Spoken Dream Journal

[iantreu]

I frequently get too caught up in the actual writing of keeping a dream journal in that by the time i have finished writing a specific segment of my dream, my memory is fading of the other segments. I have tried, unsuccessfully, to keep a more visual dream journal but found that it took me even longer to sketch a sequence or even just a few symbols to help me remember than to write it out. So in an attempt to more quickly record my dreams I plan to start speaking into a voice recorder. I'm imagining this will help me stay in a sleepy state as i wont have to sit up, turn on a light, or go through the many arm and hand movements of writing. I wanted to know if anyone else has tried a voice recording method and what results they had, or if anyone had any other suggestions to alternative methods for dream recording I haven't considered. I appreciate your taking the time to read my post and your consideration in responding. Thank you, -Ian

[Abra]

It's a great idea for those who don't sleep within close vicinity of others. I like writing more, mostly because I can write better than I can speak (when I speak, expecially half-asleep, my words are bland and simple). Try writing/speaking key points first. Beginning, middle, and end, y'know (and maybe a couple others)? Just a sentence fragment for each. Then flesh it out. This helps for long, disconnected dreams I may have. Also, I put precedence in writing memories that have just appeared than ones that I've planned to write since awakening, since they aren't as stable.

[Binsk]

I have a recorded dream journal myself and find it works wonders. I think that writing it down helps me remember more, but I have the same trouble as you. This is what I do, right when I wake from the dream I reach over and press the record button, I usually just speak whatever parts of the dream come to mind. Usually when I am finished I will have the whole (or at least most) of the dream recorded. I then go back to sleep, when I wake up in the morning I listen to my recording (though mostly just the fact of recording it makes me remember most of it) then write it down on paper with full detail. This method has been amazing for me so far and I can usually recall the entire dream to every detail. Hope that helps.