The best dream journals for recording your dreams

Have you ever woken up from a dream you thought was significant, only to forget it a few hours later? What you need is a dream journal so that you can keep a record of all of your dreams. During the stages of sleep, our minds are still full of activity. This activity conjures up a series of mental images that take the form of dreams. Sometimes, these dreams can be a sensory, emotional or spiritual experience for some.

That's why writing down our dreams can sometimes help us make sense of them. In some circles of psychology, dreams can often be a reflection of our subconscious minds, our fears, and our desires. In spirituality, dreams can be symbolic for some. There have even been people who have reported experiencing precognition in which they've predicted the future. Whatever way you view dreams, there's no denying they're fascinating.

We've taken a look at the best journals for you to record your dreams, a guide on how to start your own and the benefits of keeping such a journal. You may even want to make this a part of your morning ritual in order to better connect with yourself and take a moment to breathe before starting your day.

How to keep a dream journal?

Starting your own journalis fairly easy. Sometimes, a journal made specifically for this purpose will have a certain layout to make tracking and recording dreams easier. However, if you're wanting to set up your own from a blank notebook, here are some things you may want to write in.

The date

Make sure to include the date of your dream so you have some context of what your life was like at the time you had this dream.

The time

You may want to log the time you woke up, as well as the time that you went to sleep in this journal to give you a better understanding of your sleep pattern.

The amount of hours slept

As our sleep occurs in cycles, a certain amount of hours and quality of sleep can impact whether we dream or not. REM sleep usually happens an hour and a half into our sleep, which is when we tend to have the most vivid dreams.

The sleep quality

Rate your quality of sleep on a scale or comment on how good or bad your sleep was. If you were waking up in the middle of the night, it's unlikely you'll have had much time to relax into a deep sleep.

A description of your dream

Write down what happened, who was in the dream, what was in the dream, where the dream took place, how it made you feel and how you felt when you woke up. Describe your surroundings, colours and senses.

Your interpretation of the dream

Why do you think you had this dream? What can you take away from this dream? Do you think there is a deeper meaning, a hidden symbol or your subconscious trying to reach you? Explore these avenues in depth.

Other interpretations of the dream

Use a dream dictionary to analyse the meaning of your dream. Or, research across the web what other common interpretations say about your dream. Some of these may have psychological or spiritual significance.

The best dream journals

Which dream journal is best?

A dream journal is totally personal, and choosing one comes down to your own individual needs. Some may enjoy blank pages, some may enjoy a little bit of structure while others want a guided experience.

If you're looking for total creative expression we would recommend the Nemesis Now Dream Book Journal, if you're looking for some structure we would recommend the Custom Vegan Dream Diary and if you're wanting a guided journal we would recommend The Guided Dream Journal.

What are the benefits of keeping a dream journal?

Some of the benefits of keeping a dream journal include a better connection with yourself, an understanding of how your mind works, and an ability to identify and confront your fears.

Not only that, but it can help to encourage and channel your creativity. A dream may serve as inspiration for artistic works such as painting, poetry or creative writing. It's a time for you to take a moment to breathe, which may help you to relax and reduce stress levels.

It may also help you with the skill of being able to lucid dream, a technique where you're able to actually take control within your dreams. This usually happens with REM sleep. So, keeping a journal not only helps you identify your sleep patterns but can also help you with techniques like lucid dreaming too.

How To Start a Dream Journal | Setup & Flip Through