Why is a dream journal needed to help memory?

[penguin]

Aren't there other tricks and such to help you remember your dreams? Honestly, I don't think I can wake up around 3 or 4 and write down my entry. What's the point of them, anyways? Are they good for looking at reoccuring patterns in your dreams that may help? (Something such as a reality check)

[Enigmik]

Yes they help you find your dreamsign and help you remember what your dreams feel like so that you will be more apt to notice when you are dreaming. Personally, I dont get up to write anything down. I usually wait until I am fully awake and have time. Im guess I'm lazy. When I awaken from a dream I will try to lie there for a bit and replay the dream (if I dont move when I wake up I can sometimes renter the dream and even go into a LD) then I will just remember a key phrase to trigger my memory later. For example, I had a weird dream that I was covered in tattoos. So I just told myself to remember tattoos. And later went I got to work, I forgot the dream but I said tattoos to myself and it all came back to me. Now that I think of it this sounds a little like a form of self hypnosis. Maybe si maybe no. The only draw back is that sometimes I am too tired to commit even that much to memory and I lose the dream. Usally the dream wasnt too particuarly interesting anyway. And there are times that I forget the key phrase all together. That may not work for you but it works for me... most of the time. Do what works for you. Lucid dreaming should not be a stressful endeavor.