7 Reasons to Keep a Dream Diary ...

One of the reasons to keep a dream diary is that it can be very entertaining. I find that three or four times a week I have really fun dreams that I really enjoy. All kinds of strange and amusing things happen in my dreams. But a lot of people don't remember their dreams, so if you're one of them start noting down what you dreamt about. You might be entertained by yours as well.

Your dreams may also reveal what is going on in your subconscious. It's thought that our dreams are a way of working through our problems and whatever is on our conscious mind. Note down your dreams, and you may start to understand yourself better.

Have you ever heard the phrase 'sleep on it'? The idea is that if you have a dilemma or problem, you'll be able to think more clearly after a good rest. Research suggests that there may be something to this, and that your brain may be able to use sleep to work out the answer to problems (see for example theguardian.com).

Even if you don't have a problem that needs solving, your dreams may provide unexpected inspiration. You can dream about things that you've never been interested in or thought of doing, but dreaming about them suddenly brings them into your thoughts. Dreams could give you an idea for your career or what you want to study. You may not know what you want to do until you dream it!

Do you think that you don't dream? The fact is that we do all dream, we just don't all remember them. Or perhaps you know that you dream, but quickly forget them. Starting a dream diary will help you remember; the key is to note them down as soon as you wake up. Keep a notebook by the side of your bed so that you can quickly write down what you remember as soon as you wake up.

If you note down your dreams, you may notice a pattern. Perhaps you have bad dreams when you are feeling negative. Identifying a pattern may help you to sort out your thoughts and deal with any problems you may have.

Have you ever wanted to write but don't know how to begin? Or would you like to be creative in some other way? A dream diary may help awaken your creativity. If you don't know what to write about, your dreams may spark off ideas. Or you could find an idea for a fantastic new product. See what you come up with!

Dream diaries can be inspirational and helpful. We spend a third of our lives asleep, so why not put that time to good use? Let your subconscious mind work for you and come up with some great ideas! Have you ever had a really strange or amusing dream - or one that came true?