Unraveling Dream Recall
A new study conducted by researchers at the IMT School for Advanced Studies in Lucca, Italy, sheds light on the factors influencing the phenomenon known as ‘dream recall,’ which is the ability to remember dreams upon waking, revealing the individual traits and sleep patterns that shape this phenomenon.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the University of Camerino between 2020 and 2024, and involved over 200 participants aged between 18 and 70 years. They recorded their dreams daily for 15 days, while their sleep data and cognitive abilities were tracked using wearable devices and psychological tests.
Each participant was provided with a voice recorder to report daily, immediately after waking, about the experiences they had during sleep.
Participants were required to indicate whether they remembered dreaming or not, or if they had impressions of a dream without recalling its details, and to describe the content of the dream if they were able to remember it.
During the study period, participants also wore an actigraph, which is a sleep monitoring watch that measures sleep duration, efficiency, and any disturbances that may occur.
At the beginning and end of the dream recording period, participants underwent psychological tests and questionnaires measuring various factors, from levels of anxiety to interest in dreams, as well as the tendency for daydreaming (the inclination to frequently shift attention from the current task to unrelated thoughts or internal reflections), in addition to memory and selective attention tests.
The ‘dream recall’ defined as the likelihood of waking up in the morning with impressions and memories from the dream experience, showed significant variability among individuals and was influenced by multiple factors.
The study revealed that those with a positive attitude toward dreams and a tendency for daydreaming were notably more likely to remember their dreams. Sleep patterns also appeared to play a crucial role: individuals who experienced longer periods of light sleep were more likely to wake up with memories of their dreams.
Participants who were younger showed higher rates of dream recall, while older individuals often experienced ‘blank dreams’ (a sense of dreaming without recalling any details). This suggests age-related changes in memory processes during sleep.
Additionally, seasonal differences emerged, with participants reporting a decrease in dream recall during the winter compared to the spring, indicating a potential influence of environmental factors or circadian rhythms.
Participants who were younger demonstrated a greater ability to recall their dreams, while older individuals often experienced ‘blank dreams,’ characterized by a feeling of dreaming without recalling any details. This indicates age-related changes in memory mechanisms during sleep.
Additionally, seasonal differences were observed, as participants reported a decline in dream recall during the winter compared to spring, suggesting a potential influence of environmental factors or circadian rhythms.
Giglio Bernardini, the lead author of the study and a professor of general psychology at IMT School, explains: ‘Our results indicate that dream recall is not merely coincidental, but rather a reflection of how personal circumstances, cognitive traits, and sleep dynamics interact. These insights not only deepen our understanding of the mechanisms of dreaming but also have implications for exploring the role of dreams in mental health and the study of human consciousness.
Valentina Elsi, a researcher at IMT School and the co-author of the study, adds: ‘The data collected in this project will serve as a reference for future comparisons with clinical groups. This will allow us to advance research on pathological changes in dreams and their potential diagnostic and predictive value.
