<p>Because memory is consolidated during sleep (and dreaming).</p>
<p><a href="http://learnmem.cshlp.org/content/11/6/671.full" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://learnmem.cshlp.org/content/11/6/671.full</a></p>
<p><a href="http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/04/26/dreams-are-key-to-memory/13157.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/04/26/dreams-are-key-to-memory/13157.html</a></p>
<p>There are also some psychological benefits from easing painful memories.</p>
<p><a href="http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/11/23/dream-sleep/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/11/23/dream-sleep/</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-22T13:20:01.360Z
I'm aware of memory consolidation, and would expect it to happen on the next night, maybe 2 nights from the event. The phenomenon I'm talking about takes 4+ days and I find it hard to believe that a memory of some trivial details could be lingering around the brain for so long before being consolidated.
Alex Stone
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-04-22T13:30:11.173Z
some memory needs more than 4 days to consolidate (even years to integrate with other memories). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_and_memory
ICanFeelIt
CC BY-SA 4.0
2014-04-22T12:36:05.637Z
2021-04-23T17:02:19.807Z
2021-04-23T17:02:19.807Z
ICanFeelIt
<p>I know that Freud in his &quot;Interpretation of dreams&quot; provides a number of examples of events influencing dreams several days to several months after the event has occurred. For example, a person sees a red bicycle in a shop and a week later may have a dream about riding/fixing/seeing the same type of red bicycle. Freud provides on example where an event took place months before the dream.</p>
<p>My question is: <strong>Has there been any research that explained why there can be a long (4-7 days) delay between a real life event and a dream with elements from the event?</strong></p>
<p>Just to clarify, these are not recurring dreams, but single occurrence dreams about past experiences. Typically the delay between the event and the dream is several days.</p>

<memory><sleep><dreams><long-term-memory>
Why past events reappear in dreams after a certain delay?
Alex Stone
# Why past events reappear in dreams after a certain delay?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-04-22)

I know that Freud in his "Interpretation of dreams" provides a number of examples of events influencing dreams several days to several months after the event has occurred. For example, a person sees a red bicycle in a shop and a week later may have a dream about riding/fixing/seeing the same type of red bicycle. Freud provides on example where an event took place months before the dream.

My question is: **Has there been any research that explained why there can be a long (4-7 days) delay between a real life event and a dream with elements from the event?**

Just to clarify, these are not recurring dreams, but single occurrence dreams about past experiences. Typically the delay between the event and the dream is several days.

**Tags:** memory, sleep, dreams, long-term-memory


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-04-22. Score: 1

Because memory is consolidated during sleep (and dreaming).

<http://learnmem.cshlp.org/content/11/6/671.full>

<http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/04/26/dreams-are-key-to-memory/13157.html>

There are also some psychological benefits from easing painful memories.

<http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2011/11/23/dream-sleep/>

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I'm aware of memory consolidation, and would expect it to happen on the next night, maybe 2 nights from the event. The phenomenon I'm talking about takes 4+ days and I find it hard to believe that a memory of some trivial details could be lingering around the brain for so long before being consolidated.  
> **username_1**: some memory needs more than 4 days to consolidate (even years to integrate with other memories). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_and_memory  

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