you wake up, go to your journal and write a few sentences describing what you saw.

It doesn’t have to be expertly written, just enough so that you can remember what you saw. You can list the events of your dream in a simplistic, straightforward way.

Make sure to write down any details that seemed important to you at the time. 

If you’ve had multiple dreams throughout a sleep cycle, you can separate them into ‘dream 1, and dream 2.’

3. Consider Emotions

Next, consider the emotions that came along with your dream. Did the images you saw make you nervous, happy, or sad?

Understanding the emotions that go along with the images can do wonders in working out why the images appeared in the first place.

4. Interpret 

In this article, we’ve mostly gone over roaches, but there are lots of other common motifs that people often encounter in their dreams.

Some of these have obvious meanings, so if you keep having the same situation or images, it’s time to consider what this might mean metaphorically. 

Consider your life and see if you can come to any conclusions. It’s worth noting that this is going to be personal to you, so it’s often best to do a lot of this reflection by yourself.

However, if you feel like you could use some help, picking a close friend or family member to speak to can help you to understand your dreams. 

5. Track Your Dreams

Over the course f the days, months, and years, take a look back through your dream journal and see if you can see any patterns. Let’s take our article topic of roaches, for example.

Have you had consistent, recurring dreams about roaches for an entire year? If you consider how these dreams change and interact depending on your waking life, then you might be able to understand why you’re having them. 

Finally, make sure to take notes on what the most common motifs and storylines of your dreams are. From these, you will be able to more easily interpret them and find out why they are so important to your life.

You could perhaps make a tally in the back of your journal to count how many of the same recurring dreams you’re having. 

6. Don’t Take It Too Seriously

If you’re having constant nightmares, then you’re likely to want these to stop. This can cause serious negative issues in your life.

If you find yourself worrying about sleeping because of dreams or nightmares, then there are likely things you need to address within your waking life. However, not all dreams are scary and don’t have to be taken that seriously.

If you keep dreaming of a specific image, it’s not necessarily something you should be concerned with. Remember, they are just dreams after all, and can’t physically hurt you in any way.