Dreams take us to a surreal world where logic and reason do not rule. But does everyone make this night trip to dreamland? Most people remember about one or two dreams a week, and some say they don't dream at all. A 2015 study found that a small fraction of the population - about one in 250 people - reports that they have not remembered a single dream in their entire life. But what distinguishes people who do not remember their dreams from those who do? Can the brain stop creating dreams and how does the brain work in those who never dream? Let's figure it out.
Why do we dream?
The 2015 study author, Rafael Wallat, a neuroscientist specializing in sleep and dream research at the University of California, believes that dreams are "one of the last frontiers in our understanding of the human mind." And studying dream memories - which parts of the brain are involved - can help scientists unravel some of the mysteries of the mind. The work of Wallat and others in the field has revealed a number of interesting details that seem to separate those who dream from those who don't. But first, we should probably clarify that almost everyone has dreams. In fact, dreams can contribute to problem solving, memory enhancement, and emotional control.
Probably, creative people are more likely to remember their dreams.
At the same time, experts note that forgetting dreams is absolutely normal from the point of view of the health and functioning of the brain. Typically, dream memories fade quickly. When we wake up, our memory is especially fragile. The sharp sound of the alarm clock is sometimes enough to distract us, preventing fleeting memories of dreams from being recorded in long-term memory. However, for unknown reasons, some people remember their dreams better than others. While science still has a long way to go in understanding dream memory, it seems that differences in the brain, individual characteristics, and aspects related to sleep itself play a role in these processes.
Personality type affects the ability to remember dreams
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In 2017, a study was published in the Journal of the American Psychological Association (ARA), according to which there are some personality differences between those who dream and do not dream. The work is based on personality testing methods such as the Big Five concept. Testing is necessary to understand which personality traits affect dream recall.
The idea is that certain aspects of life can influence certain aspects of dreams. And the personality type probably influences the person's attitude to the dream in general. Those who tend to think logically and analytically are less likely to pay attention to dreams. Thus, according to the researchers, individual differences between those who dream and do not dream may also be associated with differences in brain function. And therefore, how the brain works can affect a person's ability to remember dreams.
The area of the brain responsible for dreaming is also involved when we think about ourselves or others in the past or future. According to Rafael Vallat, in a dream, this area is as active as in the moment of waking in those who dream regularly. Perhaps this is the reason why some people remember their dreams better than others. However, it can also make such people more prone to fantasy flights in general. Also, according to the results of another 2017 study, the brain of those who dream of dreams is more responsive to sounds during sleep, which indicates differences in the activity of the so-called temporoparietal lobe - the information processing center in the brain. Thus, it is not surprising that such people are more likely to wake up at night and have longer periods of wakefulness, as confirmed by another study by Wallat.
And yet, for most people, most of the memory of dreams comes down to individual characteristics - some are under our control and some are not. Scientists also know that women, on average, are more likely to remember their dreams than men. By the way, you can discuss with the participants of our Telegram chat whether you remember your dreams and why.
Sleep quality is the main reason why we remember our dreams
A good night's sleep is good not only for your health, but also for preserving your dream memories. People who are "dreamless" tend to sleep poorly. Scientists believe that good sleep helps us remember dreams better.
People who use alcohol and marijuana also tend to forget their dreams, Wallat said, since alcohol and THC negatively impact REM sleep. And yet, Michael Schroedl, a researcher at the Central Institute for Mental Health in Germany who has studied a wide range of factors that can affect the memory of dreams, believes that the best way to remember your dreams is to keep a dream diary immediately after waking up. However, if you are not sure if you are dreaming, there is one effective way to check it. You need to set an alarm for every hour during the night. Every time you wake up, ask yourself if you were asleep and then write it down. Most likely, you will find yourself dreaming about something at least half the night.
Lyubov Sokovikova