By Rachael Teelander
Dreams are an easy way to get a look at your, or anyone else’s, psyche. Dream journals are not a new concept, though they’ve been getting a bit more popular in recent years. Keeping a dream journal is not only a way to get an idea of mental health, but also a way to take charge of your dreams yourself. The best way to record a dream in a dream journal is to do so as soon as you wake up. Every detail should be recorded, even ones that might seem trivial, because looking back, it might have a deeper meaning. Psychology Today also suggests writing down your sleeping conditions. When and how long you sleep have a big impact on dreams. The longer you keep a dream journal, the more dreams you will be able to remember.
The act of dreaming in which you are aware that you are dreaming is typically referred to as lucid dreaming. With practice, you can even gain the ability to take control of your dreams. This is done at a small level, though, with even more practice you can learn to take control of most aspects of the dream. Dream journaling is one of the most popular ways to begin to lucid dream. Dream journaling keeps your mind involved more in dreams, instead of letting the memory of your dream fall away as you wake up in the morning. Because dream journaling makes your dream recall stronger, your lucid dreams will become more vivid. Some suggest to write these entries in the present tense, so that when you re-read it, you are able to best put yourself back in the moment again.
Edited by Emily Chance