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I don't dream. No, really.

posted by InnocentBystander on Dreams

I can dream, but due to the frequency of weed consumption, I almost never achieve rem sleep.
I only learned this recently. I always assumed that I still dreamed, but just didn't remember them.

Recently though I learned that is not the case, and that some researchers may be looking for people like me to study.
Science doesn't really know what happens when a person goes a long period without rem. It is thought to be very important.
But recently it has been found that people (like me) who habitually smoke marijuana, don't always get rem sleep.

Most people are not high every day though, so while it may be binge-rem, that's still enough.
So they've been trying to find enough people that have been consistently stoned for extended periods, to do research.
I've had less than a dozen dreams in about 30 years, so I'm a rare find.

And they said I would never amount to anything in life..
Who's laughing now? I'm advancing science!

Drug abuse FTW!

I can dream, but due to the frequency of weed consumption, I almost never achieve rem sleep. I only learned this recently. I always assumed that I still dreamed, but just didn't remember them. Recently though I learned that is not the case, and that some researchers may be looking for people like me to study. Science doesn't really know what happens when a person goes a long period without rem. It is thought to be very important. But recently it has been found that people (like me) who habitually smoke marijuana, don't always get rem sleep. Most people are not high *every* day though, so while it may be binge-rem, that's still enough. So they've been trying to find enough people that have been consistently stoned for extended periods, to do research. I've had less than a dozen dreams in about 30 years, so I'm a rare find. And they said I would never amount to anything in life.. Who's laughing now? I'm advancing science! Drug abuse FTW!

13 comments

[–] InnocentBystander [OP] 1 points (+1|-0)

How's your short and long term memory?

I know my short-term is scrambled. The long-term seems fine. It's hard to say though because I've always had a shit memory.
If it has affected my long-term, it's not by much.

Assuming my progress continues I may finally have escaped my little hell

I'm glad it's getting better for you. It's never really affected me in a negative way. That I can tell. I had problems getting to sleep and staying asleep when I was young. Part of why the use is so habitual is as a sleep aide. And I always thought it was working well.
Until I learned I am an unnatural freak. :)

[–] mindtrip 1 points (+1|-0)

Recent studies are showing most of the memory consolidation from short to long happens during that phase of sleep after REM. There's even research around Trans-cranial Magnetic Stimulation to detect the state the mind is in while you sleep and "massage" you into the memory cycle phases for longer. There are some promising results thus far. Perhaps you are skipping the dream phase and dipping into this other layer. Though poor short term memory is a known side effect from lack of quality sleep and marijuana use. I avoid the shit because it doesn't agree with me but know several people using it medicinally which has helped them tenfold.