What is a dream journal and why should you make use of it?
The human (sub)consciousness is incredibly fascinating, but also puzzling. Even though your brain is in your own skull, you often don't even know what's going on in your mind. Your dreams can lift a corner of the veil. But that is only possible if you also remember your dreams. And that's where the dream journal comes in. Anyone who wants to know more about what is going on in his or her subconscious or what he or she dreams about every night should keep a dream diary.
What is a dream diary?
In a dream journal, you write down your dreams. For what happens to you during the day you can keep a regular diary and for the night you use your dream diary. But “I don't remember my dreams at all”, you may be exclaiming right now. That is not a problem at all. Keeping a dream journal is a good way to teach yourself to better remember your dreams (this is also known as dream recall). And the longer you keep doing this, the better it will get. You could also add a dream-herb to be able to remember easier your dreams. These will support you in remembering and directing your dreams.
Every morning, as soon as you wake up, write down what you dreamed. Usually you do this in the present tense, because it helps to put yourself back in the dream as if it were happening right now. At first, you may only be able to recall a few images, but the more you do it, the more you'll be able to remember. You will notice that your dreams become more and more vivid and detailed as a result. Anyone can start a dream journal. You don't have to be an experienced writer to do this. You can also write down your dream in keywords or short sentences.
Reasons to keep a dream journal
There are several reasons to start keeping a dream journal. This can vary from curiosity about your own dream world, to a stimulation of your creativity or processing nightmares.
See through emotions
We don't know exactly what the function of dreams is, but it may well be that they are meant to process emotions. Many dreams are emotionally charged. By writing down your dreams, you gain more insight into the emotions that occur in them, you make them more aware and you can better understand what is going on inside you.
More creativity
When you set your remember dreams better, you get a glimpse into your own fantasy. Special worlds, funny details, imaginative situations, if you write down all these dream images, this can serve as inspiration for your daily life.
Dealing with nightmares
Perhaps you rarely have nightmares, but some people experience them more often. There may even be recurring themes. Write down your nightmares. By looking closely, you may be able to bring the underlying source of fear into your consciousness. What you face, you can give a place or even heal.
Interesting
Of course, another good reason to start a dream journal is that your dream world is just really interesting. Writing down your dreams helps you remember them better, and you can remember more and more fascinating details and events. That can only motivate you to get started with this.
5 tips to keep a dream diary
Do you want to keep a dream diary? Then you can probably use some tips. Especially if you have trouble remembering your dreams, keeping a journal is the best way to improve your dream recall. Above all, be consistent: Sleep enough hours a day, lie down every morning to retrieve your dream. Your brain gets used to this and dreams come back to your memory more and more easily.
1. Choice for a diary
If you want to start with a dream journal, you need a notebook. So buy a nice notebook. You can also use apps. But in principle, it is not useful to use your mobile in your bed. That only distracts. We therefore recommend an ordinary notebook. Also put a pen next to your bed!
2. awake? Start writing
To get your remember dream really well, is it important to immediately, when you're awake, writing down your dream. Everyone knows that, that you first know what you have dreamed, and suddenly it is gone. You want to prevent that now. So grab your diary right away and write down what you remember. Are you having trouble getting your dream back? Lie down as you were when you woke up, relax and think of random objects: a road, a cat, a table. Your subconscious will help you, and suddenly you recognize an object that appeared in your dream. Before you know it, you'll be remembering more images.
3. Don't make up
If you can't remember more things from your dream, don't make up images or stories for them. At first, you may only remember a single person or image. That's enough to start with. Don't worry about your dream being incoherent or illogical. Write everything down as you come to mind. It is important that you let your conscious mind out of your dream.
4. No worries about style
Your dream journal is not meant to be published. So don't worry about spelling or grammar. That will only stop you from spontaneously writing down what you remember about your dream. Write freely and as you wish. Half sentences, keywords, it's all good.
5. Do not interpret
It is especially important that while writing down your dream, you do not yet interpret it. You should have your whole dream on paper first. If you start to interpret while writing, you lose the flow of remembering, and you run the risk of forgetting your dream. Interpretation of the dream therefore only comes after recording.
With these tips, you can hopefully start keeping a dream journal. It can help you dive into your subconscious. In addition, writing in a dream journal can also increase the chance of lucid dreaming. Interpreting dreams is a completely different discipline, but it can also be a lot of fun to delve into. Check out our smartshop for even more herbs that can help you get a good night's sleep!
