The nature of delayed dream incorporation (‘dream-lag effect’): Personally significant events persist, but not major daily activities or concerns
Open accessAbstract
Incorporation of details from waking life events into rapid eye movement (REM) sleep dreams has been found to be highest on the 2 nights after, and then 5-7 nights after, the event. These are termed, respectively, the day-residue and dream-lag effects. This study is the first to categorize types of waking life experiences and compare their incorporation into dreams across multiple successive nights. Thirty-eight participants completed a daily diary each evening and a dream diary each morning for 14 days. In the daily diary, three categories of experiences were reported: major daily activities (MDAs), personally significant events (PSEs) and major concerns (MCs). After the 14-day period each participant identified the correspondence between items in their daily diaries and subsequent dream reports. The day-residue and dream-lag effects were found for the incorporation of PSEs into dreams (effect sizes of .33 and .27, respectively), but only for participants (n = 19) who had a below-median total number of correspondences between daily diary items and dream reports (termed "low-incorporators" as opposed to "high-incorporators"). Neither the day-residue or dream-lag effects were found for MDAs or MCs. This U-shaped timescale of incorporation of events from daily life into dreams has been proposed to reflect REM sleep-dependent memory consolidation, possibly related to emotional memory processing. This study had a larger sample size of dreams than any dream-lag study hitherto with trained participants. Coupled with previous successful replications, there is thus substantial evidence supporting the dream-lag effect and further explorations of its mechanism, including its neural underpinnings, are warranted.
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
After the first peak in incorporation of waking memories into DE (day-residue effect), there is a second peak 6-7 days later (dream-lag effect).
“It is well-known that after the first peak in incorporation of waking memories into DE (1 day from the events) called “day-residue effect,” there is a second peak following the experience 6–7 days later, i.e., dream-lag effect (Nielsen et al., 2004; Blagrove et al., 2011; Eichenlaub et al., 2019).”
From The Functional Role of Dreaming in Emotional Processes (2019) · cites this paper as Eichenlaub et al., 2019
The Introduction describes two peaks in dream incorporation: a day-residue effect at 1–2 days and a dream-lag effect at 5–7 days. The cited sentence captures the pattern but narrows those periods to 1 day and 6–7 days; the Results test the broader periods, not those narrower windows. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Cites
Diekelmann, S., & Born, J. (2010) · Nature Reviews Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nrn2762 · Cited by 3,760 · see citing works
Sleep-dependent memory triage: evolving generalization through selective processing
Stickgold, R., & Walker, M. P. (2013) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nn.3303 · Cited by 755 · cited 1× · see citing works
“A process of triage for sleep-dependent memory consolidation has been proposed (Stickgold & Walker, 2013) in which there is a differential processing of memories based on factors such as salience, emotional involvement and future relevance.”
BackgroundSelf-citationREM sleep, prefrontal theta, and the consolidation of human emotional memory
Nishida, M., Pearsall, J., Buckner, R. L., & Walker, M. P. (2009) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhn155 · Cited by 603 · see citing works
Hippocampal-Neocortical Interactions in Memory Formation, Consolidation, and Reconsolidation
Wang, S., & Morris, R. (2009) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.093008.100523 · Cited by 536 · see citing works
Dreaming and episodic memory: a functional dissociation?
Fosse, M. J., Fosse, R., Hobson, J. A., & Stickgold, R. J. (2003) · Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1162/089892903321107774 · Cited by 388 · see citing works
The sequential hypothesis of the function of sleep
Giuditta, A., Ambrosini, M. V., Montagnese, P., Mandile, P., Cotugno, M., Zucconi, G. G., & Vescia, S. (1995) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/0166-4328(95)00012-i · Cited by 382 · see citing works
Sleep states and memory processes in humans: procedural versus declarative memory systems
Smith, C. (2001) · Sleep Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1053/smrv.2001.0164 · Cited by 355 · see citing works
Upgrading the sleeping brain with targeted memory reactivation
Oudiette, D., & Paller, K. A. (2013) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2013.01.006 · Cited by 350 · see citing works
Dreaming of a learning task is associated with enhanced sleep-dependent memory consolidation
Wamsley, E. J., Tucker, M., Payne, J. D., Benavides, J. A., & Stickgold, R. (2010) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2010.03.027 · Cited by 255 · see citing works
The roles of the reward system in sleep and dreaming
Perogamvros, L., & Schwartz, S. (2012) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.05.010 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Overnight alchemy: sleep-dependent memory evolution
Walker, M. P., & Stickgold, R. (2010) · Nature Reviews Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nrn2762-c1 · Cited by 229 · see citing works
REM and NREM sleep reports: comparison of word frequencies by cognitive classes
Antrobus, J. (1983) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1983.tb03015.x · Cited by 215 · cited 1× · see citing works
“The length of each dream report in words was assessed following Antrobus’ (1983) definition: “the count of all words in sentences or phrases in which the subject was describing something that had occurred just before waking.”
MethodGroch, S., Wilhelm, I., Diekelmann, S., & Born, J. (2013) · Neurobiology of Learning and Memory · doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2012.10.006 · Cited by 208 · cited 4× · see citing works
“Henley-Einion and Blagrove (2014) proposed that high incorporators have, for undetermined personality and cognitive reasons, such as over-inclusion or even confabulation, a tendency to identify a large number of correspondences, such as occurs in the Barnum effect. The correspondence task used here, by allowing multip…”
BackgroundInfluentialWhat are the memory sources of dreaming?
Nielsen, T. A., & Stenstrom, P. (2005) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature04288 · Cited by 208 · see citing works
Nielsen, T. A., Kuiken, D., Alain, G., Stenstrom, P., & Powell, R. A. (2004) · Journal of Sleep Research · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2869.2004.00421.x · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Wamsley, E. J., Perry, K., Djonlagic, I., Reaven, L. B., & Stickgold, R. (2010) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/33.1.59 · Cited by 124 · see citing works
Memory, sleep, and dreaming: experiencing consolidation
Wamsley, E. J., & Stickgold, R. (2011) · Sleep Medicine Clinics · doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2010.12.008 · Cited by 115 · cited 1× · see citing works
“As argued by Wamsley and Stickgold (2011), dreaming may be the experience of memory consolidation (during sleep see also Blagrove, Ruby, & Eichenlaub, 2013; Eichenlaub, Cash, & Blagrove, 2017; for critical discussions).”
BackgroundDreaming and offline memory consolidation
Wamsley, E. J. (2014) · Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports · doi:10.1007/s11910-013-0433-5 · Cited by 111 · see citing works
Nielsen, T. A., & Powell, R. A. (1992) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/h0094348 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Assessing the dream-lag effect for rem and nrem stage 2 dreams
Blagrove, M., Fouquet, N. C., Henley-Einion, J. A., Pace-Schott, E. F., Davies, A. C., Neuschaffer, J. L., & Turnbull, O. H. (2011) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0026708 · Cited by 75 · see citing works
van Rijn, E., Eichenlaub, J.-B., Lewis, P. A., Walker, M. P., Gaskell, M. G., Malinowski, J. E., & Blagrove, M. (2015) · Neurobiology of Learning and Memory · doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2015.01.009 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Self-citationI know how you felt last night, or do I? Self- and external ratings of emotions in REM sleep dreams
Sikka, P., Valli, K., Virta, T., & Revonsuo, A. (2014) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2014.01.011 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Blagrove, M., Henley-Einion, J., Barnett, A., Edwards, D., & Heidi Seage, C. (2011) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2010.07.006 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Self-citationDaily Life Experiences in Dreams and Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation
Eichenlaub, J.-B., Cash, S. S., & Blagrove, M. (2017) · Studies in Neuroscience, Psychology and Behavioral Economics · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-45066-7_10 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Self-citationThe 'dream-lag' effect: a 6-day temporal delay in dream content incorporation.
Nielsen, T., & Powell, R. A. (1989) · PubMed · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Temporal delays in incorporation of events into dreams
Powell, R. A., Cheung, J. S., Nielsen, T. A., & Cervenka, T. M. (1995) · Perceptual and Motor Skills · doi:10.2466/pms.1995.81.1.95 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Probabilistic reasoning, affirmative bias and belief in precognitive dreams
Blagrove, M., French, C. C., & Jones, G. (2005) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.1165 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citationHenley, J., & Blagrove, M. (2014) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/a0036329 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationDreams are made of memories, but maybe not for memory
Blagrove, M., Ruby, P. M., & Eichenlaub, J. (2013) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x13001222 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationvan Rijn, E., Reid, A. M., Edwards, C. L., Malinowski, J., Ruby, P. M., Eichenlaub, J., & Blagrove, M. (2017) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2017.10.011 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Self-citationMultiple Processes Strengthen Memory during Sleep
Gais, S., & Born, J. (2004) · Psychologica Belgica · doi:10.5334/pb.1019 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- De Koninck, J., Wong, C., & Hébert, G. (2012). Types of dream incorporations of language learning and learning efficiency. Journal of Sleep Research, 21(Suppl. S1): 190 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2012.01044.x · DOI
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The Functional Role of Dreaming in Emotional Processes
Scarpelli, S., Bartolacci, C., D'Atri, A., Gorgoni, M., & De Gennaro, L. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00459 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
- Authors
- Eichenlaub, J., van Rijn, E., Phelan, M., Ryder, L., Gaskell, M. G., Lewis, P. A., P. Walker, M., & Blagrove, M.
- Affiliations
- Swansea University (GB)
- Swansea University Sleep Laboratory Department of Psychology Swansea University Swansea UK
- University of York (GB)
- Cardiff University (GB)
- Center for Human Sleep Science Department of Psychology University of California Berkeley CA USA
- Corresponding author
- Blagrove, Mark
- Venue
- Journal of Sleep Research
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-04-22
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- e12697-e12697
- ISSN
- 0962-1105 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2869
- PMC
- PMC6849581
- OpenAlex
- W2791077245
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 1.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Sleep Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
- ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Economic and Social Research Council (ES/I037555/1)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- REM sleep, dream content, memory consolidation, emotional memory, dream diary, daily diary
- MeSH terms
- Activities of Daily Living, Adolescent, Adult, Dreams, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Sleep, REM, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
