I turn next to the matter of dreams “in action” (the dynamics of dreams). Attention is directed to the matter of memory. The central question is: Do we retain a memory of our dreams? And if we do, where is this memory stored?
Dynamics of Dreams: Memory
I have a recurring dream about someone in refugee capacity who is on a series of long journeys (often with his family) to find freedom. He is often on a train traveling between Europe and Asia (probably Afghanistan). But he is repeatedly thwarted in his attempt to find a safe place where he and his family can live. I see him and his family at one point living in a series of cardboard boxes with a very large box containing all of the smaller cardboard boxes.
Until recently, when I was dreaming or was half-awake, I thought this was a real story, written by someone I knew, and that I was going to publish it in my digital library. I then realized, when fully awake, that it was all a dream and that I was the author. The remarkable thing is that this is a series of dreams over many nights that build on the narrative of previous dreams. There appears to be some sort of memory that enables me to retrieve content from previous dreams that were produced in earlier nights. If this is happening, then we need to change the assumption that dreams are engaged independently of the brain’s memory system (hippocampus).
As we all know, dreams are not often recalled. We wake up in the morning and know we have had a dream, but cannot recall it. Or we recall elements of the dream for a few moments, and then these elements fade away. Those of us who wish to “save” our dreams often keep a notepad and pen by our bed. We write down what we remember immediately upon waking up after a dream. Then some of us claim never to be dreaming. Yet, if they are brought into a sleep lab, these “non-dreamers” record REM sleep at the same rate as dreamers. It appears not to be a matter of having no dreams. Rather, it is a matter of either not waking during or at the end of the dream or simply being “not in the business” of dream recall.
Why We Can’t Remember Dreams
From a psychodynamic perspective, it might be very appropriate that we rarely remember our dreams. Our dreams can express unacceptable thoughts and behavior precisely because psychic barriers are erected to prevent their conscious recall. From a neurobiological perspective, it is understandable why we often can’t recall our dreams, for dreams are often not associated with the neurochemicals that allow for retention (Cassidy, 2025):
“One key aspect is the neurochemical environment of the brain during REM sleep, which is distinctly different from during wakefulness. Levels of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, which are crucial for memory formation, are significantly lower in REM sleep. This reduction may result in the brain being less efficient at storing dreams as long-term memories.”
