Thread: How come I always have more clear and longer dreams while im napping?

Selection bias, probably. When you nap you probably tend to get up right when you wake up, thus ending your cycle and making dream recall very easy. But when you're in bed at night, you probably wake up several times but go back to sleep. The memories of the dreams you had during the night will be less solidified. So then when you wake up in the morning, you remember little of the dreams you had, and assume they were shorter.

How long are your naps usually? How long is a night time sleep for you?

Originally Posted by Halocuber

Almost every time I take a nap I always have dreams that are much more clearer and longer. Is there a reason why ?

because your REM cycle is longer when you take a nap. when you go to bed at night your REM at the beginning last only around 10 minutes, then builds up. when you take a nap you probably have a REM rebound, and make up for the REM sleep that you missed. i assume if you slept longer during the night, then this won't work because you had sufficient REM sleep.

Originally Posted by vivedream

How long are your naps usually? How long is a night time sleep for you?

Regular sleep : around 6 hours (I really need to get more sleep LOL)

Naps 1-2 hours

Just my speculation, but I believe it is because you're more aware in mid-day. So when you go to sleep, your awareness follows. Or, like ForgottenDream said, you can be making up the REM sleep you've missed that morning. I've noticed myself that I have immediate vivid dreams when I take naps.