Here’s why dreams matter.
Dreams are as mysterious to the dreamer as they are to the experts.
But what wedoknow is that dreams are a neurobiological process, just like thinking.
We haven’t yet pinned down why we dream or what our dreams meanbut we do have promising theories.
Beyond emotional processing and memory consolidation, dreams have been a source of creativity and inspiration throughout the ages.
But what if we don’t dream or haven’t had a dream in years?
Do we miss out on these benefits?
Why don’t I dream?
The fact of the matter: Everybody dreams.
Your dream life may not rival the plot ofInception, but you’re stilldreaming.
And you still have the ability to remember your dreams.
Most of our nightly dreaming happens duringREM sleep, or the rapid eye movementsleep stage.
Those of us who think we “don’t dream” are actually experiencing deep forgetting.
Unnatural wakeups like an alarm or hungry doggo can easily impede dream recall.
“Executive function takes over before memorial processing can continue to occur,” he adds.
Now, there are a few scenarios that can inhibit REM sleep and, subsequently, dreaming.
Is it bad if I don’t dream?
Dreams are quintessential to the human experience.
Not remembering your dreams can feel eerie, or perhaps you feel like you’re missing out.
But “not dreaming” isn’t bad or wrong.
However, he finds the association between remembering dreams and quality of sleep problematic.
“It’s an irrefutable fact that every single person dreams,” he says.
That being saidfocusing on sleep hygiene and quality may carry the unintended benefit of improving dream recall.
Some of those dreams are not great to remember, at least from your subconscious standpoint."
How can I start remembering my dreams?
Save for the occasional nightmarethey’re downright fun.
If we never or rarely remember our dreamshow can we start?
“Wake up at roughlythe same time every day,” Breus advises.
“Circadian consistencyallows your brain to know when to come out of REM sleep.”
For Ellis, the key to remembering dreams is simply paying more attention.
And to that end, don’t be so quick to get up!
Be sure to check out ourfull guide to remembering dreamsfor more helpful tips.
An extra benefit of remembering dreams.
Dreams can give us an idea of what’s transpiring beneath the surfaceandstress dreamsare a prime example.
They can be interpreted as helpful clues toprioritize stress managementduring waking hours.
Here’s our full explainer onhow to interpret dreamsto start decoding yours.
FAQs
Is it rare to not dream?
Shrouded in mystery, dreaming is a phenomenon that gets a lot of attention.
Despite the hype, our collective ability to remember dreams is very small.
In fact, onlyone in 10Americans always remember their dreams.
The most common experience is tosometimesremember themwhich means we’d all benefit from keeping a dream journal handy.
What causes lack of dreaming?
Although we can dream throughout all stages of sleep, the majority of our dreaming happens during REM sleep.
According to Breus, antidepressant medications “reduce REM and in some cases completely eliminate it.”
Why can’t I remember my dreams when I wake up?
To remember a dream, it has to move into our long-term memory.
“Relax, don’t hop out of bed, and slowly awaken and thinkwhat were you dreaming?
It will slowly start to come to you,” Breus advises.
