Does dream recall cycle naturally?

**FreddyKrueger** · 12-19-2013 11:48 PM

Over the last few days, my dream recall has went to rubbish. As soon as I wake up (even though I know I dreamed a lot,) I can't recall anything! This is in stark contrast to how I have been for over a month prior to this. Prior to this, I dreamed vividly each night, and sometimes would become lucid through DILD.
Suddenly, my dream recall stops.
Here is what I do to keep up my dream recall: I keep a dream journal daily, I recall dreams from the past, and I tell myself mantras in trying to remember my dreams -- these things worked fine until a few days ago. I am guessing since nothing has changed in my life, including my sleep schedule, that this is just something that just happens and will resolve naturally; this is what I choose to believe.
What would be great is if someone can chime in here, and tell me a success story of this problem going away on it's own after a few days. Anyone?

**DreamscapeGoat** · 12-20-2013 12:33 AM

I made a post not too long ago about this:

Originally Posted by DreamscapeGoat

I'll tell you a fact right now: nothing is ever consistent.

Everything is a part of a bell curve. The average may be a certain number, but it can and will deviate from time to time. Sure, we can get it close to the mean, but it can still deviate from this, even if it is a small, almost insignificant amount.

That being said, Maxis has hit everything on the spot. You do need to have faith in your recall. The more you believe, the more it becomes true.

Here's a link to the thread: http://www.dreamviews.com/general-lu...-creature.html

**Zoth** · 12-20-2013 12:35 AM

Just to add something new: there's research that seems to suggest that you can guess whether your recall will be good or bad before you actually wake up. Makes you think about it doesn't it?

*Sense's StephL's eyes on his back regarding the missing article and goes to find it*

edit: I found it, my Zotero is behaving today for a change

Recalling and Forgetting Dreams: Theta and Alpha Oscillations during Sleep Predict Subsequent Dream Recall

Cristina Marzano,1 Michele Ferrara,2 Federica Mauro,1 Fabio Moroni,1,3 Maurizio Gorgoni,1 Daniela Tempesta,2 Carlo Cipolli,3 and Luigi De Gennaro1,4 1Department of Psychology, University of Rome “Sapienza,” 00185 Rome, Italy, 2Department of Health Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67010 L’Aquila, Italy, 3Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy, and 4Associazione Fatebenefratelli per la Ricerca, Department of Neuroscience, Hosp. Fatebenefratelli, Isola Tiberina, 00186 Rome, Italy.

Under the assumption that dream recall is a peculiar form of declarative memory, we have hypothesized that (1) the encoding of dream
contents during sleep should share some electrophysiological mechanisms with the encoding of episodic memories of the awake brain
and (2) recalling a dream(s) after awakening from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep should be
associated with different brain oscillations. Here, we report that cortical brain oscillations of human sleep are predictive of successful
dream recall. In particular, after morning awakening from REM sleep, a higher frontal 5–7 Hz (theta) activity was associated with
successful dream recall. This finding mirrors the increase in frontal theta activity during successful encoding of episodic memories in
wakefulness. Moreover, in keeping with the different EEG background, a different predictive relationship was found after awakening
from stage 2 NREM sleep. Specifically, a lower 8 –12 Hz (alpha) oscillatory activity of the right temporal area was associated with a
successful dream recall. These findings provide the first evidence of univocal cortical electroencephalographic correlates of dream recall,
suggesting that the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the encoding and recall of episodic memories may remain the same
across different states of consciousness.

**FreddyKrueger** · 12-20-2013 01:53 AM

Thank you DreamscapeGoat, and Zoth.

**Dthoughts** · 12-20-2013 02:21 AM

I may need a little help translating that article. I consider myself pretty up-to-date with neuroscience but i still have a hard time understanding what is said there, lol.

What does it mean in laymen's terms, Zoth?

Very interesting though.. I sleep more and do less 'zoning' out during the day and meditate more and noticed increased dream recall. I am staying up late now though i'm already getting slurry. Come to think of it, i should be working on my homework right now

**FreddyKrueger** · 12-20-2013 02:59 AM

I just hope my recall is restored soon. It was getting really good. I can still recall all the dreams in my journal, but new dream memories are no longer forming for some reason. I am hoping it is natural, and will resolve naturally.

**Dthoughts** · 12-20-2013 03:16 AM

Ofcourse it will resolve, they always do

Physical exerscise in combination with meditation can work wonders though. Also, it helps not to have a full stomach when you go to sleep.

Can't give you my personal success story cus my recall is always sheit. I just have lapses of okayish recall and a bit of lucidity once every other month or so