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Non-dreamers.

J F Pagel1

  • 1Rocky Mountain Sleep, 1619 North Greenwood Suite 206, Pueblo, CO 81003, USA. pueo34@juno.com

Sleep Medicine
|November 1, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Some individuals report never dreaming. This study found that while 6.5% of sleep lab patients reported no dream recall, only 0.38% truly never dreamed, even when awakened during REM sleep.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Dreaming is generally considered a universal human experience.
  • However, some individuals report a complete lack of dream recall.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of individuals reporting no dream recall in a sleep laboratory population.
  • To investigate potential diagnostic correlates of non-dreaming.
  • To assess whether these individuals report dreaming when awakened during REM sleep.

Main Methods:

  • A questionnaire identified patients reporting never dreaming.
  • Phone interviews reassessed the incidence of non-dreaming.
  • Individuals reporting no dreams were awakened during polysomnography (including REM sleep) and queried about dream recall, compared to rare dreamers.

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Main Results:

  • 6.5% of sleep lab patients reported never dreaming on initial questionnaires, associated with obstructive sleep apnea.
  • Reassessment reduced this incidence to 0.38% of the population.
  • None of the "non-dreamers" recalled dreams upon awakening during REM sleep, and they did not differ from "rare dreamers" in polysomnographic, clinical, or demographic variables.

Conclusions:

  • The experience of dreaming may not be as universal as commonly believed.
  • Individuals reporting no dream recall, even when awakened during REM sleep, may genuinely not experience dreaming.
  • Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind this phenomenon.