Some people claim they never dream, simply because they don't remember their dreams well. Clinical tests prove that when so-called non-dreamers are woken during REM sleep, they give vivid accounts of the images they have just seen, which are, like real-life events, in color.

Many people claim they can't remember dreams on waking. Because dreams are expressions of our true selves - including desires we can't admit even to ourselves, let alone others - dreaming is the only way we have to express them. When we find it hard to accept the messages in a dream, we censor them. Dreams are heavily loaded with emotion, and that can disort our memory.

To help rememeber your dreams, try keeping a dream diary. On waking, don't get out of bed or even change position. Keep a notepad and pen or a tape recorder by the bed and record everything you can remember. Recalling what you were preoccupied with before going to sleep can provide vital clues in interpretation. Recapturing the mood of the dream (was it happy or gloomy?) will also help you work things out. If you still can't remember, but an event later in the day triggers your memory, write it down. It could help you to work out the meaning of the dream. Train yourself to do this regularly, and gradually memories of your dreams should follow. The practice is a proven creative source. Great writers and artists often record their dreams and are inspired by them.

The ideal position for a good night's sleep is on the right-hand side. The bed should be orientated north to south, so the body can make maximum use of the lines of magnetism running from the Poles. Run your hands in cold water before retiring to get rid of surplus static. If you find it hard to sleep, breathe very deeply in through your nose and out your mouth. This is a very helpful technique for becoming calm.

Any kind of drug diminishes the amount of dream time. So if you're ill or taking medication, you're less likely to dream. Dreams that you have while ill can be discounted as you're reacting to the illness rather than to normal events.