In multiple sources about how to remember your dreams, it usually says something similar to ‘Do not move from your position when you awaken, and try not to let the concerns of the day be the first thing you think about’. Well, half of that is true for me. I do wake up thinking about what I was dreaming about. Yet, the other half does not work for me at all! Every time I’ve tried to stay in the position I woke up in, I come up with nothing from the previous night. And magically, when I go take my dogs outside or walk around right after waking up, all the while thinking about what I dreamed of, I remember my dream well. On average a lot of one, and a little of another. Once, I’ve tried staying in bed for 15mins just trying to see if it would come to me- nothing. And when I walked around, I remembered…
Is my brain wierd, or does this apply to anyone else?
Well for most people, moving and concerning themselves with the day just makes them forget what they dream. I’d say not moving is the best because the dream is fresh in your head, if you do not remember your dreams when you first wake up its normal for people that just started DR. If you’ve been having the problem for awile I’d say just go with what you do, but with practice I bet you will be able to remember your dreams when first waking.
I have had days where I was out going about my day and I would suddenly remember a dream in vivid detail that I forgot about. Generally this is triggered by something I see or hear that reminds me of the dream. But this does not happen on a regular basis. For me, staying in bed and recalling my dreams is the best method.
Perhaps there is something in your yard that reminds you of your dreams. Can you link your recall to any thing you see, here, feel, or smell when you take out your dog? Even thoughts and emotions can trigger dream recall.
Yes your brain is wierd, but don’t worry everyones is too.
But to the point. memory, for dreams or anything else, can be triggered by lots of things. It just might be that when you lay still in bed, that being still inhibits your dream recall. This could be because you are not still in your dreams, and for you the movement is a key factor in remembering your dreams. I think that most people remember dreams best by laying still because dreams, sleeping and bed are connected in their heads. I know that right now I am under a lot of stress and can not remember any dreams right after I wake up, but I also remember dreams, or parts of dreams when I do things durring the day.
anyway, do what works for you.
don
I had something similar happen just yesterday. I woke around 6 am knowing that I had a dream, but only a vague impression of its content. I went back to sleep and dreamed some more, and woke around 8 am with the same feeling. I felt frustrated that I couldn’t remember, but almost as soon as I gave up, I remembered some images from the dream in the previous sleep cycle.
I find this sort of thing happens not only in remembering dreams, but also in remembering lots of other things. Sometimes just the effort of trying to remember cues your mind to retrieve the memory when you stop trying so hard.
For dream recall, if I wake remembering it, it does help to lie still long enough to firm up the dream memory. But if all I remember is that I had a dream, I often don’t recall it until I get up. I don’t get as far as you do, though. If I don’t remember the dream by the time I hit the shower, it’s too late. Either way, I still need to write notes or tell my husband as soon as possible, or I’ll lose the memory. (Dreams remembered in the shower usually get washed away.)
