When you record your dreams, do these dreams tend to stay in your memory for a long period of time? I’m asking this because I have noticed that I do not really remember dreaming some of the dreams that I have recorded in the past. Does this make sense? Most times, I remember dreaming that dream but I do not recall it in any vivid detail or slightly vivid detail. The exceptions of course are nightmares, a lot of cool lucid dreams, and maybe some random normal dreams that I can remember like it was yesterday.
How long do your dreams stick in your memory and what kind of detail can you remember them in?
Personally, as soon as I start reading the dreams written before, I get very clear and detailed images of them, and I can even remember the details I haven’t written.
Yes, for every dream that I have written. Works also with every other dream I remember. As soon as I remember one detail, it starts rushing through my memory. I’m curious to see if that’s also the case with others.
I’m sure most people remember the dreams they’ve written better than those they haven’t. And I’ll agree with Letaali and En’enra that you’re also likely to remember all the details when you begin reading it. This is why teacher’s prefer students take notes, because you’re more likely to remember something you write down of your own conviction.
The same goes for me, too. Though since I have many dreams, some stay with me even though I don’t write them down. Mostly I’m reminded of certain dreams I’ve had through other dreams. For instance, having a dream today and remembering that a place in it was somewhere I visited before. Though only when I wake do I realise I visited that place in a previous dream. To me it sometimes feels like all my dream memories are linked to dream me. They’re not false memories of going to places and like, they’re actual memories of being there before (even though it was in a different dream). It’s not that I don’t get actual False Memories in dreams, but these types of memories are more common, and then when I wake I recall two dreams instead of one (the one I was having and the one in which I previously visited the place).
I suppose for me, most of my dreams are stored somewhere in my memory waiting to be recalled, either by another dream or an irl trigger like a smell or place or word. But the ones most fresh in my memory are usually those I’ve written down or talked to someone about. Again, in teaching it is known that students are more likely to remember something if they teach it themselves, the same thing applies here.
Interesting that you mentioned false dream memories! I too feel like I’ve dreamt some things more than once or that I “remember” a previous dream while I’m dreaming a different one. But I wonder, did we actually dream that place again (or person or event or whatever it is) or is it a false memory? Kinda in the way that deja vu is actually a mental phenomena and not actually “deja vu”. Well that’s what scientists have said
My dreams typically stay in my long-term memory, and quite clearly, so long as I write them down. The only exception would be fragments, but even some of them will occasionally stick with me.
For me, whether a dream is committed to long-term memory depends a lot on its significance and peculiarity, not just it being written down. The more realistic nightmares and the more unusual dreams/fragments get written down because I remember them, not the other way around. Surely, a dream is rehearsed when I record it, but that doesn’t seem to be the main reason for me being able to recall actually having it later on.
It depends, I remember 2 dreams I had last year, and I forgot what I dreamt about Monday.
I think it depends the dreamer’s experience. The more you write down your dreams, the more you see the details, the more real and easy to remember they become.
I remember a lot of the dreams that I’ve journaled quite clearly (including the first dream I ever journaled, over 13 years ago and ones I don’t have journaled before that), but there are some dreams that I read and have no memory of, even though they’re in my journal. I will say, though, that the dreams from that long ago I don’t remember any better or worse than memories from waking life. In fact, some of the more mundane dreams I occasionally have to stop for a moment to think about whether they actually happened or not.
For me, my own DJ can be that trigger. Some dreams are stored away, and come back into my memory when I read the dream posts again. Not all, but probably more than half of the records in my DJ do this.
Yes interesting thoughts everyone. So I went back in my DJ and reread some dreams. Like was said before, some dreams i remembered having, and others, the more mundane, i didn’t recall. But I definatley needed that trigger. For example, if you ask me to recite some of the LD’s that Ive had in the past, i would struggle. Part of this is because i’ve been off my game for quite a while. But as soon as i read them, especially the LDs, i remember them.
Also, my long term memory isn’t that great to begin with! I need someone or something to trigger some of my distant memories. I like to think that is because I don’t tend to dwell on things, I take them as they come haha Maybe I should look into this
