AFP – For some, dreams fade into the background as soon as they wake, while others can recall every vivid detail with perfect clarity. Why do some people remember their dreams so easily, while others can’t seem to hold onto a single image?
This baffling question has captivated scientists for decades, and now, a new study published in the journal Communications Psychology is shedding light on the mysterious mechanics behind dream memory.Previous research pointed to factors like age, gender, and a tendency to daydream as possible influencers, but the role of personality and cognitive abilities remained unclear. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, however, dreams became a hot topic again, with many people reporting more intense and frequent dreams, sparking renewed interest in what truly governs our ability to remember them.
To explore this phenomenon in more detail, researchers at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Italy, conducted a study involving over 200 participants aged between 18 and 70 between 2020 and 2024. For 15 days, they recorded their dream memories on waking daily using a voice recorder. At the same time, the researchers used wearable devices to analyse the quality of the participants’ sleep, and subjected them to psychometric tests to assess their cognitive function.
Each morning, the volunteers were asked to state whether they clearly remembered a dream, whether they retained a vague impression of it with no precise details, or whether they had no recollection of their dreams. The results of the study show that the ability to remember dreams varies considerably according to a number of factors. State of mind plays a key role, as people with a positive attitude to their dreams and a propensity for mind-wandering were more likely to remember them.
The structure of sleep also has a direct impact, particularly when light sleep phases are longer, which favours waking up in the middle of a dream sequence. The age of the participants also seems to play a decisive role. Younger adults retain their dreams more easily, while older people are more likely to experience a dream impression without retaining its content, a phenomenon scientists call “white dreams”.
Finally, seasonality also influences dream memory. The study reveals that dream memories are more frequent in spring than in winter, a difference that could be linked to circadian rhythms and environmental variations. In other words, remembering your dreams is not just a coincidence, “but a reflection of how personal attitudes, cognitive traits, and sleep dynamics interact”, explained study lead author and Professor in General Psychology Dr Giulio Bernardi in a news release.
This study serves as a reminder that dreaming is a multifaceted phenomenon, influenced by our psyche and biology. Beyond its scientific interest, this research sheds light on new clinical perspectives. “Data collected within this project will serve as a reference for future comparisons with clinical populations,” added author and researcher Dr Valentina Elce.
Understanding these alterations could make it possible to assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of dreams in certain diseases. So can we train ourselves to remember our dreams? Some specialists think so. Before going to sleep, it’s advisable to mentally repeat to yourself the intention of remembering your dreams, making this the last thought of the day.
When you wake up, it is best to avoid getting out of bed abruptly or allowing yourself to be distracted immediately – with your phone, for example. Instead, sit still and try to recall the sensations or images that cross your mind.
Keeping a dream diary can help. Writing down your impressions as soon as you wake up, in the form of keywords or images, helps to anchor memories to focus on these fleeting moments. Even if no specific dream seems to be present, a simple detail can be enough to revive the memory of a buried dream.
