Dream Recall/Affect and Cortisol: An Exploratory Study.
Clocks & Sleep January 29, 2022 Alexandros S Triantafyllou, Ioannis Ilias, Nicholas-Tiberio Economou et al.
Higher cortisol levels, measured in saliva, are linked to increased dream recall and more positive dream affect. In a sample of 15 men and 15 women, those with higher evening or morning cortisol tended to recall more dreams. A statistically significant association emerged for morning cortisol levels above 19.1 nmol/L, where the odds of recalling a dream with positive affect were over four times higher. No connection was found between menstrual cycle phase and dream recall or affect. Cortisol may be an important modulator of dreaming, warranting further research.