What did you dream about last night? Did you fly on a magic carpet over a moonlit city? Did you confront a monster in the woods? Or maybe you walked down the halls of your old high school, desperately searching for your classroom before the bell rang? It’s incredible that our minds can travel so far while we sleep, but it’s devastating that so many of us forget our dreams promptly upon waking. If you’ve always wished your dreams would linger a little longer in your memory, check out the tips below to learn how to remember your dreams.
If you’ve always assumed that it’s an unfortunate fact of life that you can’t remember your dreams very well, we have good news! Research has shown that there are some tried-and-true ways to keep details of your dreams in your head. Although you might not be able to remember every part of your wild and wonderful dreams, the tips below (from Psychology Today and Scientific American) should help you increase your dream recall.
How to Remember Your Dreams
Go to bed at a time that feels natural to you.
If you prefer to head to bed early, that’s fine. If you’re more of a night owl, that’s okay too. Follow your natural inclinations.
Before you fall asleep, think about remembering your dreams.
When you’re lying in bed, waiting for yourself to fall asleep, remind yourself that you want to remember your dreams. Repeat the phrase, “I want to remember my dreams,” in your head. Try to make it the last thing you think about as you drift off. This may help prime your brain for recall.
Wake without an alarm.
If possible, let your body wake when it’s naturally ready to get up. Try not to force your body into waking if it’s not ready for it. When you do wake up, allow yourself several minutes (or longer) to slowly wake instead of jumping out of bed. Drift in and out of sleep if you like.
Try to remember your dreams right away.
As soon as you wake up, try to remember what you were dreaming about. Don’t let anything else – your phone, your stomach, your plans for the day – distract you. Even if you fail to remember your dreams one morning, try again the next. After several days, you might find yourself recalling little tidbits from your dream.
Write down any dreams you remember.
After you’ve spent a little time remembering as many details of your dream as you can, pull out a notebook and write everything down. Sometimes you may only remember a general feeling or mood – write these down too. To ensure the memory is still fresh in your mind, it’s best to keep a notebook and pen beside your bed for this purpose.
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Even if you think you don’t dream very often, it’s far more likely that you simply forget your dreams. According to Sleep.org, researchers believe it’s very likely that everyone dreams. We hope the tips above are valuable in helping you learn how to remember your dreams.
Sweet dreams!
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