GETTY-STOCK One-in-10 people polled said they often dreamed of being sacked

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One-in-10 said they often dreamed of being sacked, with 4 per cent even saying they had had nightmares in which their boss tried to kill them. Asked to reveal their nightmares, 35 per cent said they had bad dreams involving falling, 28 per cent being completely lost and 21 per cent said they had dreamed of all their teeth falling out. When it came to work nightmares, however, Brits dreamed most of being late for work. Just over one-fifth of those polled, however, said that dreams were not always nightmares, with 21 per cent saying they often dreamed about having a fling with a co-worker. The survey, by leading online jobs board Totaljobs, found that despite tossing and turning with work nightmares, Brits also had some 'sweet dreams', topped by winning the lottery. The research discovered that self-doubt and insecurity was at the root of work nightmares, with 29 per cent saying they had nightmares because they dwell on mistakes they have made at work, with 19 per cent blaming lack of job security.

A total of 13 per cent said the nightmares were caused by feeling they 'weren't up to the job' and would be 'found out' by bosses. Accounts worker Craig Hunter, 34, of Norwich, said he was plagued by nightmares about work at least once a week. He said: "I don't just dream about work in a boring matter-of-fact way, I actually wake up sweating about it. "I've dreamed about being chased into the toilets, being attacked by the boss, getting locked in at night and turning up at work in just my shoes." He added: "It's not pleasant at all and I now try to meditate before going to bed to try and stop the nightmares from coming." Psychologist and dreams expert, Dr Ian Wallace, said: "Dreams and nightmares are how we naturally attempt to resolve the accumulated emotional tension from all the information we unconsciously absorb everyday.

GETTY-STOCK Dreams and nightmares are how we naturally attempt to resolve the emotional tension we accumulate

"Most of this tension is generated from encountering conflicts and challenges at work, particularly with colleagues, and so it's natural that our jobs count for a lot of our dream activity. "However, the work environments and colleagues we create in our dreams are not those actual places and people, but rather symbols of personal realisation and development. "For example, dreaming about getting a pay rise or being promoted are subtle ways of recognising untapped talent that is waiting to be brought to the surface. "Even a nightmare about being sacked indicates a chance to step out of your comfort zone and make your own career choices. Ironically, this actually demonstrates leadership skills and often results in promotion." David Clift, of totaljobs, said: "This study really highlights the scale in which work is invading our sleep and how it is predominantly due to work concerns and stresses that are taken home from the office. "It's of course natural that our jobs count for a lot of our dream activity, especially when facing challenges and conflicts in the workplace. "But we hope that from conducting this study, employers begin to understand how important it is to offer actionable advice to their employees."