Why do we not ALWAYS remember ALL of our dreams?
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
Austin, Texas
September 19, 2018 11:19am CST
The process of dreaming is a beautiful thing. I am convinced that it has a major impact on a person's sanity and that people who have been deemed “insane” would be even crazier if they couldn't dream!! Just my humble opinion as an individual with no qualifications or credentials in the field of mental healthcare whatsoever! 
The dream process has been described by some as your subconscious mind reshuffling, thrashing out and sorting through your life experiences or memories while you are asleep. On numerous occasions, although I am certain that I had dreams during the night, when I woke up I couldn't remember what it was that I had dreamed. I find this very frustrating as I would love to be able to recall every dream. If indeed the dream process is just a matter of sorting through your experiences and memories, why is it that sometimes when you wake up, you can't recall anything that you have dreamed?
Why can't I catch all of my dreams?
NOTE: I realize that this social community is comprised of people from varied backgrounds who are probably not professionals in the fields pertaining to mental health. But whether or not you are professionals, your insights (thoughts, opinions, research, etc.) regarding this topic would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to share relevant information links that you feel would shed some light on this topic.
The dream process has been described by some as your subconscious mind reshuffling, thrashing out and sorting through your life experiences or memories while you are asleep. On numerous occasions, although I am certain that I had dreams during the night, when I woke up I couldn't remember what it was that I had dreamed. I find this very frustrating as I would love to be able to recall every dream. If indeed the dream process is just a matter of sorting through your experiences and memories, why is it that sometimes when you wake up, you can't recall anything that you have dreamed?
Why can't I catch all of my dreams?
NOTE: I realize that this social community is comprised of people from varied backgrounds who are probably not professionals in the fields pertaining to mental health. But whether or not you are professionals, your insights (thoughts, opinions, research, etc.) regarding this topic would be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to share relevant information links that you feel would shed some light on this topic.
Dreams are the stuff of … _____. Uuuuhh … Dreams are the stuff of a lot of stuff!! Including a really good book. No doubt everybody finds their own...
7 people like this
8 responses
@JudyEv (325815)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Sep 18
I read somewhere that a study was done whereby a person was deprived of REM by being woken each time he approached that state of sleep. Apparently the consequences were dire but I never did find out what actually happened to him. I remember some dreams but not all.
3 people like this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
20 Sep 18
Yes. I have read about that too. I watched a very sad documentary a long time ago. This man had a genetic disorder. The resulting illness was he could not sleep. At first the medications worked. But after a while they lost their effectiveness. The doctors tried everything. They couldn't figure out what to do to help this poor man. He suffered awake up until the day that he closed his eyes for the final sleep. He literally withered away, mind and body. Sleep deprivation is horrible way to die.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325815)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Sep 18
@cmoneyspinner That would be dreadful indeed. I've never heard of that.
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (40884)
• Wapello, Iowa
19 Sep 18
I agree with you. It would be so much better if we could remember all our dreams. Not being able to is very frustrating...especially when you can remember just a little bit and everything else vanishes.
About what dreams are---I've read tons of opinions from sleep researchers and some of them make a little sense and some make no sense. I have yet to see one that makes total sense to me.
3 people like this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
20 Sep 18
My husband insists that your mind if just thrashing out your memories. But sometimes there are people in my dreams that I don't know! I'm almost certain I've never seen them before in my life. How could they be in my memories?
2 people like this
@xander6464 (40884)
• Wapello, Iowa
20 Sep 18
@cmoneyspinner The so-called "experts" say that everyone you see in your dreams is someone you've seen before. But they are the same people who said for decades that we don't dream in color and all of us who dream in color always knew they were wrong about that and we know they're wrong about this.
Sometimes, my dreams fit that "Just thrashing out memories" theory perfectly but other dreams don't at all. There are definite types of dreams and they can't be classified with one easy category.
2 people like this
@May2k8 (18080)
• Indonesia
22 Sep 18
@cmoneyspinner when we dream in one hour in the real world means a day in the dream world as example.
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
22 Sep 18
Does the time go faster? I guess it does. But when I'm dreaming it seems like an average day in my normal daily life.
2 people like this
@akalinus (40440)
• United States
19 Sep 18
I got up very late this morning because I was dreaming. Now, I can't remember why it was so important but remember some dreams from years ago. A prophetic dream saved the lives of me and my friend. Many dreams I remember were scary. Some were repetitive dreams.
I feel weird if I can't sleep and don't dream.
2 people like this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
20 Sep 18
The other day I remembered a dream I wish that I hadn't. Some of my siblings have passed away. In my dreams they are so alive and real and I'm interacting with them. When those dreams occur, a conscious thought pushes its way into my mind and forces me to stop the dream. The thought tells me: "They're not here any more. You can't talk to them any more! Wake up!" I really don't like dreaming about them. Yet they are the among the dreams that I remember clearly. If I could choose which dreams I can remember I would forget those. I feel like those dreams are cruel because the reality is my siblings aren't here any more.
3 people like this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
22 Sep 18
@akalinus - I dream about my mom too. She has been gone for several years and my father has been gone even longer. It's the strangest thing. I hardly ever have dreams about my father.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (40440)
• United States
21 Sep 18
@cmoneyspinner I am sorry you lost siblings. I know that must be a horrible time. My condolences.
I started dreaming about my mom a lot. She has been gone for a long time. These dreams always include old houses we moved to but in life, we never lived in them.
2 people like this
@Courage7 (19633)
• United States
19 Sep 18
I think sometimes I even have vague impressions of a dream that I have had. And from there I can only interpret it. I am sure there are many little dreams as well that may make up one big dream. I do not remember much of anything awake or asleep to tell you the fact. So that might by why for me anyway.
2 people like this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
20 Sep 18
My husband who has done some limited study about the dream cycle says we have many dreams during our sleep period but we usually only remember the ones that occur just before we awake. I'd like to know how somebody would know that! LOL.
2 people like this
@Courage7 (19633)
• United States
20 Sep 18
@cmoneyspinner Yeah I know how the heck? LOL
2 people like this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
20 Sep 18
The thing is that some of my dreams have really helped solved some difficult problems in my life. So the ones I can't remember have me curious. I really want to know what I'm missing.
2 people like this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
10 Nov 18
Sometimes when I wake up I stay in bed for a few minutes to try and figure out what my dream was about and why I had that particular dream.
@CarolDM (203452)
• Nashville, Tennessee
20 Sep 18
@cmoneyspinner Absolutely, I feel the same.
1 person likes this
@MainerMikeBrown (1373)
• Bridgton, Maine
21 Sep 18
Ever since I went on psychiatric medications back in 2000, I rarely even remember having dreams.
And that's OK with me since that means that I rarely remember having nightmares.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129481)
• Israel
28 Nov 18
@cmoneyspinner
I do not always remember my dreams. I am wondering if maybe they are too painful/
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
28 Nov 18
I am doing random research on dreaming. I find this topic fascinating.
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
29 Nov 18
@Hannihar - I don't remember all. I remember some. Some I can interpret or understand. But some? I'm like "What in the world was that all about?" 
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129481)
• Israel
29 Nov 18
@cmoneyspinner
That is very interesting. Do you remember all of your dreams and understand what they mean?
1 person likes this
