10 Tips for Remembering Your Dreams

Remembering dreams is like beginning to use a muscle that has not been exercised in some time. Over time your dream recall will improve and your dream recall will get stronger. The more you pay attention to your dreams, the more they will pay attention to you. Here are a few suggestions for remembering your dreams. 1. Set the intention before you fall asleep that you will remember your dreams; that you want to remember your dreams. 2. If possible, wake up naturally. Alarms can disrupt dream recall. 3. When you wake up, don’t move right away.  Remain still and “stay in the dream” as long as you can.  Often this will help you recall more of the dream than if you start moving right away. 4. Record your dreams right away. Do not wait until after you have had coffee or taken a shower. The longer you wait to record your dreams, the less you will remember.  It’s ok if you only remember snippets or parts of the dream. Record what you remember. 5. Write in the present tense: “I am at a party.” “I am walking in a mall.” 6. Do whatever works: write in phrases, sketch or draw out images from your dreams. 7. Give the dream a title, if you can. 8. Write down the feelings you experienced in the dream. 9. Even the simplest dreams are meaningful. It’s ok if you only write down one phrase or sentence about a dream. 10. Record your dreams in a written journal, not on a smartphone or computer. As your dream practice deepens, you will find yourself going back to previous dreams as you begin to observe patterns or connections between your dreams. Having a journal allows you to flip back through, sketch images, make notations, and add reflections that will deepen your dreamwork. To find out more about what it would be like to work with me, or to see if we would be a good fit, click here to schedule a free, 20 minute phone consultation.