Okay, I have a quick speculation, if you see this Arcadean could you possibly confirm or deny it?
SPOILERS AHEAD
But my idea is that the dreams you have are actually windows into the other you's, for example I believe that the dream about pressing a button and hearing the roaring machine take out life is a look into the past life of 16, when he activated the machine that created the super hot portion of the desert in Roxy's Demesne (I forgot the specific name lol). But yeah, I think the dreams are like glimpses into the past you's, and whatever major event they are focused around.