"Why don't I remember my dreams?" Here's why and what to do
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
Discover why you can't remember your dreams when you wake up. Plus, 5 strategies to help you improve dream recall including maximizing the REM stage of sleep.
Of all the things we know about sleep, dreams still leave us scratching our heads. Dreams might be vivid, strange, frightening, or just plain mundane. Their purpose and meanings have intrigued humans for centuries and we still haven’t quite figured out why we have them.
Dreaming can be an exciting and intriguing part of sleep—a part of our nights that you might say is worth remembering. Yet, for many of us, our dreams fade when we wake. Why is that?
How dreams work
Sleep isn't one long block of time where your brain switches off. Instead, it's a complex sequence of phases, each with unique physiological and neurological features. Every night, as you drift into sleep, your brain is busy at work through the various stages of sleep.
Understanding what your brain might be doing can give insight into why you dream and why you sometimes remember—or forget—those dreams.
Dreaming during REM sleep
The most vivid, often bizarre, and memorable dreams are played out in the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) part of sleep. This stage gets its name because your eyes move rapidly beneath your eyelids.
During REM, the brain is buzzing with activity, showing similar patterns to when you're awake. As the night wears on, REM stages get longer, meaning you’re in prime dream territory just before you wake up.
Dreaming during non-REM sleep
While REM might induce the most vivid dreams, non-REM sleep is equally significant. It’s the sleep phase before REM, and it has three stages.
Phase 1: The lightest phase when you're just nodding off.
Phase 2: The next phase where your heart rate slows down and your body temperature drops.
Phase 3: Deep restorative sleep when your body grows and repairs itself.
While dreams can occur in non-REM, they're usually less detailed and more thought-like than the vivid narratives brought about by REM sleep.
Either way, whether or not you’re in a phase of sleep that’s reliving memories or processing emotions, your dreaming brain is constantly filled with activity.
Why you don’t remember your dreams
If you’ve ever experienced a dream slipping away you’re not the only one. It’s common to wake up from a specific dream and feel it disappear as you become more and more awake. If the dream was meaningful or something you were hoping to remember this can be hugely frustrating. There are many reasons, however, why this happens and understanding them might help you hold on to those dreams a bit longer.
Stress
When stress takes center stage in your life, it can affect your sleep patterns and, subsequently, your dream recall. Your brain is so preoccupied with the stressors that it’s harder to store and remember the dreams you have during the night.
Sleep disorders
Conditions like sleep apnea, insomnia, or restless leg syndrome can prevent you from entering the deep stages of sleep. These interruptions can disturb the dream cycle, so even if you do dream, waking up frequently can make it hard to remember those dreams by morning.
Lack of REM sleep
If you need more REM time at night, you might miss out on dream sequences. Several factors can shorten or disrupt your REM sleep, like some medications, alcohol, or not getting enough sleep overall.
Waking up outside REM phase
When you wake up during a REM phase, the dream is still fresh. But recalling a dream is far more difficult if you wake up outside this phase, especially during deep non-REM sleep. That's one reason alarm clocks can sometimes stop you from remembering dreams—they can pull you out of sleep when you’re not in a REM phase, making dream recall more difficult.
Brain chemistry
Neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, crucial for memory, are at lower levels during REM sleep. Some scientists believe this could be the brain's way of filtering out unnecessary information, allowing only significant dreams or emotions to be stored in your long-term memory.
Age
As we age, our sleep patterns shift. Older adults spend less time in REM sleep than younger individuals. This might contribute to fewer dream recollections.
Lack of attention
Sometimes, it’s a straightforward answer: if you don’t consider dreams important or you're too rushed in the morning, you might not give yourself time to reflect on them, and they fade away.
How to remember your dreams: 8 strategies to improve dream recall
Sometimes dreams are so exciting and vivid that we want to hold on to the feeling long after we’ve woken up. Luckily, there are a few strategies you can implement to make dream recall easier. Try one or all of these tips and see if they help you to remember your dreams. It often takes a bit of practice.
1. Keep a dream journal
Keeping a dream journal by your bedside can work wonders. The moment you wake up, even in the middle of the night, jot down whatever dream fragments you can remember. Over time, this practice can train your brain to recall dreams better.
💙 One of the best ways to hang onto your dreams is to write them down. Try Calm’s Dream Journal to help you get started.
2. Prioritize quality sleep over quantity
Getting a solid night's rest improves the chances of remembering your dreams. A consistent sleep routine, a comfortable bed, meditation and a dark, quiet environment can lead to more time spent in the REM sleep phases —where the most vivid dreams happen.
💙 If your sleep hygiene could use a boost, try our 7 Days of Sleep program. It can help you get a better night of quality sleep so you wake up feeling rested and remembering your dreams.
3. Plan to dream
Where there’s a will, there’s a way. If you hope to remember your dreams, make a plan. Before drifting off, tell yourself: "Tonight, I will remember my dreams." Surprisingly, setting a conscious intention can boost your dream recall.
4. Limit distractions before bedtime
Scrolling through social media or watching TV right before bed can overstimulate your brain. The same goes for that late-night caffeine. These distractions can disrupt your sleep and might also overshadow dream recall. Try reading a book or practicing some meditation to wind down.
💙 If you feel tempted to use your device before bed, press play on one of our Sleep Stories.
5. Tell people about your dreams
Sometimes talking about your dreams can help solidify their place in your memory. Share them with family or friends, even if they're fragments or feelings. Sometimes, talking about them can lead to sudden recollections or bright ideas.
“Why don’t I remember my dreams?” FAQs
What does it mean if you don't remember your dreams?
Not recalling dreams doesn't mean you do not have them. Everyone dreams, but memory retention varies. Factors like sleep quality, stress, and even genetics can play a part. So, if you're not recalling dreams, don't worry—your brain is still processing your experiences and emotions.
Is it normal for people not to remember their dreams?
It's pretty common for people to forget dreams as soon as they’ve woken. Our brains are wired to ignore dreams, possibly to prevent confusion with real memories. So, while some might remember every detail of their dreams, others might recall a fleeting emotion or nothing.
Does remembering your dreams mean you slept well?
Recalling dreams can indicate that you had a good amount of REM sleep, the stage most associated with vivid dreams. However, waking up frequently at night (often during REM) can also lead to better recall of dreams. So, while remembering dreams might suggest good REM periods, it doesn't always translate to a night of uninterrupted, quality sleep.
Do people with depression dream less?
If you have depression, you might not dream less, but the quality and content might differ. Research indicates that those with depression might experience more REM sleep and have dreams with more negative content. Dreams are highly subjective and vary immensely from one person to another.
Does anxiety make you dream less?
Anxiety tends to influence the nature of your dreams rather than how much you dream. People with higher anxiety levels might experience more nightmares or intense dreams. Anxiety can lead to disrupted sleep, meaning you could wake up during or right after a dream, making you more likely to remember it. If you find your dreams consistently distressing, speak with a professional about any underlying anxiety.
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