How to recall early dreams?

Hi everyone,

So this question is not a top priority for LDing, but still bugs me a bit, and I'm not sure if I'm the only one effected by this? :tongue:

I noticed that when I wake up after less than ~4-5 hours for sleep, no matter how (alarm, naturally, etc.), I can not recall the dream I woke up from... I have "emotional" recall from these early dreams - like I know how the dream felt like or if the ending was good or bad, etc., but can't recall any scenes or details... (even if I concentrate on recalling it, or use random thoughts that may match that dream to stimulate its recall, or use other "hacks")

This is weird to me for several reasons -

1. my recall is relatively good right now - at least 2 full dreams per night, usually 3-4 full, up to 5 full + fragments

2. a year ago for example I had quite a few very vivid dreams between about 2:00 - 3:30. I used to wake up from them and recall them like any later dream. Nowadays, even if I wake up early in my sleep (e.g. 2:00 - 3:30), and feel I just had a very detailed and emotional dream - I can't recall it...

Any suggestions on how to target these early dreams?

Hey there,

It's normal. Recalling dreams out of deep sleep and non-rem sleep is harder, so the early dreams are usually more difficult to access. That said, just working more and more in detail on dream recall and sleeping enough in general tends to unlock these dreams as well for me.

Also, if I make too many changes in my sleep rhythme (going to bed earlier or later, sleeping longer or less long), my body will often compensate by sleeping lighter for a night or two (making it easier to remember those dreams) and then deeper to compensate for the lack of rest I've been getting, so recall gets more erratic. Keeping my sleeping pattern as level as possible gets me the best results when it comes to recalling dreams.

Just my 2 cents,

-Redrivertears-

The more something is to you, the easier it is to remember. So, to make the dreams easier to remember, they have to be more important to you while they're happening. You don't know exactly when the dream is going to happen, though, so what you do is make everything you're conscious of more important to you will falling asleep and try to maintain this mindset through the dream. You have intensify this even more for the first dreams because you have lots of deep sleep to go through which makes it more likely that you'll forget to be aware.

Basically, maintain extreme awareness while falling asleep.

Thank you both for your replies! I agree with both of you, though I actually always try to do what you said, which is why it's weird to me that unlike last year, now suddenly I have this "problem".

Redrivertears, yes it's the same for me, having a consistent sleep cycle is one of the most important things for my recall... And, deep sleep is indeed harder to recall, but had success with it last year... It is true, that my sleep is less consistent this year due to a different schedule, but only fluctuates withing 1 hour. This could be the reason, though...

dolphin, I was already doing it (or at least trying to) for just general recall, but will try to focus my intention on the early dreams.

Did this last night, and also went to sleep during my regular hours and had really good recall tonight - 6 full "late" dreams (after about 4:00) three of which were FAs, and even remembered some fragments at the awakening of 2:40 - remembered seeing a human-like figure rising from huge fire with "wings" made of flames and a crowned watching, and remember teleporting, but that's about it (apart from the "emotional recall" part). Well, that's better than nothing so will definitely keep practicing! :D