Dream Logging

[Überschall]

I know that Dream Logging and having Dream Journals helps (it's also fun to write them), but what exactely do they help in, and how? Do they help getting and LD in the first place or just remembering one when you have one?

[Adrenaline Junkie]

Well recording your dreams using a dream journal or dream log can help in many ways, the more you remember your dreams and more details you can remember the more you will remember about a lucid dream, in fact the more you remember through writing in your journal the more you will find that you feel more interactive in your dreams, you will feel asthough your there and the dreams will seem more vivid and real, this is a perfect opportunity to mix some reality checks or dream signs that can help you become lucid. With more vivid dreams comes a better awareness in the dream so your more likely to become lucid. Hope that helped

[Oneironaught]

Keeping a dream journal helps you gain better recall ability by placing dreams at a more important ranking in your mind. The more importance you place on your dreams, the more likely you'll be able to recall them. So it's a feedback loop that strengthens over time. The strengthened recall increases your chances of remembering the finer details of an LD you've had (or even the dream at all). After all, if you forget your LDs as soon as you awaken then you miss out on a large portion of the benefits of LDing. Another benefit of a dream journal is that it allows you to discover "dream signs". Dream signs are things that occur in a good number of your dreams. Dream signs are usually things (objects, situations, qualities) that occur only in dreams but, not necessarily. Discovering as many dream signs as you can will help you to become lucid more often. Finally, the purposeful intention to remember your dreams is of great value to any lucid dreamer. That's what the dream journal does. Plus, it gives you a permanent record to look back on and take a stroll down memory lane.