Keeping a dream journal...

Hello all! I am still very new to this lucid dreaming business...well it is more of an art than a business...but still...I have a few questions concerning the uses of a dream journal. I've been pretty inconsistent with the one I've got and only write in it about once a week (or if I have a very remarkable dream that needs recording). Does keeping one really help with dream recall? Do I need to be recording at least one dream per night/nap(s)? Also, are the dreams necessary to record specific to a certain phase of sleep? For example, I usually wake up at 6:15 every morning. I wake up, hit the snooze and have a few dreams until I eventually get out of bed at 7:00. This happens to me a lot but I find that the dreams that I have in that time are the only ones I can really remember. Does this help my dream recall or is it doing more harm than good? If anyone has any input or answers to these questions I'd be glad to hear it. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Sloth Face

Does keeping one really help with dream recall?

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yea it does! if you can make yourself wake up in the night and write down as much as you can remember you will find your dream recall will go up dramatically. and its so very worth it if you care about your dreams!

The more you focus on dream recall, the more dreams you'll remember and you'll be able to pick up on more details. It's hard to make yourself write them down, but in the long run it does help. You'll find it frustrating if you have an LD but can't recall what happened in the morning.

You don't always have to write down a whole long summary of everything that happened, but at least try to jot down an outline of the major points and if there was something that struck you as interesting be sure to mention it. It also helps to re-read it before you go to bed just to get your focus on dreaming before you go to sleep.

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Originally Posted by Sloth Face

Hello all! I am still very new to this lucid dreaming business...well it is more of an art than a business...but still...I have a few questions concerning the uses of a dream journal. I've been pretty inconsistent with the one I've got and only write in it about once a week (or if I have a very remarkable dream that needs recording). Does keeping one really help with dream recall? Do I need to be recording at least one dream per night/nap(s)? Also, are the dreams necessary to record specific to a certain phase of sleep? For example, I usually wake up at 6:15 every morning. I wake up, hit the snooze and have a few dreams until I eventually get out of bed at 7:00. This happens to me a lot but I find that the dreams that I have in that time are the only ones I can really remember. Does this help my dream recall or is it doing more harm than good? If anyone has any input or answers to these questions I'd be glad to hear it. Thanks!

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Hey there Sloth Face. Interesting post. This could help you out. I just posted a DREAM post on my blog with a little technique I picked up years ago that will help anyone to remember their dreams. I used to study religion, Astral Projection, Witchcraft, Hypnosis, Sub-Conscious Mind, etc. These things always fascinated me. But along the way I discovered this powerful little technique that has had me remembering my dreams for years. You can check it out at www.asknbasked.com. Good Luck, and even Better Dreamin!

too bad it costs 3 bucks!

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Originally Posted by linxx

too bad it costs 3 bucks!

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I know right :P

As to the OP, 2 weeks ago I would probably have only remembered 1 dream a month, or less. Since my dream journal I started 5 days ago I've remembered 6 dreams. :O

It's supposed to make a huge difference on dream recall, but I admit, I am terrible at it. If I have a lucid dream or AP, then I find it no problem to do. But if it's just a normal dream, I never write it down. I know I should, but I am more focussed on getting my protein shake and checking messages upon awakening.

it makes a big difference, it helps you make neuroconnections between your dream memory and your real memory.