Dream on: soaring through the sky? Being chased by bad guys? We tell you what those wacky dreams really mean!

So you wake up in the wee hours of the morning totally freaked out because you just had this bizarre dream in which your BF's head turned into a pumpkin and your BFF was wearing a gorilla suit. Yikes!

Don't worry. Wacky, off-the-wall dreams are quite normal. Everybody has 'em. In fact, scientists have found that, when puberty strikes, the straightforward dreams of childhood decrease and the surreal, highly symbolic dreams of adolescence increase.

Little kids tend to dream about simple things--animals, familiar people, playing, eating, normal day-to-day stuff. But teens' dreams are more complex and the images more metaphorical--flying, falling and pumpkin heads.

Plus, all the growing and changing your body does requires you to get more sleep. And, obviously, more sleep equals more dreams.

What Does it All mean?

Your dreams are created by your unconscious, that "hidden" part of your mind that keeps track of your experiences, thoughts and emotions. The cool thing is that dreams can help you uncover underlying feelings and thoughts about stuff going on in your life.

Dreams often provide wisdom and insight on how to deal with certain situations. They can also help you focus on things you're too busy to notice.

The tricky part is that dreams play out in a sort of symbolic code. Kind of how your English teacher tries to get you to find the symbolism in a story. So, no, your BF's head isn't going to turn into a pumpkin. It's a symbol for something deeper and more interesting.

While everyone's dreams are totally different, there are some common themes. Any of these sound familiar?

Good Wacky

I'm walking home from school when, all of a sudden, I'm flying. I don't even have to flap my arms. I just float above the street! I'm kind of surprised, but then I realize I knew how to fly all along. If float over my neighborhood until I get to my house.

Flying dreams are often linked to your feelings about your abilities and independence. In this case, the joy of discovering you know how to fly means you're satisfied with your current level of freedom and you feel confident in being able to get where you want to go.

Different types of flying dreams have different meanings. If you are trying to fly away from something in your dream, you may be trying to avoid responsibilities. If you are trying to fly but can't get yourself off the ground, that might mean that you feel stuck and limited in your freedom. (Did you recently get grounded by your parents?). If you're flying while friends and family look on, you might be trying to get their attention.

I'm walking around in my house. I know it's my house, but there are all these extra rooms in it. It's so gorgeous, like a movie star's house I start planning a party, and I know it will be great because my house is so beautiful.

Finding new rooms in an otherwise familiar place is a major self-esteem booster. The new space represents bud ding talents or developing areas of your personality. In this case, planning a bash in your new "movie star house" might mean you feel confident and socially together. You're growing into a more complex, interesting you!

I'm at a huge bash with all my buds. We're having an awesome time, when Justin Timberlake shows up. He asks me to dance and then kisses me!

Justin, huh? Celebs show up in dreams because a) you want what they have (fame, fortune, killer dance steps), b) you want to feel important, popular or admired, or c) you're recognizing your own "star" qualities.

What's going on in your life? If you have a dance recital coming up or have to give an oral report, you might yearn for star power and charisma.

If you've been feeling lonely or left out by friends, then the celeb dream could be a signal that you're feeling a little socially insecure.

But if your life is rockin', the star-studded dream mirrors your good feelings about yourself. You're a popstar!

Bad Wacky

I'm in a warehouse, being chased by some creepy bad guys. I see a door in front of me, and I know it's the way out. But no matter how fast I run, I can't reach the door. It just gets farther and farther away.

Chase dreams can be scary, especially when you can't seem to get away. But these dreams are universal. Nearly everyone has had a chase dream at some point. The "chase" represents your worries. What stresses you? It might be a problem you don't want to deal with, a person causing you trouble or an emotional issue you don't want to face. Your dream is telling you to confront that.

And those dreams in which you're trying to run but your legs don't seem to get you anywhere? Those are usually a variation on the chase dream, with the added message that you feel stuck.

I get to school and have to take a final for a class I've never attended. I don't even know where the classroom is! I tell the principal I'm not in that class, but it turns out I signed up for it and should have been going all year. I know I'm going to fail.

Ugh. You're in school while you sleep! This dream reflects worries you already have. Do you have a big project due or an upcoming, stress-laden event? You can't hide from it forever, and you can't rely on others to get you out of it. Time to buckle down and get to work.

Wacky Wacky

I'm invited to this really cool party. I show up and realize I'm wearing my underwear, nothing else! I'm so embarrassed, but no one else seems to care.

At least you were wearing undies. Most dreams of this type leave even less to the imagination. Nudity dreams often represent fears about revealing too much--thoughts, emotions or beliefs--and being criticized. Feeling embarrassed indicates you might be nervous about letting other people really get to know you, especially in social situations. But the fact that no one cared you were practically naked indicates you know your friends are comfy with who you are.

At school, I meet my BF next to his locker. As I'm talking to him, his head turns into a pumpkin and rolls away. My BF walks over, dressed in a gorilla suit. We both watch the pumpkin head roll down the hall, but nobody tries to pick it up. Then, my BFF eats a banana.

If you're close to the friends in your dream, the dream is likely trying to tell you something about your relationships. Your BF's head turns into a pumpkin and rolls away? Perhaps you're worried he doesn't listen when you talk to him. Because you don't chase after the pumpkin, you probably take his indifference for granted. Your BFF is a gorilla? Weird! Does she act ape-like (childish or brutish) when she doesn't get her way? As for the banana? Your BFF likes practical jokes...or bananas.

RELATED: UNDERSTANDING YOUR WACKIEST DREAMS

Since your brain makes your dreams up, it also holds the key to their meanings. Once you learn to identify the symbols in your dream (significant people, animals, objects and events), you can link those symbols to what your unconscious is trying to tell you. Next time you wake up, think for a moment about the biggest theme in your dream, then check it against out list!

Common Wacky Dream Themes

Falling. Falling dreams are a signal that things feel out of control. Perhaps you feel overwhelmed with trying to keep things together. Are you totally stressed out and afraid you can't do it all anymore? Falling dreams might also serve as a warning that you're involved in something that's not good for you. Are you heading for a fall?

Cars. Cars usually symbolize your sense of self--The way you approach problems and reach goals. If the car is sleek and sporty, you probably feel the same way about yourself. If the car is out of control or heating for a crash, you might be doing something you don't feel good about. The car that stalls and rolls backward could mean you are having trouble moving forward and tacking a problem.

Public potty breaks. There is nothing worse than really having to go. But how embarrassing would it be to use the bathroom in full view of people or in any other unsuitable location? These dreams suggest you need to relieve yourself of a secret or a worry, but you are feeling anxious or self-conscious about letting go of it. Of course, this dream could also mean you need to wake up pronto and use the nearest (private) bathroom.

Getting lost. Dreams about not being able to find your way are pretty straightforward. Is there any area of your life in which you feel "lost"--at school, with friends, with your family, spiritually? This dream might offer clues to "finding yourself."

Making out with someone. Some of the weirdest dreams are those in which you find yourself smooching with someone totally bizarre. It could be that you have a raging crush on Dream Boy and are engaging in a little wish fulfillment. But the dream kiss could also mean you simply admire the person you are pecking or desire to have something that person has. Of course, it could just mean you want a little romance in you life and, if not in reality, dreams will have to do.

Death. Dreaming about death can be totally creepy. But remember, when someone dies in a dream it does not mean she or he is going to die in real life. It doesn't even mean you want them to die. Nightmares that involve death are not real. At all. In any way. But death dreams might indicate that a change is needed. If you dream about your own death, it could mean you are involved in some self-destructive behavior or an unhealthy friendship. If someone you know dies in the dream, that might indicate that you have been neglecting that person or not treating her well. The death of an unknown person could represent a part of your personality, such as a talent you aren't using or an important quality that is going to waste.