I have really bad dreams which affect my mood the following day; I can be depressed, angry, have existential dread.
It’s frustrating but I also think a lot of it centres around people i know and people i used to know - so my brain is creating situations with people i don’t want to & won’t interact with ever again, just to make me feel bad.
My favourite dreams have just been me roaming around and exploring places - sometimes travelling by car or boat. Usually by myself. If i went running in the woods more, could i leverage my brain to give me more pleasant dreams like that?
Anecdote here, this is not evidence-based medicine.
I have found that writing down as much as I remember from my dreams - good and bad - as soon as I wake up from them has drastically improved my dreaming experience. They’ve become more pleasant, the unpleasant parts impact me less, and they’re generally more elaborate in a fun way.
Good idea. I had a diary, enjoyed using it, fell out of the habit. If i write dreams I’ll stay in the habit. Maybe I could reflect on yesterday in the morning whenrI wake up, too