A diary can help you make better use of your dreams
"'Dreams are but dreams', says a proverb. But a dream researcher sees it differently. He advises documenting your dreams daily to help process significant experiences. But how does one keep a dream diary?
Whether it's nonsense about flying or being stuck in a math exam, our dreams have more or less to do with real life. They can be triggered by events or problems that matter to us when awake - helping us process emotions like fear, stress, confusion, and vulnerability, says American psychologist and dream researcher Kelly Bulkeley in an article for Psychology Today.
He suggests keeping a dream diary to understand and even utilize these deep emotional processes. Dreams can also have an inspiring function, he says. In crises, certain dreams could shift focus from threats to our abilities for creative change, adaptation, and new growth: "These abilities can, for example, appear in a simple dream where you discover a new room in a house."
By noting down your dreams, you can reread them, spot patterns, compare them with real experiences, and perhaps understand yourself better. You can buy special dream diaries, but a notebook or a pad will do.
Keeping a Dream Diary: How To
To make the most of your dream diary, Bulkeley advises: Place a notepad and pen or your phone with a speech recognition app next to your bed. It should be easy to record your dream immediately upon waking.
Ideally, each entry should include the date, where you slept, the time you fell asleep, the time you woke up, and an assessment of your sleep quality - good, average, or poor. This is useful because sleep conditions can influence dreams. And "if you can't remember any dreams from that night, you've at least gathered some useful information about your sleep."
One more thing: If you write down your dreams first thing in the morning, your handwriting might be messy. So, it's recommended to rewrite the notes neatly by hand or on the computer. After all, you'll want to be able to reread them to make the most of them.
Engaging in regular dream documentation can aid in personal growth, as education about our dreams can be enlightening. For instance, analyzing patterns in your dreams may reveal unconscious thoughts or feelings.
Furthermore, view your dream diary as an essential tool for enhancing self-awareness through the education it provides about your subconscious mind.
