# Does alcohol cause you to dream more, or remember your dreams?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-cause-you-to-dream-more-or-remember-your-dreams/785199>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 25, 2017, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-cause-you-to-dream-more-or-remember-your-dreams/785199 "2017-04-25T11:55:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-cause-you-to-dream-more-or-remember-your-dreams/785199/1 "2017-04-25T11:55:49Z")

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I usually don’t remember my dreams, and I almost never drink. Last night I had a margarita (the first in several years) before going to bed, and had a wonderfully vivid dream, which I still remember. Was it just a matter of the alcohol enabling me to achieve a deeper sleep? Anyone else have this experience?

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**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-cause-you-to-dream-more-or-remember-your-dreams/785199/2 "2017-04-25T12:26:14Z")

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I find that drinking makes me sleep less soundly. I do seem to have more dreams when I drink, but they tend to be more unpleasant, either anxiety producing, or just flat out nightmares. After years of heavy drinking, I recently cut way back. I find that I sleep better and my sleep is better because of the lack of upsetting dreams. YMMV.

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2017, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-cause-you-to-dream-more-or-remember-your-dreams/785199/3 "2017-04-25T12:30:03Z")

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I don’t have a lot of dreams to begin with but I have fewer when I have just a bit of alcohol. A lot of alcohol tends to increase them however. Oddly enough, melatonin also increases them but when I combine the two I’m back to having fewer dreams again.