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Why do I feel more connected to my dream with a full bladder?
If I wake up with a medium full bladder, morning or middle of the night, sometimes I feel like my dream is still available and paused, and if I go back asleep right away, I can sometimes continue the dream. During these precious moments, while awake, I remember the details of my dream vividly.
On the other hand, if I go pee, then the dream rapidly fades away, like the door is shut. If I do dream again, it will be a completely new dream.
I haven't been good about keeping up my dietary log, but it could be related to certain foods, like if I had too much salt? Idk
Also a full bladder definitely doesn't guarantee dreams. I can have dreamless sleep with full bladder too, which is what makes me think my diet may be related too.
Maybe it's not that the bladder is affecting your dreams, but instead affecting your awareness of being awake.
For example, you wake up with an empty bladder, in no physical discomfort, go right back to sleep, and forget it even happened. You wake up with a slightly full bladder, which is uncomfortable if only very mildly, register the sensation, and then choose to go back to sleep. The momentary awareness of yourself before going back to sleep causes you to remember it, and would be the same with a very small injury, or a strange itch, or any very mild discomfort that does not prevent sleep. You wake later with a full bladder, and go to the bathroom. The movement of your body and extended duration of wakefulness means you definitely remember it, and also that you've forgotten too much of your dream to return to it.
That's an interesting theory! Flip it on its head
You mention small injuries, itches - is this a common thing? Are other people made aware of their dreams and wakefulness when they have these stimuli?
I have three cats, and I move a lot in my sleep. If a cat is on my legs and I have to be careful repositioning so I don't wake them, I'm way more likely to remember the short wake-up and the dreams surrounding it.
No idea, but maybe I should stop going to the bathroom before bed?
You do you, that's some risky business lol, but yeah occasionally the situation is if I fell asleep on the sofa unintentionally
Remember the very old school word "psycho-somatic" - your body and mind are both related to one another and work in classic synchrony.