If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night, feeling all hot and bothered after a more than unexpected, steamy dream, you’re not alone in this boat…or should I say bed. As misleading and confusing as they are, erotic dreams are quite a common occurrence.

And more often than not, they represent a way for your subconscious to send you certain messages about your inner emotions, anxieties, and fears. However, this doesn’t mean you should take everything to heart; after all, it’s just a dream!

If you want to know more about the meaning of your dream productions, here are 6 most common erotic dreams and what they might mean.

1. Sleeping with A Co-Worker

Romantic dreams involving a co-worker are quite common, but they don’t necessarily mean you actually want to hook up with them in real life as well. According to dream expert Lauri Loewenberg, author of Dream on It, Unlock Your Dreams Change Your Life, if you are already infatuated with a certain person at work, then the dream’s meaning is more than obvious.

However, if you’ve been dreaming about someone you wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole, you don’t need to worry about a possible crush, hidden deep down in your subconscious. Your dream might simply be caused by a recent encounter or interaction with that person, says Loewenberg. It may be that the co-worker has certain qualities that you appreciate and would also like to possess.

Next, ex marks the spot…..

2. Sleeping with An Ex

A “special” dream involving your ex is no reason for you to call back and rekindle your romance. The dream might have nothing to do with your ex anyway, says Lowenburg. “Strangely enough, we continue to dream about our first loves, even if we’ve moved on to a happy marriage. Don’t worry — it’s not that you want him back; it’s that you want what he represents back: excitement, bubbles, passion!

You are likely to get these dreams when your marriage gets a little too routine and humdrum, as all marriages do from time to time,” says Loewenberg. The exes that appear the most in our dreams are either our first love, someone with whom we still keep in touch or are connected to because of various circumstances or the ex we most recently broke up with.

Dreaming of an ex who left you heartbroken might be a sign that you haven’t emotionally healed yet. Until you stop having these kinds of dreams, you won’t be able to move forward with your life, says Loewenberg.

Don’t let this next dream boss you around…..

3. Sleeping with Your Boss

Dreaming about your boss might make things a little awkward the next time you see him prancing around the office, but it doesn’t mean you actually want to do the deed.  In most cases, erotic dreams are not about the person but more about what that person represents.

You might be attracted to the power, dominance, authority, or decision-making skills your boss possesses or interested in learning how to become a more authoritative person when it comes to various aspects of your life, either personal or professional.

The message of a dream involving your boss is to take over the reins of your life and be prepared to make whatever decisions you might have to, at any given moment.

Are you a stranger to this next dream?…..

4. Sleeping with A Stranger

“I call this the ‘mystery lover dream,’ and it is the most common of all erotic dreams. Many of us wonder if this dream is actually a glimpse of our soulmate who might be out there somewhere waiting for us,” Loewenberg says. Unfortunately for the more romantic of us, there’s no one waiting atop the Empire State Building.

Nevertheless, dreaming of making love to a complete stranger is not without any meaning. Through dreams, we might be shown different aspects of our personality, embodied as someone human. The lover in our dreams might be “the personification of the qualities we tend to associate with that gender”. Both men and women tend to dream about people that represent their female/male personality traits and qualities.

Most of the time, you already possess these qualities, so, you just need to merge them together so that you can be bold and assume command when the situation calls it and be kind and warmhearted when this is what you feel.

This next one is a bit of a cheat…..

5. Your Partner Is Cheating on You

The most important thing you need to remember in this sort of situation is that it’s just a dream. Make it your mantra and repeat it several times after you wake up in the morning instead of treating your partner like the cheater that he really …isn’t. It’s quite normal to feel upset and worried after having such a dream but, it’s almost never an indication that your significant other is doing the deed with someone else in real life.

Dreaming that your partner is getting pleasure somewhere else might indicate that you feel a little bit neglected by your significant other and that something, not someone, is keeping them from giving you the tender, love and caring that you deserve. Once you identify what that is, be it a new hobby, work or friends, try to find a middle ground, so that everyone is happy and content. You’ll soon notice that the dreams will stop ruining your nights and affect your mornings.

Finally, and the award goes to…..

6. Sleeping with A Celebrity

Dreaming of a hot, steamy night with Chris Hemsworth? Or a very personal lap-dance, courtesy of Channing Tatum? Regardless of which celebrity is co-starring in your dreams, there’s actually a pretty valid reason behind your choice.

To pinpoint what that is, think about the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about that celebrity. Is it the way they look? A movie with a storyline that resonates with something in your life? A movie title that mirrors one of your experiences?

Whether you really like that celebrity or not, just follow the thread and you will find out what it is your subconscious is trying to tell you about yourself through the celebrity cameo in your dreams.