1: Vault: What Does It Mean To Repeatedly Have The Same Nightmares?

Summary

The Bert Show: Vault — What Does It Mean To Repeatedly Have The Same Nightmares?

Air Date: February 10, 2026
Cast: Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy & call-in listeners

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Episode Overview

This episode delves into the phenomenon of recurring nightmares and what it might mean when you experience similar dreams over and over. The cast shares personal stories about their own nightmare experiences, discusses theories behind recurring dreams, and even takes calls from listeners about their dream issues. The conversation is lively, candid, and sprinkled with the Bert Show’s signature humor.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recurring Nightmares: Personal Experiences

• Initiating Story (01:39):

  • One cast member (D) shares that they've been plagued by “really crazy nightmares” that are not only vivid but feel familiar while dreaming, yet become “completely erased” upon waking except for one described scenario:

    “It’s like I am trying to save this homeless woman and her daughter... almost like this adventure movie.” (02:30, D)

  • These recurring nightmares cycle through “two or three themes” but are almost impossible to remember fully on waking, which is a source of frustration.

• Relating Experiences:

  • Other cast members (C, E) relate to the struggle of remembering dreams:

    “It’s so vivid when you wake up that you’re like, ‘I’ll remember this, no problem.’ ...and it’s gone completely.” (03:26, C)

  • They touch on how the brain might intentionally make it difficult to recall nightmares, speculating this could be a protective mechanism.

2. Themes of Recurring Dreams

• Being Attacked:

  • Bert (E) reveals a two-year pattern of nightmares during daytime naps, always involving being attacked — by dogs, sharks, or random people, although not in his regular night sleep:

    “I’m being attacked... Dobermans will attack me in one dream. The next day... sharks are attacking me... I could be in a mall and I’m getting mauled by a bunch of guys.” (04:43, E)

  • He’s kept notes for a week and finds the attack theme consistent.

• Dream Analysis:

  • The cast discusses potential reasons behind these dreams, linking them to personal stress and daily pressures:

    “Is there a responsibility you feel... this feeling of you being the lead in things and having all this responsibility and other people trying to take it away from you or compete?” (05:50, F)

  • Bert admits to chronic stress about work-life balance and not reaching his goal of being done with work by 5PM, though he can’t directly connect this to the “being attacked” dream theme.

• Symbolic Interpretation:

  • The cast reminisces about past interviews with dream analyst Carol Cummings, referencing popular interpretations (e.g., losing teeth = loss of control). They agree that dream symbols are general and it’s up to the dreamer to make direct associations (07:17).

3. Techniques for Remembering Dreams

• Listener Call-In — Banana Tip (08:16):
  • Caleb, a caller, suggests eating a banana before bed to improve dream recall:

    “If you eat a banana before you go to bed, your dream will be more vivid and your ability to remember it at the... when you wake up will be, you know, infinitely better.” (08:29, G)

  • The tip piques interest, with the cast expressing intent to try it as a playful solution.
  • The hosts also talk about the common experience of waking from a dream and being certain you'll remember it, only to have it vanish minutes later.

4. Dream Continuation Attempts & Embarrassing Confessions

• Trying to Re-enter Dreams:

  • Discussion on attempting to fall back asleep and continue a great dream:

    “Have you ever successfully been able to do it?” (09:28, D) “Never been able to do it.” (09:30, E)

  • One cast member admits to success once, celebrating a personal victory.

• Comic Relief:

  • Bert (E) shares tongue-in-cheek about never finishing “Megan Fox” dreams, prompting chuckles:

    “Mine usually has something to do with, like, Megan Fox. And I’m not done yet.” (09:37, E)

5. Listener Stories & Shared Fears

• Fear of Becoming a DJ? (09:57)
  • A second caller, Fernando, jokes about recurring nightmares of becoming a radio DJ for Q100 — the very station the show is on. Acknowledging the crazy schedule and pressure of radio, the cast shares a laugh:

    “At times I would say that this job is a little nightmare. So you may be awake.” (10:09, E)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• D (on elusive dream recall):

  “It’s the most bizarre thing... as soon as I wake up, they’re gone. And only one of them I have been able to sort of write down...” (02:23)

• C (on vanishing vivid dreams):

  “It’s so vivid when you wake up that you’re like, ‘I’ll remember this, no problem.’ ...And literally... it’s gone completely.” (03:26)

• E (on recurring attack dreams):

  “Every single one. Yeah, I mean, not so scary that I’m afraid to fall asleep, but I know it’s gonna be a bad dream.” (04:11)

• F (on work-life pressures as possible triggers):

  “Maybe you feel like you’re... there’s always something keeping you from what you want to do...” (06:38)

• Listener Caleb (dream recall tip):

  “If you eat a banana before you go to bed, your dream will be more vivid...” (08:29)

• E (comic sign-off):

  “Mine usually has something to do with, like, Megan Fox. And I’m not done yet.” (09:37)

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Key Timestamps

• 01:39 – Introduction of nightmares discussion; D describes their experience.
• 02:30 – D shares the recurring dream about saving a homeless woman and her daughter.
• 03:26 – C discusses the fleeting nature of dream recall.
• 04:43 – Bert reveals two years of “being attacked” nightmares.
• 05:50 – F/dream analysis linking nightmares to responsibilities and stress.
• 07:17 – Cast discusses dream symbolism with reference to dream analysts.
• 08:16 – Listener “Caleb” shares banana tip for remembering dreams.
• 09:28 – Discussion about returning to dreams after waking.
• 10:02 – Listener “Fernando” jokes about nightmares of becoming a DJ.

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Tone and Atmosphere

The conversation is candid, warm, and relatable, peppered with light-hearted jokes, honest admissions, and camaraderie (“Too much info!”). The hosts manage to balance humor with genuine curiosity and empathy about the anxiety and frustration surrounding recurring nightmares.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode provides entertaining and insightful takes on why recurring nightmares might happen, how people experience and remember (or forget) them, and the possible connections these dreams have to everyday stress and life changes. With both expert references and community tips (eat a banana!), The Bert Show bridges the universal human experiences of dreaming, anxiety, and the search for answers — all while keeping listeners laughing and engaged.

Transcript

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[C]

The Birch show so I've been having.

[D]

Really crazy nightmares and the weirdest part about them is that when I'm in them, they're recurring. And when I'm in the middle of the dream, you know I will.

[C]

What do you mean when you're in them?

[D]

Like when I'm in the middle of dreaming them, there's a familiarity to it. So I've been there before, but as soon as I wake up, they're gone. And only one of them I have been able to sort of write down, you know, because it's kind of driving me crazy because it's just that weird space between sleep and awake for like 10 seconds I can remember, okay, I've just woken up from a nightmare. It's the one I have all the time, and then it's gone.

[E]

So it's the exact same nightmare.

[D]

There are two or three themes in.

[C]

Them I totally know what you're talking about.

[E]

You know what I mean? Hold on. I just want to get. I want to find out exactly what's going on.

[D]

It's like, it's like two or three themes that are in them. And once I'm in them, they're familiar, but when I wake up, they're gone again. It's the most bizarre thing and only one of them that I can remember. And it's like I am trying to save this homeless woman and her daughter. Okay. I have no idea why, but it's like this, almost like this like adventure movie of trying to like save this homeless woman and her daughter from their bad situation or whatever. So I don't know. My friends have tried to interpret that one, but we'll just leave that be. So, so. And then there's two or three more that when I'm in the middle of them, I go, okay, I've been here before, I know what this feels like, whatever. And then when I wake up in like two seconds, it's there and then it's completely erased and completely gone. It's driving me nuts because I'm like, I want to be able to at least know what they are in my conscious mind because they're so familiar in my subconscious. Isn't that weird?

[C]

And it's so vivid when you wake up that you're like, I'll remember this, no problem. And literally that happens to me all the time with good dreams. God, that was a great dream. I gotta remember. And it's gone completely. And you almost have to wonder if that's for the nightmare. I don't know, like for me with regular dreams, I don't know what it is, but for the nightmares, I almost wonder if that's your brain saying you don't need to remember.

[E]

When did you start having deleting it?

[C]

You know what I mean?

[D]

I mean, I've had recurring dreams over the years, but these have been, I don't know, I mean, definitely months and months.

[E]

So does it go with the personal stress?

[D]

Probably, but I think. I think it's been going on longer than that. But I don't know, probably.

[E]

I told Jeff that probably for, I don't know, two years now, when I take my nap in the daytime, and this is the one where my body wakes me up after five minutes. It's a five minute nap, it's quick, I'm out. But I always dream and probably for the last two years, it's been nightmares. Every single one. Yeah, I mean, not so scary that I'M afraid to fall asleep, but I know it's gonna be a bad dream. So when Jen and I talked about this a couple of weeks ago, I started keeping track of them and I do remember them when I wake up. And there's a reoccurring theme in all of them now.

[C]

Really?

[E]

Yeah.

[F]

What is it?

[E]

I'm being attacked. So in a dream it's. Dobermans will attack me in one dream. The next day when I go down, sharks are attacking me. I could be in a mall and I'm getting mauled by a bunch of guys that are attacking me. And I've only taken notes on it like the last week because I knew we would be talking about it. So I'm always being attacked every dream two years during my nap.

[D]

Really?

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

I wonder what somebody, you know, what a dream analyst would say about that is. Why are, you know, why are you feeling so attacked? I don't know why are you having this, you know, this consistent thing? But the strange thing to me is it's different scenarios all the time.

[E]

Yes. But it's the same current theme and that's only for my nap. Now. My dreams at night, overnight are totally different and totally fine. Like last night. It's funny we're talking about this today. I had this really great dream about surfing with my best friend.

[F]

Cool.

[E]

And I woke up when the baby woke up at like 3:11. I was kind of ticked, but I was like, oh, but I just got off that big wave. This is cool. It's only those five minute right naps when I fall right into that REM sleep.

[F]

Well, I mean, from the outside looking in, I mean, like you said, you know, there's different things going on with you and stuff. But with Bert, I think that again from the. Cause that's in the middle of a workday. So I wonder if you feel, is there a responsibility you feel, you know, in the past couple years, I don't know whether it's because Hollis is in your life. And now we, you know, have moved to bigger signal. Whatever. Just this feeling of you being the lead in things and having all this responsibility and other people trying to take it away from you or compete with or something. That's. That's the first thought I had.

[E]

No, I mean, I think the current theme in my day, every day, is my goal is to be done with work at 5 o' clock so I can hang out with the family. And I fail miserably every single day. So I'm always rushed to get to that five o' Clock point. But I don't know how that would be interpreted in my head as being attacked. Maybe because Stacy talks to me about it so much.

[F]

Or maybe you feel like you're. There's always something keeping you from what you want to do, or. I mean, I don't know.

[D]

I don't know.

[C]

You don't have a dream. Well, this wouldn't help. What hobby we have it. You know, we've had Carol Cummings on, who is a really good dream analyst. And she. She's written books and she does the whole. Oh, well, this is. This means this, like, general. You know, speaking in general symbolism. Like, oh, you being attacked is a reference to this. And the person being attacked at the mall is a reference to this. And then it's your job to figure out how those apply to your life. She doesn't say, well, here's what's going on in your life. But she says, well, generally speaking, like.

[E]

If your teeth are falling out of your face, that means that you're out of control or something like that.

[D]

I used to have one where I would be stuck in a hallway and trying to get out of a building. And the hallway would shrink as you got down to the end of it. And then I'd have to turn around and go back, and turn around and go back.

[C]

Willy Wonka.

[D]

It was like. Yeah, it was kind of like John Malkovich or whatever, you know, just being sort of stuck in this building and not being able to get out. But that was a long time ago. But I could remember that one. That's what's driving me nuts about these. I can't remember.

[E]

Good morning, Caleb.

[G]

Hey, how's it going, guys?

[E]

Okay. How are you?

[G]

Good. Hey. Incidentally, who's more metro? I missed out. I heard the first part yesterday, but I missed out on who is legitimately more metro.

[E]

We'll do part two today and get our final scores.

[D]

It's a straight up time.

[E]

I mean, we're really splitting hairs here.

[F]

Yeah, with a little hair gel. They're tied right now.

[G]

Oh, okay. So you never got to part two.

[E]

No.

[G]

Okay.

[E]

Okay.

[G]

Gotcha.

[E]

That what you're calling for?

[G]

No. I was calling because of. You eat bananas before you go to bed. It helps you remember your dreams when you wake up.

[D]

Really?

[F]

Really.

[E]

Like the potassium in it or something will make you remember.

[G]

That's what. Yeah, that's the. I don't know if it's the potassium or something else in the banana, but if you eat a banana before you go to bed, your dream will be more vivid in Your ability to remember it at the. When you wake up will be, you know, infinitely better. I've tried it because I've had the same situation that Ben's had the same. Same dream over and over and over. No, I'm having the same dream. Can't remember it when I wake up. And the night before next morning, oh, that's what I was doing.

[E]

And then you tell yourself too, like, as soon as you wake up, I'll remember that tomorrow morning. And then you wake up and you never remember because it's usually.

[D]

Well, I will. Like, they're so bad that I will wa up in the middle of the night, sit up, and I'm like, sweating, you know, and then I'll. And then I'll be like, oh, I'll definitely remember that. And then. So you try to roll over and go back to bed, and then it's gone.

[E]

Yeah. Or.

[D]

But I'm gonna try the banana thing.

[E]

That works other ways also. Like, if you have a great dream, like, I've done that deal also where you're having this killer dream, and then you're like, I am going back to sleep and I am finishing that one out.

[D]

Have you ever successfully been able to do it?

[E]

Never been able to do it.

[D]

I think I only have once.

[E]

Really?

[D]

Yeah. And I was so happy when I woke up the second time. Went back to it.

[E]

Mine usually has something to do with, like, Megan Fox. And I'm.

[A]

I'm not done yet.

[E]

I'm not done with you, little girl.

[C]

Too much info.

[G]

Thank you.

[E]

Real quick. Fernando, you're on Q100. Good morning.

[C]

Hello.

[E]

Hello. Hey, you sound like a Fernando. Hola, Fernando.

[G]

Hola.

[D]

What's up?

[G]

Anyway, yeah, anyways, I've had nightmares about becoming a DJ for Q100.

[D]

Do you really?

[G]

Yeah, I'm not trying to be a sales over anything, but yeah, I am a DJ, but not for Q1 injury.

[E]

Well, at times I would say that this job is a little nightmare. So you may be awake. You may.

[C]

For the record, I have those same nightmares.

[E]

The bird show.