Is it possible to remember dreams

REM sleep occurs at intervals throughout the night. The first period of REM may be 90 to minutes into the night. If it occurs early, in less than 15 minutes, this may be a sign of narcolepsy. REM periods become more prolonged towards morning.

As a result, the last third of the night may include mostly REM sleep. It is common to wake in the morning out of the last period of REM. Just because they are not recalled, the dreams associated with REM sleep are likely still occurring. There may be variability night-to-night and across the lifespan. There are a few possible explanations for dreams that cannot be remembered.

Some of these reasons include:. First, it is possible that REM sleep is not occurring or at least not occurring as much as normal. Medications may suppress REM sleep. In particular, antidepressants seem to have a powerful influence by delaying the onset or reducing the amount of REM sleep. Alcohol may also act as a REM sleep suppressant, at least until it wears off. If REM sleep is occurring, the vivid dreams that are associated with it may not be recalled.

If there is a transition from REM sleep to another state of sleep most often stage 1 or stage 2 , prior to recovering consciousness, the dreams may be forgotten. As a general rule, dreams fade quickly after waking. The electrical signals and chemical signatures that constitute the experience of the dream may disappear as wakefulness ensues, like a message written on a fogged mirror that vanishes as the steam evaporates. It is possible for elements of the dream to be recalled later in the day, perhaps triggered by an experience that reactivates the same area of the brain that created the dream overnight.

Particularly memorable dreams may create an impression that persists for decades. Recounting the dream to another person may help to stabilize the memory. Dreams or nightmares that are associated with intense emotions, including fear, may also stick in the mind.

The amygdala is an area of the brain that may help to elicit these emotion-laden dreams. It is more likely that dreams will be remembered if your state of REM sleep is fragmented. Alarm clocks notoriously interrupt REM sleep towards morning.

It is possible to fall back asleep and to re-enter the same dream experience repeatedly. Sleep disorders may impact dream recall. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea may also contribute to fragmented REM sleep as disturbed breathing occurs due to relaxation of the airway muscles. For some, this may lead to increased dream recall including dreams of drowning or suffocation.

People with narcolepsy also experience sudden sleep transitions that contribute to dream recall, sleep-related hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. Poor sleep habits, stress, and psychiatric conditions may also fragment sleep and increase dreaming and recall.

If you are interested in improving your dream recall, consider a simple change: keep a dream journal. By keeping a pen and a notebook on the nightstand next to the bed, it becomes easy to quickly record dreams immediately upon awakening, before they have had a chance to fade. Writing down your dream may encourage improvements in dream recall.

If the scribbled notes can be interpreted later in the morning, it may be possible to reflect on the meaning of your dreams. Dreams are a fascinating part of sleep. Though you may feel distressed by not remembering dreams, rest assured that this state of sleep is likely still occurring. The benefits yielded, from memory processing to learning and problem solving, are likely just below the surface of awareness.

As you fall asleep, imagine a world that might be, and it may come to you in the night. Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. However, there are exceptions, and people sometimes experience the opposite. Again, this is by no means a prescriptive rule, but there seems to be a correlation between certain personality traits and high dream recall.

The amount of sleep one gets on average is one of the most important factors related to dream recall. People dream every 90 minutes during the REM rapid eye movement sleep cycle. For this reason, some people report remembering more of their dreams on the weekend, when they have the chance to catch up on sleep. Thanks to brain imaging, scientists now have a better idea of which parts of the brain are associated with dreaming.

A part of the brain that processes information and emotions is more active in people who remember their dreams more often, according to a study. This region toward the back of the brain, called the temporo-parietal junction TPJ , may help people pay more attention to external stimuli.

In turn, this may promote something called instrasleep wakefulness. Perrine Ruby told the International Business Times. More recently, in , researchers discovered that high dream recall is also linked to higher activity toward the front of the brain.

Wu explains. This is especially true for those with nightmares, as a chronic or recurring scary or traumatic dream is a learned behavior by the brain. Wu says. Product Reviews. Home Ideas. United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. The Rise of the Cleanfluencer. Anna Blazhuk. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

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