Why can we only sometimes remember dreams, why can't we remember them all the time?

Answer 1

Hmmm. . .this one is tough.

It might be "retrieval cues." Memory is (generally) stored with a retrieval "cue" or some sort of hook to help you remember it. Unfortunately with dreams our brains are in an automatic mode so we may not include a retrieval cue *or* use a retrieval cue that is really hard to use. So, we don't remember dreams because we can't find that cue or hook to help us remember the dream.

There's one theory of dreaming that basically states that dreams are a "side effect"! According to this theory, parts of our brain are activated when we sleep which activates our memories of what happened during the day. Our brains string those memories of activities together and create a "story." According to this theory, dreams aren't intentional or purposeful, just what happens when our memories become active during sleep. This theory might say that there's a fine, blurry line between our "dream" and our "memory" and that's why we can't remember our dreams.

Another theory is basically that dreams represent things from our unconscious - stuff that we want, or desire, or are afraid of. But the urge is so strong that we have to push that knowledge/urge/desire down into our unconscious, other wise the urges would really mess us up. According to this theory, we don't remember "bad" or "disturbing" dreams because, if we remembered the urges from our dreams, it would really mess us up.

All in all, we have lots of theories but no definitive answer

Answer 2

You remember the ones you dream when you are fairly close to waking.

Of course, I have to wonder how you know you had dreams you can't remember. I mean, if you can't remember them, why did you think you had them?

Unfortunately, I know what you mean. The answer is the ones you remember are the ones you had in a light sleep, semi-conscious state.

Answer 3

Our memories are not perfect, so when we remember all parts of a dream, that is when our mind is at its best, and when we can't remember all the parts of a dream, that is when our mind is not filling in the information...
I think it all depends on the amount of deep sleep you get each night, and if you are completely relaxed or not...

Answer 4

We only dream for 7 seconds even tho it seems all night,
that what i been told and and depending on the dream it up to you if u want to remember it. some people do remember and some don't.

Answer 5

How would you know you had a dream if you can't remember it? Well aapparently we all dream all through our sleep. I think we remember the ones we have early and late in sleep but not in a deep sleep. Light sleepers probably remember more than deep sleepers because their brain is more in the conscious while asleep.

Answer 6

if the dreams are vivid, we remember them very well, but if they are blurred, we remember those only faintly. some times, there may not be any dreams at all, as we might be sleeping very soundly, undisturbed. it's also related to our ability to memorise things. some people can not recall any of their dreams, or only to some extent. if we are concerned about what we dream, in order to interpret them, we try to visualise the details, and mostly succeed. different dreams are interpreted with their meanings. whenever we remember any of them, we can always refer to the famous books on the subject, by sigmund freud, jung, those welknown psychologists. so we will be satisfied to some extent what we are dreaming about, after all, and what does it indicate?

Answer 7

You go through something like 4 dream stages in your sleep - there is only one stage where, should you wake up, you will remember the dream. Any other stage and you won't recall it at all.

Answer 8

You can train yourself to remember your dreams more clearly — sort of. And that is, keep a pad and pen by your bed. As soon as you wake up, if you have dreamed, jot down everything that comes to mind from that dream.

Answer 9

Because when you dream, it's like your brain got switched on. The more vivid the dream, the more your brains on... the less your brain is on, the less likely you are to remember the dream.

Answer 10

Its all just a bunch of random thoughts and images that pass thru your brain while you sleep. Some images/scenarios just stick with you more depending on how vivid.