Need help with better Dream Recall

Hello, im pretty new to this forum, only been around for a couple of weeks, lurking and such. A little backstory, through my mid to later teenage years i never really remembered any of my dreams, and i remember this happening for a looooong time. I would simply go to bed and then wake up and not even attempt to recall any dreams. ( thanks world of warcraft) But recently, from about a year ago ive been actively trying to remember my dreams more often, starting a dream journal about a month ago maybe. My dream recall has definitely increased, from having not much at all. this past week i have only recalled about 2 dreams, which i am dissapointed, as i'd like to recall much more. this past week i have reinforced my thoughts throughout the day to try and remember my dreams more often, telling myself that i will do so, and even before bed, but perhaps not right before i enter my slumber. Ive experienced a couple lucid dreams before but only for a very short time, last one being about 5 months ago. I also have been doing reality checks more often and asking myself if i am dreaming while in reality. I'll wake up in the morning with no such memory of any dream occuring from the night before, and im fed up with it. What this post is mainly about is that i am trying to reach out to anyone that might be able to help me recall my dreams more, rather than just having a dream journal, and telling myself that i will remember my dreams. Any sort of feedback would be [B]greatly[B] appreciated.

TL;DR Have had shitty dream recall, it has increased, not nearly good enough, help

First, good recall starts with good quality sleep. You didn't mention any issues with sleep, but it's worth investigating first. Your sleep should be regular, restfully, and easy. It's a broad topic. Search "sleep hygiene" if you want to delve into it more.

Second, you want to look at the moment when you wake up. Ideally, you'd want to wake up naturally, without an alarm. You can wake up naturally 4-5 times per night, after each sleep cycle. If you still need an alarm, you might experiment with one that turns off automatically, so you don't have to move to silence it. Perhaps a combination of alarms: One or more programmed at intervals to wake you for dream recall, and one final one to ensure you're awake for whatever you need to do the rest of the day. Whatever strategy you work out, it's still desirable to eventually wake naturally all the time (and that's where sleep hygiene helps).

Okay, so you wake up naturally, or at least very gently with an alarm. Don't move; keep your eyes closed. Ideally, your bedroom is dark, quiet, and comfortable (here again, sleep hygiene). In this moment, try to recall where you just were in the dream. If nothing comes immediately, have some patience. Think: Where was I? Who was there? What was I doing? These kinds of "journalistic" questions will coax your memory to probe the right pathways. Avoid the question: What was I dreaming about? as it's rather vague. When the memory starts to forms, let it develop. Often, this means working backward in time, repeatedly thinking: What happened before that? If nothing at all comes, oh well. You might still notice a lingering emotion or mood, and that's worth writing down. Don't beat yourself up if some nights aren't as successful as others.