On average, we remember just one dream per week, and around 5% of us never remember any. But in reality, we all dream; it’s just that some of us never have any recollection of doing so. So why is it then that certain dreams stay with us, while others fade away immediately?

It’s important to be aware that over the course of a night, we go through various phases of slow sleep, including deep sleep and REM sleep which is short for rapid eye movement sleep. A new cycle begins around every 90 minutes. And it’s during our REM sleep cycle that we have most of our dreams. Phases gradually get longer during the night, meaning we have our longest dreams in the morning.

What actually happens to our bodies during REM sleep? Why don’t we all dream the same amount then? Is there anything we can do to better remember our dreams? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast: 26/3/2023

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