Does the Circadian Modulation of Dream Recall Modify with Age?

• Published in: Sleep (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 32; no. 9; pp. 1201 - 1209
• Main Authors: LAXHMI CHELLAPPA, Sarah, MÜNCH, Mirjam, BLATTER, Katharina, KNOBLAUCH, Vera, CAJOCHEN, Christian
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Darien, IL American Academy of Sleep Medicine 01.09.2009; The American Academy of Sleep Medicine; Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aging - physiology; Aging - psychology; Aging/physiology/psychology; Analysis of Variance; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; Circadian Modulation of Dream Recall; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Dreams - physiology; Dreams - psychology; Dreams/physiology/psychology; Emotions - physiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human health sciences; Humans; Male; Mental Recall - physiology; Middle Aged; Polysomnography - methods; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Reference Values; Sciences de la santé humaine; Sleep, REM - physiology; Switzerland; Young Adult; Switzerland; Dream; Biological rhythm; Recall; Circadian rhythm; Age
• ISSN: 0161-8105; 1550-9109; 1550-9109
• DOI: 10.1093/sleep/32.9.1201

The ultradian NREM-REM sleep cycle and the circadian modulation of REM sleep sum to generate dreaming. Here we investigated age-related changes in dream recall, number of dreams, and emotional domain characteristics of dreaming during both NREM and REM sleep. Analysis of dream recall and sleep EEG (NREM/REM sleep) during a 40-h multiple nap protocol (150 min of wakefulness and 75 min of sleep) under constant routine conditions. Centre for Chronobiology, Psychiatric Hospital of the University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Seventeen young (20-31 years) and 15 older (57-74 years) healthy volunteers N/A. Dream recall and number of dreams varied significantly across the circadian cycle and between age groups, with older subjects exhibiting fewer dreams (P < 0.05), particularly after naps scheduled during the biological day, closely associated with the circadian rhythm of REM sleep. No significant age differences were observed for the emotional domain of dream content. Since aging was associated with attenuated amplitude in the circadian modulation of REM sleep, our data suggest that the age-related decrease in dream recall can result from an attenuated circadian modulation of REM sleep.