Most importantly, I placed a pen and journal on my bedside table so that I could immediately record whatever dreams I remembered upon awakening. The information I read about dreams indicated that I was indeed, like everyone else, having several dreams each night. I simply wasn’t being mindful of my dream life and drawing those images to my waking consciousness. Sure enough, only a few nights after I implemented my pre-bedtime changes, I had the craziest dream. I won’t bore you with the details; I’m just glad to have my life back.
Tips for a fuller dream life:
- Better sleeping is better dreaming so anything you can do to relax yourself before going to bed will help. Avoid alcohol and caffeine before retiring, make sure your bedroom is comfortable and quiet, and try a hot bath or shower at night to soothe your body into sleep. Aromatherapy and yoga meditation are also very helpful.
- Try to allow your body to awake on its own, without an alarm clock. Being jolted awake jerks our memories away from recalling our dreams.
- Keep a dream journal at your bedside and write down any recollections you have immediately upon wakening, describing physical and emotional sensations in as much detail as you can. This will stimulate your memory and make it easier to retain dreams in the future. It will also provide you with a record of your dreams so you can analyze them. But remember, you don’t have to show this journal to anyone! Hide it in a bedside drawer or under your mattress if you are worried a husband or partner will read it. Your dream life is your private life.
Sweet dreams, ladies!
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