Why you can’t remember your dreams 💭 

Ever wake up knowing you dreamed but can’t recall a thing? A new study in Communications Psychology reveals why.

Researchers tracked 217 adults over 15 days and found that dream recall isn’t random and its linked to personality, sleep quality, and even the seasons.

• Daydreamers recall more: If your mind wanders often, you’re more likely to remember dreams.

• Light sleepers have the advantage: Longer, lighter sleep phases boost recall, while deep sleep hinders it.

• Distractions erase dreams: Checking your phone too soon? You might be wiping dream memories away.

Interestingly, dream recall drops in winter, hinting at seasonal sleep shifts. Want to remember more? Stay in bed a few extra minutes. Rushing into the day might make your dreams vanish.

Read the full report here 👈

Meme break

Good gut health could help with eating disorders 🍽️

Psychology Today recently broke down how your gut microbes might be messing with your stress eating.

Turns out, stress can throw your microbiome off balance, making you crave high-calorie junk and setting off a cycle of bingeing and bad moods.

Researchers suggest that feeding the right microbes, like fiber, fermented foods, probiotics, could help curb those cravings.

Obviously, eating disorders aren’t just about “good” or “bad” food, but gut health could be one piece of the puzzle. It won’t fix everything, but if it helps make recovery even slightly easier, it’s worth considering.

Satire is great… until it isn’t 😂🙁

Satire might be fun, but according to the APA, it can do more damage to someone’s reputation than direct criticism. 

A study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General found that satire dehumanizes people, reducing them to caricatures. 

Participants who watched satirical videos or memes about public figures (like Tom Brady or Mark Zuckerberg) formed even harsher opinions than those who saw straightforward criticism. 

In a world where YouTubers and social media personalities act as our daily news curators, it’s easy to fall into the trap of inheriting their biases.

Just because your favorite creator dislikes someone doesn’t mean you have to. 

It’s worth taking a step back to consider if you’ve formed your own opinion or if you’ve just absorbed someone else’s. Otherwise, you’re just a sponge in the great internet dishwasher, soaking up whatever’s thrown your way.

Read the full report here 👈

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See you in the next one,

Dan from Cognitive Crumbs