Are low quality dreams really like that?

[mimihigurashi]

Obviously does not apply for all dreams in this category. I'm sure we've all had some, those blurry, vague, terrible 'quality' dreams or even mere fragments we recall in the morning or later during the day. But were they really as we remember them? Do you think it's likely that most of those low quality dreams were actually normal or even vivid, but it's only our lack of memory of the dreams that makes them seem low quality? Are we forgetting large chunks, quality, and vividness of those so called vague dreams without realizing? I don't think it's that far fetched tbh. Personally I remember having less and less of these low quality dreams the better my dream recall was.

[TravisE]

I think it's quite possible. Even weak, barely-remembered waking-life memories tend to be like this in a sense. I've also heard it suggested that how “present” we felt in a dream—whether we seemed to be “there” as it occurred or whether it just felt “scripted”—might actually come down to how clearly we remember it. But as you mention, I think the occasional dreams can actually be blurry; and sometimes, I've suspected that some missing “pieces” or “chunks” that we feel like we forgot were merely assumed to have happened and might not have actually been there to begin with.

[Sageous]

That's a good question, Mimi. I have a feeling that many of our memories of dreams don't always line up with what really happened. By the same token, I wonder how many of those super-vivid, high-quality dreams really were that vivid or of such high quality? Could our memory of them maybe enhanced them a bit as well? Something to think about, anyway. At least with lucidity we can add the presence of our waking-life selves to the dreams, which tends to make them much easier to remember clearly; so some of our memories of dreams might be reasonably accurate!

[Sivason]

Consider this, we dream to some extent in all phases of sleep, including nREM. A very common misconception is that the REM dreams we are familiar with are what all dreams "should" be like. Dreams in other phases are different. What are they like? Well, they can come in many forms, and some of those are full of sensations, but low on visuals. In conclusion, some of the blurry dreams could be a memory issue, while definitely some dreams lack the life like visuals. Sageous, that is a very good question. I think it must be the case, and I suppose that accounts for some of the "realer than life" statements we hear.

[TravisE]

Consider this, we dream to some extent in all phases of sleep, including nREM. A very common misconception is that the REM dreams we are familiar with are what all dreams "should" be like. Dreams in other phases are different. What are they like? Well, they can come in many forms, and some of those are full of sensations, but low on visuals. I've had a few dreams (or experiences of some sort) that felt like they were more thinking than anything, and visuals, if any, seemed to be fairly dim, static images. I don't know whether any of these could have been non-REM dreams, but it's an interesting thought. I also occasionally experience narratives that seem to get started just before the “formal” start of a REM dream. They initially feel more like daydreams or dreamlets for a while before they develop their full dreamlike sense of reality. That's the impression I get, at least. I've sometimes even been lucid or semilucid during the transition.

[Alric]

I would say that is pretty much a fact. Dream 'quality' is directly related to how well you remember them. The reason lucid dreams tend to be more vivid is because you became aware during the dream and so are more likely to recall it. Of course, it is possible to forget lucid dreams too. Any one with any doubts about it should try keeping a dream journal, and they will not have any doubts after all.

[Simax]

In the first lucid dream I ever had, I specifically noted how muted and blurry my surroundings were.

[Laurelindo]

I think that our dream recall is a very important aspect of how vivid dreams appear to have been. It's just like trying to recall a past experience in waking life that you have almost forgotten - you may remember fragments, but you will most certainly not find those memories particularly vivid, and they will have this "foggy" and elusive quality to them, whereas a recent memory can be recalled quite vividly. However, I also think it's also very important how much you paid attention to the dream - this can be compared with being absent-minded in waking life. If you are in your own thoughts and hardly notice anything around you then you will not have that clear memories about your surroundings either, and vice versa. In short, your chances to have vivid dream recall will be optimal if you are both observant in the dream while you are experiencing it, and also take the time to recall it as much as possible when you wake up.

[stevendoig]

Pretty sure a lot of dreams are rubbish to begin with IMO. Often on waking I'll have a memory of a dream that is so confused, so rubbish that its just impossible to remember (at least to be able to put it into words in a dream journal.) Thank God they are not all like that!!

[TranquilityTrip]

I'm quite certain that dream quality does indeed vary. I have had lucids where I distinctly noted the lack of clarity, vividness, and color of the dream. The dream world appeared to be covered in a shroud of thick grey fog. In those cases I would rub my hands together and immediately the dream fog would disperse, the colors would brighten, and the vividness would soar. However I would also agree that not all cases are like that. I'm certain I have had extremely vivid dreams that only seem blurry/unclear in retrospect because of my poor recall of them.

[Wisher]

I dunno but it might be fun to go lucid and intentionally shift through multiple different quality types in one dream XD Imagine shifting from blurry>HyperHD>static>black and white> trippy, it'd be like playing with the settings on a television set. It could be fun to have a choppy Salvador Dali like dream lucidly But yea maybe the settings of some of ur dreams are literally blurry and maybe its a recall thing