Dream recall and the physiology of sleep

Abstract

Thirteen subjects were studied for 4 nights of sleep by simultaneous recording of EEG, eye-movement potentials, heart rate, and respiration. The subjects were awakened from stage 1 sleep periods with rapid, conjugate eye movements (REM periods) and asked to describe any preawakening experiences (dream or thoughts). Respiratory rate was more irregular during REM periods which led to dream reports than during REM periods which led to reports of dreamless sleep. Submitted on August 5, 1963