Do you often remember your dreams? Or maybe when you're awake, what went on during sleep remains a mystery. A group of researchers in France conducted a study to find out why some people remember dreams while others don't.
They studied brain scans of 41 people while they were awake and asleep. They found that high dream recallers, people who remember dreams about five times a week, have a higher level of activity in certain parts of the brain.
Whether awake or asleep, those participants showed higher activity levels in the medial prefrontal cortex and the temporoparietal junction — areas involved in processing information, including external stimuli. (Via Wikimedia Commons / Ranveig)
The results also showed people who often remember their dreams are more prone to waking up during the night.
"Sleepers who can recall their dreams vividly have twice as much wakefulness during sleep as people who forget them almost immediately, meaning they probably wake up briefly during the night, cementing their dreams into memory." (Via KMAX)
As the lead researcher explains, the "sleeping brain is not capable of memorizing new information; it needs to awaken to be able to do that." (Via HealthDay News)
According to the study, high dream recallers also have more dreams compared to low recallers — giving them more dreams to remember.
