How to Remember Dreams

There are countless theories about why we dream, how we dream, and how we can interpret the meaning of dreams. Many people believe that dreams can provide insight into our lives and emotions, but everyone knows that dreams can be difficult to remember. However, with conscious effort, you can remember your dreams more deeply and recall them in greater detail.

Table of Contents

Before go to bed

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Prepare for a good night’s sleep. It’s easier to remember dreams when they happen during a stage called REM sleep, which stands for Rapid Eye Movement. Our bodies are asleep, but our minds are active with dreams. If you don’t get enough sleep at night, or your sleep is interrupted more than once, you’ll get less REM sleep and you’ll also dream less. Try going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time each morning to make sure you’re getting the right type of sleep.

Most people need 7-9 hours of sleep each night to ensure adequate rest. People who sleep less than 6 hours have difficulty remembering dreams, as longer and more vivid dreams often occur later in the sleep cycle.
Create an environment conducive to sleep. Eliminate any noises and distractions that make it difficult to fall asleep. Use earplugs if necessary, and hang thick curtains to block outside light.

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Keep a notebook and pen within arm’s reach next to the bed. It’s best to use white paper, with no drawings or patterns to distract you. Reserve this notebook only for recording dreams. Before you go to sleep, remember to have a new page open so you can write right away without having to turn to find a blank page when you wake up.

You should also always keep your pens in the same place so you don’t have to look for them. (You can write down where you put your pens or other things before you go to bed so you can find them later.)
Another way to record dreams is to place a tape recorder near your bed or under your pillow so you can record the details of what happened in the dream.

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Place an alarm clock near the bed. If you have to get out of bed to turn off your alarm, it’s easier to forget your dream. Set the alarm to ring after a period of time when you have had enough sleep. Don’t use alarm clocks with radios, as the advertisements and chatter of the morning programs will distract you.

If you can wake up without an alarm, you won’t have to worry about turning it off.
If possible, try using a gentler way to wake up. Have someone wake you up quietly without talking, or connect a timer to the lights in the room. Many people find that they can recall dreams better if they don’t use an alarm clock.
Stick a note on your alarm clock that says “What did you dream about?” or something similar in large print, so that it’s the first thing you see when you open your eyes (and turn off your alarm).

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Do not eat, drink alcohol or take medicine before going to bed. Chemicals in drugs or food can affect the brain’s ability to remember dreams. Try not to eat anything for at least a few hours before going to bed so that nothing can interfere with your memory or disrupt your sleep patterns.

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Relax your mind and body before going to bed. Is your mind often confused before going to bed? Stressful thoughts in your head can make it difficult to remember dreams, which requires deep concentration. Before going to bed, let your mind relax, get rid of heavy thoughts and drift into sleep peacefully.

Avoid bringing your phone or computer to bed. Checking emails and texts right before bed won’t give your mind time to clear.
Try meditation or use classic methods like counting sheep to free your mind.

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Use consciousness to remember dreams. You’ll be more likely to remember your dreams if you really want to. Show that you want to remember the dream, tell yourself that you will remember the dream, and do your best to take steps to make your wish come true. ^{[1] X Dreams and Nightmares Research Source : The Origin and Meaning of Dreams, By Ernest Hartmann, p142, ISBN 0738203599}

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Think about a big problem, an emotion that bothers you, or read a book right before you go to sleep. Think deeply about the situation without forcing yourself to find a solution or draw a conclusion. Simply thinking about the problem will help open the door to consciousness so that dreams are recalled more vividly, and the dream will give you more insight into the problem at hand. ^{[2] X Dreams and Nightmares Research Source : The Origin and Meaning of Dreams, By Ernest Hartmann, p142, ISBN 0738203599}

Next morning

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Focus on recalling the dream as soon as you wake up. Usually you can remember the last dream before you wake up. Don’t move and don’t do anything. Lie still when you wake up and try to recall as much of the dream as possible before you think about anything else. Relive the dream from beginning to end.

While recalling the dream, focus on the first object you see when you open your eyes. Look at the object; focus on it. Often the object will bring your vague memories of the dream to a special place in your memory that can make it easier to recall in detail. For example, a doorknob, a light bulb or a nail in the wall will help bring the dream you experienced in your sleep to memory.

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Write a dream diary.. Write as quickly as possible about the dream, starting by outlining the basics such as the place in the dream, the main plot, the characters, and the general feelings in the dream (ie. Did the dream make you scared or happy?) and any striking images you can remember.

If you remember any conversation, you should write it down first, because the words in a dream are often forgotten. Record any detail you can remember, even if it’s just an image. Once you have recorded the basics, other details from the dream may come to mind.
If you can’t remember any details about the dream, write down the first thing that comes to mind when you wake up. It may be related to the dream in some way and evoke memories. You should also write down how you feel when you wake up. The emotions you experience in a dream often linger, at least for a short while when you wake up; so when you wake up nervous or elated, ask yourself why.

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Increase the number of dreams you remember by waking up more at night. We go through many cycles of REM sleep in one night, and the longer it gets in the morning, the longer they get. If you only record the last dream before you wake up in the morning, there will be many more dreams that you cannot remember. While it’s easy to be tempted to go back to sleep as soon as you wake up in the middle of the night, it’s a good idea to remember what you just dreamed before going back to sleep – these dreams are almost forgotten when you wake up in the morning. .

People usually only remember the last dream before they wake up, so you can remember more dreams by waking up several times a night. We go through a full sleep cycle every 90 minutes, so you may find it effective to set alarms after periods that are multiples of 90 (eg 4.5, 6, or 7 hours) after the scheduled bedtime. Dreams that happen in the middle of the night near morning are usually longer than those that happen right after you fall asleep, so you should probably wait until you have slept for at least 4.5 hours to wake yourself up. .
This method is only recommended for those who get enough sleep and easily fall back to sleep. If not, skip this step.

The rest of the day

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Always keep a notebook or tape recorder nearby. Often something you see or hear afterward will bring back memories of the previous night’s dream. Don’t delay recording those memories and thinking about them and trying to remember how it matches up with the rest of the dream. This will also help you keep thinking about your dreams throughout the day.

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Go back to bed and lie down. Sometimes memories can be recalled when you lie down exactly like when you were dreaming before. Try to put your head on the pillow in the correct position, lie in the same position as before and close your eyes. If a dream pops into your head, think about it carefully before you sit up and write it down.

It is also helpful to open your eyes and look at the first thing you see when you wake up.
Try creating a similar environment in the room – pull down the curtains, turn off the lights and cut out the noise.

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Practice again the next night. Remembering dreams takes effort and practice. The more aware you are of your dreams, the more likely you will be to remember them. Get in the habit of recalling your dreams at night and writing them down as soon as you wake up. Gradually the process will become easier.

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Pay attention to the rules. You will eventually identify factors that help you recall dreams. Try to notice the rules that usually accompany the time you go to bed and wake up each morning, the temperature of the room, the food of the previous night’s dinner. Are there any changes that seem to affect your ability to recall dreams?

Advice

Record the exact details of the dream and do not try to make it logical. For example, if the dream begins with an indoor scene but then you realize you are in the woods, don’t assume that you have left the house. Dreams that are different from everyday experiences can disappear if you try to apply logic to dream events.
When recording dreams, keep in mind that these records are private. Don’t interpret it so it makes sense to others, as you may find yourself changing things to make it easier for outsiders to understand. Always write down what you believe to be the truth instead of what is logical.
If the next night or the next week you have the same dream again, write it down as well. A recurring dream is a very important one, as it can have some special meaning.
When you dream, you are in a completely different mindset. Try dreaming lucid dreams. When you are in this type of thinking and have lucid dreams, you will sometimes be able to recall past dreams. Think of it as if you had an area of your brain that holds dreams, and you can only access that place through dreams.
There are some songs that really help dreams stay in the brain longer. You can try listening to music before going to bed.
When recording dreams, it may be easier to remember if you write (or speak) in the present tense (e.g. “I am going” instead of “I have gone”).
You can replace the desk lamp with a small flashlight to record dreams at night. Cover the lens with three layers of paper tape so you can easily see the notebook in the night, but it’s not so bright that you want to close your eyes.
However, it’s still better if you don’t use any lights, as lighting can make it harder to remember. Keep your pen and paper in an easy-to-reach place, even without opening your eyes (be careful not to let yourself fall asleep). With a lot of practice, you will be able to write better without looking at the paper.
If you talk a lot while you sleep, you can use your camcorder or cell phone to record videos while you are sleeping. Review the video after you write down what you remember. This can trigger memories of dreams that you may not be able to remember when you first wake up.
Take a vitamin B6 tablet before going to bed. It will make your dreams come alive.
If you remember a certain dream that you don’t like and often have it over and over again, perhaps you should see a therapist or a psychic.
Certain foods, such as almonds or cherries, can help bring dreams to life. The more vivid the dream, the easier it will be to remember. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Warning

If you have sleep problems or have trouble getting enough sleep, don’t try to record your dreams during the night. You should go back to sleep.
Be careful when interpreting dreams. Dream prediction is not scientific, so don’t jump to conclusions, and don’t take dreams too seriously. For example, a dream about death does not mean that someone will die or that something bad will happen.
Don’t try to recall scary dreams, because they will scare you for a long time.

Things you need

Pen and paper to record dreams
Means of awakening (gentle style is better)
Voice recorder (optional)

Steps