Waking up from a dream only to find the details slowly slipping away can be a curious and somewhat frustrating experience, especially if it is a good one. You feel the remnants of emotion, the faintest images, and yet, you can’t recall the story behind them.
It’s a common occurrence that many of us have faced: that moment when we wake up feeling sure that we were just somewhere, but as the minutes pass, the memory of the dream fades away.
The phenomenon of dreaming is a universal human experience, yet the ability to remember these dreams varies greatly from person to person.
Despite the common belief that some people don’t dream at all, research suggests that nearly everyone dreams regularly. Erin Wamsley, an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Furman University, emphasises that even those who claim they never dream will often recall a dream when awakened during an active stage of sleep in a laboratory setting.
‘In sleep lab conditions, where everyone is forced to immediately reflect on dreams, most people remember at least one dream in a night,’ Wamsley tells Popular Science.
The only exception appears to be individuals who have lost the ability to dream due to brain damage or disease, which is accompanied by other significant effects.
The reason behind fleeting dream memories lies in the complex interplay between our sleep cycles and memory processes.
The factors that affect our dream memory
Dreams are most vivid and memorable when we wake up during or immediately after the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep. This stage is when the brain’s activity closely resembles that of our waking state, and it’s during REM sleep that we experience the most narrative and story-like dreams.
Wamsley notes that there’s an 80 per cent chance of remembering a dream upon waking from REM sleep, compared to a 50 per cent chance from other sleep stages.
But it’s not just about waking up during the right phase of sleep. The timing and manner of our awakening also play crucial roles.
As morning approaches, our brain activity ramps up, leading to lighter and more active sleep, which can make dreams more vivid and easier to recall.
However, the jarring sound of an alarm clock can disrupt this natural process, startling us out of deep sleep and immediately shifting our focus to the demands of the day, leaving little room for dream recollection.
But there’s more to the story than just sleep stages and wake-up methods.
The content and emotional intensity of our dreams significantly influence how well we remember them, says Jing Zhang, a cognitive neuroscience researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Emotional dreams, much like emotional memories in our waking life, tend to stick with us longer.
Studies show that personality traits, such as openness, have also been linked to increased dream recall.
And it turns out that variations in brain structure and function may predispose some individuals to remember their dreams more readily than others.
Simple strategies to improve dream recall
If you’re keen on improving your dream recall, there are a few strategies to consider. One simple method is to forgo the alarm clock for a few days, allowing yourself to wake up naturally.
Additionally, practising the habit of reflecting on your dreams as soon as you wake up can enhance your ability to remember them.
Zhang suggests that ‘Just like any memory task, if you practice it, you can get better at it.’
Dreams may play a role in helping the brain consolidate and prioritise memories, potentially rehashing aspects of our waking lives to determine what’s important to retain.
‘I think it can be very valuable for people to pay attention to their dreams—not necessarily to overanalyse their meaning, but to understand how dreaming is a sign your brain is doing important emotional and cognitive work,’ Zhang says.
‘By being aware of their dreams, people might notice patterns or emotions that reflect what their mind is working on, which can be helpful for self-reflection.’
In conclusion, the fleeting nature of our dream memories is a complex interplay of biological and psychological factors.
We would love to hear from you about your own experiences with dreams. Have you noticed any patterns or themes in your dreams that reflect your waking life? Share your stories and insights with the YourLifeChoices community in the comments below.
Also read: Wake up mid-dream? It could be your brain sending you a warning