You’re not the only one asking, “why don’t I have dreams?”
Sleep experts explain why you don’t dream anymore and how to remember your dreams.
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For many people, dreams are inconsequential and fade shortly after we wake up.
If you are someone who doesnt remember their dreams, theres no need to worry.
Below, weve worked with sleep expertW.
a trauma-informed, LGBTQ+-affirming therapist who works with teens and adults experiencing anxiety and OCD in NY and NJ
Christopher Winterto determine what causes dreams, and why not all of us (claim to) have them.
What is a dream and what causes them?
The truth is that dreams are a bit difficult to research, explain, and understand.
There is a difference between not having dreams and not remembering them.'
W. Christopher Winter, MD, neurologist, sleep specialist
Why dont I have dreams?
Since we dont exactly know why dreams happen, we cant be completely why theydonthappen.
Like anything related to memory, dream recall is a spectrum.
Some of us havelucid dreams, while others may not remember our dreams at all.
Nowhere on this spectrum is inherently right or wrong.
a trauma-informed, LGBTQ+-affirming therapist who works with teens and adults experiencing anxiety and OCD in NY and NJ
As mentioned above, REM sleep is when our brains are most active.
However, Winter suggests that certain medications can play a role in stunting your dreams.
Some medications are also known to promote the opposite effect, leading todifferent types of nightmaresor lucid dreams.
Nightmares could possibly also be tied to natural sleep supplements likemelatonin.
Sleep disorders
Specific sleep disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea could potentially affect whether youre having or remembering dreams.
Certain mental health conditions, like anxiety or depression, may also cause insomnia or hypersomnia.
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How rare is not dreaming?
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What conditions promote dreaming?
Monitoring your caffeine intake and your screen time can also allow you to maximize your REM sleep.
Its very possible that, despite every effort, dream memory isnt in your wheelhouse.
With this in mind, Winter recommends two tips.
The physical act of writing your dreams down may trigger the memories and allow them to stay.
Additionally, Winter recommends occasionally setting an alarm 30 minutes earlier than your typical wake time.
Is it good to sleep without dreams?
Sleeping without dreams can be good or bad depending on the more specific cause, says Winter.
Scarpelli, Serena, et al.
Chapter 18 Structural and Functional Differences in Brain Mechanisms of Dream Recall.Handbook of Behavioral Neuroscience, vol.
30, 2019, Pages 269-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813743-7.00018-9.
Rem Sleep Knowledge and References | Taylor & Francis.Taylor & Francis, 2021, taylorandfrancis.com/knowledge/medicine-and-healthcare/psychiatry/rem-sleep/.
Accessed 11 Sept. 2024.
Thakkar, Mahesh M., et al.
Alcohol Disrupts Sleep Homeostasis.Alcohol, vol.
4, June 2015, pp.
299310, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.alcohol.2014.07.019.
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