Lot of people discuss ways to improve dream recalls, or to have more lucid dreams. Is there a way to do the opposite, to stop remembering dreams or stop dreaming at all? I personally very much dislike the concept of dreaming, it feels like being forced to watch (or participate in) a movie I have no interest in. My best sleep is when I feel I was “turned off”, with no dream or at least no memory or feeling of dreaming. Just going to sleep, and wake up the morning with nothing happening in between, that’s my _dream_ night.
I never met anyone who can relate, so I guess that’s pretty uncommon.
I don't recommend it but smoking lots of high potency cannabis all day, everyday will make your dreams disappear. But they will also come back 100x more vivid upon cessation.
This is not universal. My lack of dream recall predates my consumption of cannabis. I have multiple friends who, while smoking potent cannabis daily, also have some of the most vivid dream recalls I’ve ever witnessed.
Yes, it totally is (see also my response to user dorkwood). I used to have very unpleasant dreams up until I was a teenager and now all my nights are 'turned off', like you describe. When you wake up and your dream is still present, just think about something in your real life and actively tell yourself to forget the dream.
Yeah, I don't have much of a technique to it, it feels more like the conscious decision is the most important part. It also feels like I could go back to remembering dreams if I wanted (maybe not as well as people who have been practicing the opposite for decades, but still), I just don't have any desire to. Unless there's overwhelming evidence that it'd be much better in some way I hadn't realized yet, I'm really quite happy about my nights.
I hardly ever remember dreams, maybe once per month or less. Sometimes if I eat specific foods like pizza right before bed it can trigger a potent dream, but I avoid eating stuff late at night now anyhow.
I haven't specifically tried to dream less but I've never tried to remember anything either. When I wake up, I immediately start thinking about my plans for the day and/or check HN/instagram (admittedly, a bad habit).
The pizza anecdote is a funny one :)
I can imagine a mad scientist in their lab trying different topping before forcing themselves to sleep, to identify the perfect pizza to trigger a specific dream!
Anecdotal I think but cheese dreams are a thing. Food does have an effect on dreams though. I know certain foods contain choline which causes vivid dreams in some people.
I never met anyone who can relate, so I guess that’s pretty uncommon.