A study on non-dream recallers: Insights into theoretical and functional frameworks of dreaming
Mar Mediano, Enrique G. Fernández-Abascal
International Journal of Dream Research August 22, 2025 DOI: 10.11588/ijodr.2026.2.112901 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional survey Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 4,972 |
| Population | Adult university students from two Spanish universities |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Never/rarely dream recallers made up 11% of the sample, with a higher prevalence in men (15%) than women (9%). No significant differences were found between never/rarely and frequent recallers in age, sleep latency, sleep medication use, or anxiety levels, and average sleep hours differed only negligibly. The authors state these findings partly contradict some theories about dreaming. |
Abstract
This study explores the distinguishing characteristics of individuals who never or rarely recall their dreams (NDR) compared to those who frequently do so (DRs) in an adult university population, considering factors such as sex, age, sleep characteristics, and anxiety levels. A total of 4972 participants from two Spanish universities completed self-report questionnaires assessing sleep patterns, anxiety levels, and depressive symptoms. The results indicate that NDR comprised 11% of the sample, a proportion consistent with previous studies. NDR individuals were more prevalent in men (15%) than women (9%). These findings suggest a sex-related difference in the distribution of NDR within the sample within the sample is in line with previous findings reporting higher proportions of low dream recall in males. No significant differences were found between NDR and DRs regarding age. The absence of age differences suggests that age does not distinguish NDR from DRs in this adult sample. Although some authors have proposed trait-like interpretations of dream recall based on cross-sectional prevalence consistency across studies, the present data do not allow conclusions regarding developmental or longitudinal stability. Regarding sleep characteristics, minimal differences were observed in the average hours of sleep, with a negligible effect size. No significant differences were found in sleep latency or sleep medication use. Anxiety levels, assessed through multiple scales, did not differ significantly between the two groups, challenging prior research linking anxiety to dream recall. These findings partially contradict some theories about dreaming and highlight the need for further research on the NDR trait, particularly in longitudinal studies beginning in infancy. Incorporating NDR individuals into dream recall frequency studies may introduce confounding variables, suggesting that future studies should consider separating NDR individuals from DRs individuals to understand the mechanisms underlying the attainment of dream recall skills.