Dreams
Dream Journal
Definition
A record of one's dreams, written down as soon as one wakes, used to strengthen dream recall over time and to reveal recurring symbols, themes, and patterns.
A dream journal is a record of your dreams, written down the moment you wake — before they fade, which happens within minutes. Kept regularly, it does two things: it captures dreams before they vanish, and the act of recording them trains the brain to recall more over time, often in far greater detail.
Reviewed over weeks and months, a dream journal also reveals the recurring symbols and themes a single dream could never show — the raw material for honest dream interpretation. For how to start and use one well, see the full guide to keeping a dream journal.