No Dream Recall :(

[Ferret]

Ok so its been 4 days I think since I had a dream and started getting very interested in LDing. Since then I put a DJ next to my bed so I could easily record any dreams but so far I have had none. Am I just an unlucky person who has bad dream recall? WHEN I start getting them and writing them down should it become more often? I dont remember my dreams very often but when I do I seem to remember them very stongly for quite some time. Also have been trying some basic meditation, just breathing realy and tried WILDing and VILDing. I know this is not important to me now as I have virtualy no dream recall but hopefully I will have the process down a bit better when my dream recall gets a bit better. So basicly is there anything I can do to improve my dream recall or should I just wait and in time... It just sucks its like my dreams dont want me to know whats going on haha

[freakyDreamer]

A few things you could try that have helped me. Have you tried repeating mantras? Before I knew about lucid dreaming, I remembered a dream only every other week. Now I remember 3-4, sometimes 5 a night. So, the first day I heard about lucid dreaming, at night I repeated over and over for a long time, "I will remember my dreams", and "I will realize I am dreaming when I am dreaming". Well you know what? I remember 5 dreams that very night, 3 of them being 10-seconds long lucids! Going from one every other week to 5 dreams is pretty good. So try that. Another thing you could do is set your alarm to go off after 3-5 hours of sleep. It will hopefully wake you up from a dream, or you would of had a dream recent enough to remember. If you don't remember any, try setting it to go if in 15-30 minutes, and tell yourself you will remember your dream. You have a bunch of dreams every night, just most people don't remember them. It's fun to remember 3-5 a night, most of mine are SO wierd(not trying to brag) So try the mantras for a few night, and if that doesn't work, try the alarm thing. Hope this helps! Post your results in a few days. -FreakyDreamer

[SystemsLock]

I'm just like you, I remember my dreams about once a week but when I do they're usually very vivid. To increase dream recall, try setting your alarm a hour before you normally wake up, then go back to bed. Your REM cycles are longer the more you sleep and if you interrupt one you will go straight back into REM when you return to sleep. This time however you wont be sleeping as deeply and thus its easier to remember your dreams. It will also help you with obtaining lucidity. I'd say 90% of my vivid dreams occur becuase I'd woken up too early and returned to sleep. If you do this nightly it will increase your dreams recalled drastically.

[Ferret]

Thanx, I have tried some simliar mantras but not for huge periods of time. Might concentrate tonight and do it for an hour or so before bed. First night I got into this I woke up at 5am and atempted a WILD which didnt work. since that night most nights I have woken up around 5am without and alarm and still find it hard to sleep even if not WILDing.

[BassGear]

I'm new here too, and thought I had better dream recall then I actually possessed. But since I've being using a dream journal I have had only one really vivid dream, a few normal (I think) dreams that I could remember and write down, but last night I finally broke a four day cold spell. I guess these things happen to us beginners.

[Squaddle]

What I usually do is... Reality check and then mantras I will be aware of waking up after a dream I will remember my dream I will see dreamsigns in my dream When I dream I will realize and become lucid I do them all like 3-5 times and just stick with the last one untill I go to sleep.. or when i got tired and just drop down and let the breeze take me away..... So take me away please my consciense!!!!!!LUCID DREAMIn... nah just give me a dream sign at the least.

[SystemsLock]

The mantras are all just placebo effect anyway. It doesn't really matter what you say you just have to remind yourself about lucid dreaming before going to bed.

[Squaddle]

The mantras are all just placebo effect anyway. It doesn't really matter what you say you just have to remind yourself about lucid dreaming before going to bed. The mind is a powerful thing...... and it does not succumb to placebo effect all the way... it's what YOU say to IT that counts more.

[oooooo]

The mind is a powerful thing...... and it does not succumb to placebo effect all the way... it's what YOU say to IT that counts more. Sorry for going off topic, BUT... I never understood why people always say "It's just placebo anyway". To me the placebo effect is one of the most incomprehensible and amazing things in the world. I think the word is wrongly associated as something that doesn't actually really work. If a mantra can make your dreams more vivid, remember your dreams, make you lucid, stop smoking, be more self-confident or whatever else, why does it matter at all if it's just the placebo effect, you're obviously making a difference in you, your body and your life by hardly more than a thought..... and to get back on topic. I have a really hard time remembering my dreams too, but this whole week I've remembered at least one dream a night. On Monday I just started waking up after each dream and wrote it down and went back to sleep. I'm going to bed earlier now, which might have an effect too. In your Dream Journal write down your goals: "Improve dream recall", "I will remember my dreams" and maybe "Improve dream vividity", writing things down really helps for me. Sleep well (don't stay up too late and don't stay in bed too late), eat healthy and don't stress too much about not remembering them, just chill, I'd say the dreams will come to you in time. Just don't stress about it.

[Squaddle]

Sorry for going off topic, BUT... I never understood why people always say "It's just placebo anyway". To me the placebo effect is one of the most incomprehensible and amazing things in the world. I think the word is wrongly associated as something that doesn't actually really work. If a mantra can make your dreams more vivid, remember your dreams, make you lucid, stop smoking, be more self-confident or whatever else, why does it matter at all if it's just the placebo effect, you're obviously making a difference in you, your body and your life by hardly more than a thought..... and to get back on topic. I have a really hard time remembering my dreams too, but this whole week I've remembered at least one dream a night. On Monday I just started waking up after each dream and wrote it down and went back to sleep. I'm going to bed earlier now, which might have an effect too. In your Dream Journal write down your goals: "Improve dream recall", "I will remember my dreams" and maybe "Improve dream vividity", writing things down really helps for me. Sleep well (don't stay up too late and don't stay in bed too late), eat healthy and don't stress too much about not remembering them, just chill, I'd say the dreams will come to you in time. Just don't stress about it. After you learn stuff like all the ILD's technique........ RC mantra....... and some casual stuff that surround and encompass the world of LD... you will be on your way to LDing ... or if you already are... improve.