Dream Meaning of Mattress

In traditional Turkish dream interpretation, a mattress (döşek) is much more than a piece of bedding. It stands for the dreamer's home life, marriage, comfort and material standing. For a man in particular, a mattress is often taken to represent his wife or the woman who keeps his household, and its condition is read as a reflection of her character and of the couple's fortunes. Some commentators add that simply seeing a mattress can herald unusual happiness. What happens to the mattress in the dream, and what it looks like, carries the real message.

Seeing a New, Wide, Soft Mattress

If you dream of a mattress that is broad, comfortable and freshly made, the old commentators take this as a very good sign. It points to a long life, steady prosperity and a home free from financial anxiety. It can also mean that your spouse is gentle, obedient and dignified, and that the marriage itself is on solid ground. In the older tradition, the width of the mattress represents the wife's beauty, its newness her youth and good nature, and its softness her obedience. Such a mattress is sometimes read as a promise of increased authority and success in managing your affairs.

Thin, Torn or Worn Mattress

A mattress that is thin, shabby or coming apart at the seams is one of the less cheerful images. It is traditionally linked with a shorter span of life and with having to make do on very modest means. It can also indicate sorrow and distress, especially if the mattress is cut into pieces or hanging in rags. When the surface of the mattress appears to be wearing thin in the dream, some interpreters say death is drawing nearer and the body will grow weak.

Color of the Mattress

Colors add another layer of meaning. A white mattress is thought to show that the wife, or the dreamer, has a sound and sincere faith. A green mattress is a sign that family life is orderly and harmonious. A black mattress, on the other hand, suggests dissatisfaction with one's spouse or a lack of harmony in the home. These color readings belong to the older folk tradition, but they still appear in modern Turkish dream books.

Mattress Made of Wool, Cotton or Satin

The material of the mattress is also meaningful. A mattress stuffed with wool, goat hair or cotton is said to indicate that the woman of the house is skilful, hardworking and well provided for. If the mattress is made of satin or a similarly luxurious fabric, the dream is read as a sign of a very passionate nature, especially in the wife. Softer materials generally point to a more agreeable and manageable partner, while rougher or poorer materials suggest a more difficult domestic situation.

Selling, Losing or Burning a Mattress

One of the strongest warnings in the tradition is the dream of taking a mattress to market and selling it. For a married man this is usually interpreted as divorce. If his wife is already ill, it may mean she will die. In the same way, losing a mattress, having it stolen or watching it burn is a bad omen for worldly possessions and sometimes for the dreamer's own life. Dropping a mattress is said to mean that the world will turn its back on you.

A Wild Animal on the Mattress

If you see a wild animal lying on top of the mattress, the old interpreters warn of a treacherous person who is plotting against your wife or your family honour. It suggests that someone with bad intentions is trying to come between husband and wife, or to harm the household in some hidden way. The animal is not the threat itself but a sign that such a person exists and is actively scheming.

Rolled, Folded or Carried Mattress

A rolled-up mattress is classically a sign of travel or of moving to a foreign land. If you carry a folded mattress on your shoulder, it can mean you will migrate from your present home to a place you have never been before. Carrying a mattress in hot weather is another image of sorrow and hardship. A mattress that is spread out and ready to sleep on, however, is a good sign: your livelihood will expand and your money worries will ease. A mattress that has been gathered away or put aside suggests that your words will no longer carry weight and that good fortune is moving away from you.

Sitting or Lying on a Mattress

In the folk tradition, any mattress, cushion or carpet that you sit or lie on in a dream can stand for art, craft and the things that sustain you in daily life. Seeing a mattress together with pillows and sheets is sometimes read as referring to your neighbours or to the tools of your trade. If you see another person sitting on a mattress, it may mean you will buy a piece of land, and if you are at war, it is a sign that you will come through safely.

As with most dream symbols, the mattress asks you to look closely at its state and at what happens to it. In one dream it can be a promise of comfort and a good marriage, in another a warning of loss and separation. The old Turkish dream books agree that it is first and foremost a symbol of home, spouse and worldly welfare, and its message should always be read in that light.