Length: Are you planning on recording your dreams for a year journal, or a shorter or longer amount of time? Think about how detailed you want your entries to be each night; this plus the length of time you aim to record your dreams for will indicate the length of the journal that you need. Ability to move the pages around: If you want to be able to sort pages into themes (for example, “Recurrent Dreams”, “Dreams about dogs”), etc. , then it might be helpful to use a looseleaf notebook that lets you reshuffle the pages easily. Use a quality binder to keep such a looseleaf journal intact. Jottings: The ability to add in jottings that you’ve written down elsewhere can also be important. Make sure that the journal has space for adding in scraps of paper, etc. Don’t forget to get a suitable marker. If you want to write in different colors for specific themes or recurrent interpretations, keep this in mind when purchasing the markers. Consider finding a tin, basket, or other storage item for your dream journal and markers. This allows you to keep all the things needed sitting neatly and ready for use at any time. Consider using a travel cover or protective case for your journal if you travel a lot and want to take your dream journal with you wherever you go.
If you have it in a container like a tin or a basket, it can be easily moved about and into a drawer or cupboard space when cleaning or to keep away from prying eyes. Another good idea is to keep a book reading light by your bedside. If you wake up in the middle of the night and feel compelled to write down a dream, an easily accessible light will enable you to do this before forgetting the dream. If you prefer speaking into a recordable MP3 player, be sure to have it handy and to keep the dream journal files in good order, and to transfer them regularly to a back-up. It doesn’t hurt to keep around some spare batteries, too, in case you forget to turn off your MP3 player during the night and you need to make a new entry in a hurry.
If you do write in the date the night before, you might also like to note down how you’re feeling. The feelings that you are experiencing may have an important influence on the dreams you experience during the night, so keeping a quick note of these can lead to insight later on. [5] X Expert Source Catherine Boswell, PhDLicensed Psychologist Expert Interview. 29 December 2020. It can be especially helpful as a good reminder for those jolting “a-ha!” or “pull-the-rug-from-under you” type dreams which can sometimes feel as if they appeared out of the blue.
Column method: If you draw a column down the middle of each journal page, this allows you to write down the dream on one side of the page, and then to write the possible interpretations down on the other side of the page, directly opposite each part of the dream being interpreted. Write then follow up: If you don’t like cramming things into columns, simply follow a process of writing down the dream first, then following up with the interpretation under the dream write-up. After all, writing down the dream is the most time sensitive part and should be given plenty of space; interpreting the dream later on is less urgent. [6] X Expert Source Catherine Boswell, PhDLicensed Psychologist Expert Interview. 29 December 2020.
See wikiHow’s many dream articles for ideas on having, controlling, and influencing your dreaming. It’s a good idea to use a beeping or ringing alarm rather than a radio or music alarm. The talking or singing might distract you from remembering the contents of your dream. If you’re fine with waking up without an alarm, that’s even better and a lot more peaceful.
Record everything that you can remember. At first it can be difficult to work out what to write down and to distinguish thoughts that may be creeping into your awoken mind from memories about your dreams. With practice though, you’ll soon be able to recall the things that the dream has told you. Include characters, symbols, colors, textures, feelings, actions (such as flying or swimming), interactions with other beings, shapes, and anything else that the dream raised. [8] X Research source Think of some adjectives to describe the most vivid and pressing images and feelings that the dream brings about in you. For example, if you dreamed about a house on fire, you might write: “terrifying, exciting, and red-hot burning house”, with your feelings being “afraid, panicking, curious”. Some dream journal writers like to draw images or use different colors to express different emotions or themes in a dream. (Colors themselves can be an important part of dream interpretation. )[9] X Research source
Sometimes the meaning of a dream might not become clear until you’ve realized it’s recurring and that there is something happening in your life that you might need to pay closer attention to. Indeed, the more important messages tend to repeat as a way of getting through to you. Read How to interpret your dreams for more information on how to interpret dreams.
Travel or change of location can also bring about memories of dreams you’ve already had, filling in the gaps so to speak. Use this opportunity to write them down and add to previous dreams.
