Thread: Difficulty remembering dreams

Hi! This is my first post in this forum! So far I've had 2 lucid dream experiences, well at least those are the ones i remember. The thing is... it's really hard for me to remember my dreams. Most of the time i don't remember a thing when i wake up. Is it possible that the cause is my behavior before i sleep? because i always spend a significant amount of time in front of my smartphone before i sleep. Oh, and do dream journals actually help?

Welcome to DV, Dhalaf! Not remembering one's dreams is normal: that's what happens to most people unless we put conscious effort into dream recall. Here is a tutorial containing some ideas on how to improve dream recall: Dream Recall Tutorial - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views - and one of the key ones is a daily dream journal. Yes, it really works. I used to. Forget almost all my dreams before I started dream journaling. Now I have tons of dream journal entries. Personally, I don't think smart phone use prevents dream recall: I almost always use mine before bed, and I have not observed negative effects, but different people have different experiences: when in doubt, try it for yourself, and see whether your recall gets better on night without smart phone.

Welcome!
Yes, dream journals do actually help. Perhaps the most important aid is to put yourself in the frame of mind before sleeping that you WILL get up when you awaken during the night and make your journal entries. It's easy to delude yourself into thinking, "I'll do this in the morning, I'm sure I will still remember this dream." You probably won't.

Since you have a smart phone, use the voice memo app to record your dream. It's quicker and easier than writing or typing it. You will often find that just remembering and dictating whatever small fragment of a dream you do remember will open your recall to other parts of the dream. The very act of awakening and recording your dreams also seems to prime your brain somehow into being more alert for dream recall during the remainder of the night and will greatly enhance the possibility of having a lucid dream. It's also cool to awaken having completely forgotten your dreams, then listen to your own recounting of them the next day. You get this "Oh yeah! NOW I remember" moment!

The more you do it, the easier it gets and the greater the likelihood of becoming lucid.

Yes, dream journals help.

No, smartphones do not harm dream recall.

Start writing down your dreams.