If you are looking to boost your creativity, start a new hobby or you are simply wondering what that weird dream means, give dream journaling a try.
We spend a third of our life sleeping. You are probably familiar with the saying sleep on it when you have a big decision to make or the fact that after a long studying session when you start feeling tired and confused, you need to sleep it over and suddenly you have a much better understanding the next day. This is because memory is formed in our sleep. Sleep is the time in the day when our body rests and relaxes, but our mind is actually doing a lot of work.
When we are asleep, the brain is implementing what we have learned that day, helping us form new habits and trying to connect the dots between various experiences our conscious mind may have waved off.
In order to benefit from this often-overlooked aspect of your life, you may want to start a dream journal. It is also a great activity to do when solo travelling as you only have yourself as company, so why not take your relationship with yourself a step further. So, what is a dream journal?
What is dream journaling?
Dream journaling is the practice of recording your dreams in the form of writing, drawing or speaking. Your conscious mind is practical and it won’t waste time dealing with dreams, unless you make a conscious effort. So why do it at all?
The benefits of recording and analyzing dreams
#1 Spark your creativity
One of the main benefits of dream journaling is unlocking your creative potential. This is your private place for artistic expression – explore your freedom.
#2 Connect with yourself
Taking care of your body and mind is important for your health and wellbeing. Just like regular journalling, dream journalling can be very therapeutic and insightful.
#3 Find answers
Much like practising meditation, one of dream journaling benefits is helping you find answers to some important question you may not even know have been bothering you. Studies show it may even help with insomnia.
#4 Have fun!
You don’t have to get all serious about it. Recording your dreams can be a fun new hobby or simply a way to refresh your existing day journaling habit!
How to keep a dream journal
To start your dream journaling habit, you can find a dream journal template online or download a dream journal app. It doesn’t have to be fancy – a good dream journal example is a simple notebook that you like.
There is only one rule: it needs to be done immediately upon waking up, ideally while you are still half asleep and haven’t even moved a lot because even vivid dreams easily vanish within minutes. Try to write in the present tense or draw if you can’t find words. Include feelings and don’t worry about spelling or grammar. With time, you will get better at recollecting details.
Interpreting dreams
We humans like to look for meaning in everything, and dreams can often seem nonsensical or even scary. Many famous people drew inspiration for their work from dreams, and experts agree that dreaming is a way of digesting the day’s experiences in order to help us experience important emotions, face fears and be better prepared for our conscious life. Our experience of the world is unique, so there are no rules when it comes to the meanings of dreams. You can look into dream dictionaries for fun, but meaning is usually found simply by listening to your intuition.
On your next camping trip, take a pretty notebook and give dream journalling a go. The serene nature of Pag island is ideal for self-reflection and Camping Village Šimuni can be the perfect starting point. Contact us and book your dream vacation! Pun intented 😊