Individual traits, seasonal changes may influence ability to recall dreams

Key takeaways:

• Individuals with a positive attitude toward dreaming had better dream recall upon waking.
• Dream recall was also influenced by age, sleep patterns and seasonal changes.

In a cohort of healthy adults in Italy, being able to recall dreams upon waking was influenced by a number of factors, including sleep patterns, age, time of year and attitude toward dreaming, according to research.

“The study of dreaming and dreamless sleep is regarded as a fundamental experimental model in the search for the functional bases of human consciousness,” Valentina Elce, PhD, dream researcher at IMT School for Advanced Studies in Lucca, Italy, and colleagues wrote in Communications Psychology.

Although prior research has established that most individuals dream during sleep, recalling these dreams appears to vary from person to person.

The researchers sought to understand factors that influence dream recall by conducting a prospective, exploratory study of dream reports from 217 healthy Italian adults aged 18 to 70 years (women, n = 116) between March 2020 and March 2024.

Eligible participants had regular sleep/wake patterns, as well as 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night, with no prior diagnosis of sleep-related issues or conditions that could interfere with sleep.

Each participant underwent an initial screening interview and completion of comprehensive questionnaires, collection of actigraphic data and subjective dream recall via voice recorder over a 15-day span, and administration of cognitive tests.

The final analysis included 204 participants (mean age, 35.1 ± 12.5 years) and 2,900 morning reports.

According to the results, participants displaying a positive attitude toward dreaming, a tendency to let their minds wander and longer periods of lighter sleep were significantly more likely to recall their dreams.

Data further showed that younger participants had higher rates of dream recall, while older individuals experienced the sensation of having dreams but could not recall details, suggesting age plays a role in sleep-related memory processes.

Participants additionally reported seasonal changes in recall, with reduced recall during winter vs. spring, suggesting environment or circadian rhythms as potential influences.

“Data collected within this project will serve as a reference for future comparisons with clinical populations,” Elce and colleagues said in a related press release. “This will allow us to move forward the research on the pathological alterations of dreaming and their potential prognostic and diagnostic value.”

Reference:

• What makes us remember our dreams? https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1073502. Published Feb. 18, 2025. Accessed Feb. 19, 2025.