A new study by researchers at the IMT School for Advanced Studies in Lucca, Italy, reveals factors influencing dream recall upon waking.
Published in Communications Psychology, the study identifies individual characteristics and sleep patterns responsible for this phenomenon, including sleep stage duration, age, and even the season.
The need to investigate this topic became apparent to scientists during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a surge in morning dream recall was reported worldwide.
The research involved over 200 participants aged 18 to 70 between 2020 and 2024. Volunteers recorded their dreams daily for 15 days using a recorder immediately after waking.
Cognitive and sleep data were tracked using wearable devices and psychometric tests.
"Our findings suggest that dream recall is not just a matter of chance but a reflection of how personal attitudes, cognitive traits, and sleep dynamics interact," explained lead author Giulio Bernardi, professor of general psychology at the IMT School.
Dream recall varies based on four main factors: a positive attitude towards dreams, age, sleep stage duration, and the season.
A positive attitude, or intentionality, towards dreams is essential. Younger participants showed higher dream recall rates, while older participants often experienced "blank dreams." Longer periods of light sleep correlated with better recall. Dream recall was lower during winter compared to spring, suggesting the influence of environmental factors or circadian rhythms.
Participants underwent psychological tests and questionnaires measuring anxiety levels, interest in dreams, mind-wandering propensity, memory tests, and selective attention.
"These insights deepen our understanding of the mechanisms behind dreams and have implications for exploring the role of dreams in mental health and the study of human consciousness," Bernardi concluded.