Waking And Writing

I have started trying to build up my dream recall, but I have run into a few problems.
First of all, when you wake up, what light source do you use? Do you turn on a lamp and have to get out of bed, or do you get a flashlight?
Also, I have found that when I try to keep thinking about remembering my dreams, I can't fall asleep.
Finally, when I do wake up, (I go to bed at 9:00 pm to get the full 9 hours of sleep), it is usually around 4 am, and only after I lie in bed for a minute do I remember, and then I only have 2 hours to go back to bed before I wake up at 6, and when I do get up at 6, I usually cannot remember any of my dreams. I think I should change what I am thinking.
I usually think "I will wake up after every dream period and remember my dreams", but I think I should change the message. Or at least try to completely fall asleep while thinking that.

Sorry for the garbled sentences

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Originally Posted by XxmachinexX

I have started trying to build up my dream recall, but I have run into a few problems.
First of all, when you wake up, what light source do you use? Do you turn on a lamp and have to get out of bed, or do you get a flashlight?
Also, I have found that when I try to keep thinking about remembering my dreams, I can't fall asleep.
Finally, when I do wake up, (I go to bed at 9:00 pm to get the full 9 hours of sleep), it is usually around 4 am, and only after I lie in bed for a minute do I remember, and then I only have 2 hours to go back to bed before I wake up at 6, and when I do get up at 6, I usually cannot remember any of my dreams. I think I should change what I am thinking.
I usually think "I will wake up after every dream period and remember my dreams", but I think I should change the message. Or at least try to completely fall asleep while thinking that.

Sorry for the garbled sentences
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well about what temperature is your room at night? when it is cold people will usually sleep alot "better", meaning they will not fully wake up when they do to roll over and such. i know that when my room is about 80, im to uncomfortable to sleep really soundly, so i will wake up after almost each rem period enough to rouse myself enough to write down a dream if i remember one. so try playin with the thermostat if you're room is usually pretty cold.

You can use a penlight as a light source, or one of those booklights you can get at any bookstore. Some people use flashlights, but I would think it would be too cumbersome to handle a big flashlight - maybe one of those little maglites would work okay though.

So did you say that you DO remember dreams when you wake up at 4am? But don't remember any when you wake up at 6am?

Usually I just use a light that shines in at night. I use a pen light once in a while. But it's not very good, because it flashes light.

Today I bought a little lamp with a small lava lamp on it. Each one has a switch, it's pretty cool. I'm going to keep the lava lamp on every night right next to my journal.

Well, generally i don't remember my dreams till i wake up in the morning, so i have the luxury of daylight...
If i wake in the night, i don't turn the light on next to my bed, i use one at the other side of the room and write things down that way.
I find it strange that when you wake at 4am,you remember your dreams, but when you wake up at six you don't.

From reading past experiences on this forum, you should be more likely to remember your dreams after going back to sleep at 4am, because you are closer to your REM cycle.

Well, today I didn't even wake up at 4, and I closed my window in my room instead of leaving it open like I do every night. I woke up at 6 band remembered the tail end of my dream. And yes, when I wake up at 4, I remember those dreams better than when I wake at 6