Dreams are strange

Personally, I’m always amazed that more people aren’t shocked by the fact that we sleep and dream. Every night, everyone of the 8+ billion people alive go to bed and sleep. To sleep, we get into bed and get comfortable and simply wait. We wait until sleep comes. We don’t make the decision to sleep. We simply wait. 

Then sleep comes. During sleep we dream. We have these experiences of doing fantastic or mundane things. We can dream of pencils or simply walking around a city. We can dream of flying and meeting alien creatures. Sometimes our dreams relate to our daily lives. Sometimes they do not.

Sometimes we wake up experiencing the emotions of the dream. If we have a nightmare, we feel scared or stressed. If it was a pleasant dream, we feel content and good when we wake up. 

3 reasons to keep a dream journal

There’s a few reasons why someone would one to keep a dream journal.

First, dream journals keep a record of your dreams. It is fascinating to be able to read dreams I had 10 years ago. 

Second, keeping a dream journal will help you remember your dreams. If you keep a dream journal, you’ll be more likely to remember your dreams. Importantly, you don’t have to write out the full dream to have this beneficial effect. Keeping a simple checklist of if you dreamt will help you remember more dreams over time.

Third, dreams provide a really unique window into your mind. While there is no one broadly accepted theory of dreaming that explains dreams completely, most theories of dreams highlight that dreams are doing something. They may be processing your everyday activities, trying to generate new insights, or process emotions. As a result, paying attention to your  dreams can be tremendously beneficial. 

A small disclaimer

DreamWell is a dream journal app. As a result, we’re not 100% unbiased observers in this review. However, we believe it is more important that people engage with their dreams than use DreamWell. This is why we’ve created this review.

We hope that this will help you find a dream journal app that you love. We’ve included methodology at the end of this post of how we’ve decided to feature these apps.

A great, easy to use, simple journal: Dream: Sleep & Lucid Dreaming

I really love this dream journal. It is really beautifully designed, simple, and easy to use. The dream entry is the part that stands out to me. Each screen is clear and straightforward. Additional information about dreams are gathered using an intuitive tag based system.

It is available on android and iOS. Most of the functionality is available for free, but a subscription is required for backing up your data and gaining access to charts and statistics. The subscription is $3.99 per month or $42.99 per year. This was made by Marco Rizza / spods.

Overall, we’d recommend this app if you want something simple, easy to use, and straightforward to record your dreams.

Another simple dream journal with lucid dream features: DreamKit

DreamKit is another fantastic, easy to use, simple journal. The dream entry is easy and it uses a tag based system to gain additional information about the dream. Interestingly, it provides the ability to add sleep and wake up time to dreams

The core differentiator here is that DreamKit provides text based lessons on lucid dreaming and a reality check feature. The reality check is simply a notification sent during the day to ask this simple question, “am I dreaming?” as part of lucid dream practices.

It is available on Android and iOS and does not appear to have ads or premium subscriptions. As a result, it appears that everything in the app is completely free. The developer is Sung Woo Chang. I couldn’t find a webpage for the app, but the developer is active on reddit.

A great lucid dreaming course: MindAwake

MindAwake is focused more on the experience of dreaming than on the experience of dream journaling. The journal itself is straightforward and easy to use. 

Its core functionality centers around a 20 lessons course on achieving lucid dreams. This is one of the few dream apps that speak about the how to get the type of sleep needed for dreaming. It also provides guidance around mindfulness, which is useful for both getting good sleep and achieving lucid dreams.

MindAwake is available on Android and iOS. It does not offer a premium subscription or ads. The developer is Jason Cassidy who has experience in Sleep Medicine and is a mindfulness and lucid dreaming teacher.

Other dream journals to check out

There are many other interesting dream journals and dream apps to check out. All of these are interesting and offer a lot of great features. 

Oniri

Oniri is now currently the #1 dream journal app on only iOS. It is a beautifully designed app that offers a dream journal, statistics, and information on lucid dreaming. It has a series of additional questions and fields to collect additional dream data. It offers a premium subscription for $47.99 per year with a 14-day free trial. The premium subscription unlocks dream symbol interpretation, lucid dream audio tracks, and other features. 

We did not highlight Orini simply because it is not available on Android. Additionally, the dream entry is slightly too busy for our taste.

Dreambook

Dreambook is another great dream journal app available on iOS and Android. The dream entry is simple and intuitive. It offers a tag based system for adding additional dream data. You will be limited to entering 3 dreams unless you activate a premium subscription. There are three premium plans ranging from $1.99 per month to $0.83 per month depending upon subscription duration. The premium subscription will unlock interpretations, statistics, and other features.

We did not highlight Dreambook because the free offering is so limited with only 3 dreams. This was not clearly stated while installing the app. It would be frustrating to enter in 3 dreams and feel compelled to purchase.

Shape is a really beautiful app for lucid dreaming and journaling available only on iOS. The core of this app is a 13 track audio course on lucid dreaming. The dream journal is minimal. It offers a premium membership to unlock all of the dream tracks for $39.99 per year or $5.99 per month.

We did not highlight Shape because the content offering is very limited. The entire content library is currently less than one hour of audio. 

WorldWithin

WorldWithin is a charming dream journal app focused on lucid dreaming. Honestly, it is a fun app. They offer a really nice ability to log dreams. It is simple and they allow for tags. A lot of the experience is gamified. There’s a wizard character that points out different elements of the app. One can gain points by doing different activities. They have a relatively robust offering of meditations, lessons, and sleep stories. The premium subscription ranges from $12.99 per month to $6.66 per month depending on subscription during. 

We did not highlight WorldWithin because its pricing is confusing. A monthly subscription is described in the price paid for the week. Additionally, the gamification elements are fun and charming, but might not be for everyone.

How DreamWell is different

We’re not objective observers in this dream journal review. We’ve built a dream journal that we honestly think is the best one available. Of course, we’re just happy if this post has helped you find a dream journal you love. We truly think dreaming can change the world for the better.

DreamWell has a very simple, beautiful dream journal flow. It is designed to be easy to use while you are half-awake. Dreams are shown on a feed with a visualization of your dreams over time.

We offer a wide range of audio content to help you dream well. Like many dream apps, this includes practices for lucid dreaming. Unlike any other dream app, we offer a wide range of practices on dreams like working with nightmares, recalling your dreams, dream incubations, etc.

However, what makes DreamWell truly unique is our perspective that dreams do not just happen in isolation. They happen in the context of your life. How you sleep influences how you dream. How you feel influences how you dream.

As a result, we have audio content that helps you fall asleep like sleep stories, music, and sounds. We teach science based techniques to help you fall asleep. Additionally, we have audio practices and courses on mindfulness, which has been shown to help improve sleep and increase dream recall.

DreamWell is available on both Android and iOS. We strive to be as upfront and kind with our pricing as possible. It always seems strange to require people to pay to enter their dreams or access statistics about dreaming. As a result, the dream journal aspect of DreamWell is 100% free. 

We have suggested subscriptions of $13.99 per month (with a 7-day free trial) and $69.99 per year (with a 14-day free trial) that unlocks our content library. However, we believe that everyone should have access to the tools they need to sleep, dream, and be well so we offer subscriptions as low as $2.99 per month or $19.99 per year. If this price is still an issue, please email us at hi@dreamwellbewell.com.

What makes a good dream journal?

A good dream journal is the dream journal that you will use. It is more important that you love and use than dream journal than any of its other features.

There are, however, at least three things to consider when evaluating dream journals.

It is better than Google Docs or Notes

One of the most interesting things about dream journal apps is that word processing software or journal apps can do a very good job. For example, Google Docs is something that is easy to use and search. It is available on all platforms, on your phone, or on your computer. 

Therefore, for a dream journal app to be worthwhile, it has to be better than just keeping a journal in Google Docs, Notes, or other simple software like this.

With that said, we think that the best dream journal app is the one that you will use. You will receive the most benefit from keeping a dream journal if you use it everyday, even if you don’t dream. So, the app will have to be something that you like using. It will have to be something that reminds you to record your dreams.

Second, the dream journal app should provide some education and support for exploring your dreams. Generally, we tend to think that dreams simply happen to us. We go to sleep and have dreams. But we can dream about specific things in a process called dream incubation. We can gain awareness that we are dreaming and possibly control the dream through lucid dream practices. There is a vast world of dream related activities that the app should at least reference.

The dream journal is ethical

The dream journal app should be ethical. We do not have to go far to find what this means. The International Association for the Study of Dreams have set forth ethical guidelines for Dreamwork. Highlighted from the statement:

Systems of dreamwork that assign authority or knowledge of the dream’s meanings to someone other than the dreamer can be misleading, incorrect, and harmful. Ethical dreamwork helps the dreamer work with his/her own dream images, feelings, and associations, and guides the dreamer to more fully experience, appreciate, and understand the dream.

https://www.asdreams.org/ethics-and-confidentiality/

And later it is stated:

The dreamer should be forewarned that unexpected issues or emotions may arise in the course of the dreamwork….Dreamwork outside a clinical setting is not a substitute for psychotherapy, or other professional treatment, and should not be used as such.

https://www.asdreams.org/ethics-and-confidentiality/

There are two implications here. First, dream journal apps should assist the dreamer in uncovering any meaning in dreams and not state the meaning of people’s dreams. Second, paying attention to dreams can be troubling and that this risk should be clearly stated.

The dream journal is easy to use

One of the first things you’ll notice if you look at a dream journal is that they offer a profound amount of options. This never makes a lot of sense because dreams happen during sleep. You wake up, remember a dream, and then have to record it. As a result, the dream journal should be simple and easy to use because it is intended to be used when people are half asleep.

Methodology of the review

We’ve reviewed over 50 dream apps during June 2022. This involved downloading the app and using the app, including listening to and exploring any content available. 

Because of the ethical guidelines stated by ethical guidelines stated by the International Association for the Study of Dreams we choose not to review apps that were specifically about centered around dream interpretation and meaning. 

There are a number of very good dream journals, but they can have very different goals. Some dream journals focus on lucid dreaming, while others focus on social aspects of dreaming. Our goal isn’t to quantify the dream journals, but simply to highlight some of our favorites.

We’re also not objective observers. DreamWell has a dream journal feature. We think we’re the best. But we also simply want people to dream well, even if that means using other apps. 

So, when looking through all of the dream journal apps, we looked to the following aspects to determine if we would recommend them:

• Easy to use. Dream journals are meant to be used when people are half awake,
• No ads. Ads bring a wide number of privacy issues and create a terrible experience.
• Straightforward, non-manipulative, and kind pricing. I shouldn’t feel manipulated to purchase a subscription.
• The creators of the app could be identified. Dreams are personal and the dream journal should not assert itself as an authority over your dreams.
• Context is provided to explore the meaning of dreams. Dream dictionaries and dream interpreters are interesting and can be helpful, but ultimately you, the dreamer, is the one who has ultimate authority over the meaning of your dreams.
• I should feel good. I simply want to feel good while using the app. This isn’t very quantifiable, but it is important. 

May you dream well!

Thank you for your time. We hope that this was helpful to you. May you dream well!