When I was a kid, I’d have vivid, intense dreams ― the details of which I’d bother my siblings about for hours.
But sometime in my early 20s, they became less common. I reckon I have about three nights of memorable dreams a week now.
According to a YouGov poll, over half of Brits say they rarely or never remember their dreams; women are more likely than men to recall their nighttime visions.
We’ve all been told that everyone sleeps nightly, and that nobody “doesn’t dream” ― they might just struggle to recollect them.
Still, sometimes I’m convinced I’ve had a truly dreamless sleep ― especially when I’m stressed or sick.
So, HuffPost UK spoke to Dr Leah Kaylor, a psychologist who specialises in sleep (and who has a book coming out this year covering sleep among first responders), to see what the pros say.
It’s partly down to REM sleep
The adage is often true, Dr Kaylor says ― “for the most part people dream every night, but what typically happens is that we forget our dreams”.
“Unless they are very vivid or terrifying, dreams usually slip through our fingers as we wake and we forget what we dreamed about almost immediately.”
That’s partly because dreams happen during REM sleep; if you’re awakened during that phase, your dreams might feel especially “real” and vivid.
As a result, “the timing in which you wake up during or right after a dream can determine how likely you are to remember it,” the psychologist told us.
“Interestingly, people who are considered to be more creative or introspective are more likely to remember their dreams,” she added.
Occasionally, though, Dr Kaylor says some people really don’t dream.
“This would be more indicative of a sleep disorder where there is a disruption in REM sleep”, like insomnia, sleep apnoea, and narcolepsy, she wrote.
Drugs and alcohol can also affect sleep, the expert added, while “Depression, anxiety, and chronic stress have the potential to alter REM sleep”.
“Reduced dreaming could also be a side effect of certain medications such as antidepressants (SSRIs).”
Why did I dream so much more when I was younger, and how can I remember my dreams as an adult?
If, like me, you thought you dreamt way more as a kid, Dr Kaylor explains that that’s because “Kids spend a lot more time in REM sleep compared to adults”.
That’s because their brains are working hard to grow and develop, she says; they may also need more REM sleep for emotional regulation and memory.
If you want to go back to those dreamy days, the psychologist says writing your dreams down in a journal as soon as you wake up can help.
Even small fragments can aid recall, she says ― “If you only remember small bits of the dream, try to work backwards to uncover more”.
She adds that waking up without an alarm, if possible, can really get the brain whirring too, as “an abrupt awakening can disrupt the memory of dreams”.
Good sleep hygiene makes memorising dreams easier too, and so (good news for fellow lie-in lovers) does lying down for a little after you’ve awoken.
“When you wake up avoid moving or getting out of bed right away”, Dr Kaylor advised.
“Staying still allows you a greater chance of grabbing the memory of the dream before it gets away.”