Voice recording Dreams

[oathbreaker]

I saw a few other posters talking about this and I was wondering if this is just as effective as a dream journal. I ask this because every time during the night when I wake up to record my dreams and turn on my light I find it very hard to go back to sleep. Would this solve by problem?

[no-Name]

I saw a few other posters talking about this and I was wondering if this is just as effective as a dream journal. I ask this because every time during the night when I wake up to record my dreams and turn on my light I find it very hard to go back to sleep. Would this solve by problem? Absolutely. This might even be better than a dream journal, as it takes less time (for most people), and is much easier to do. Recording your dreams vocally is much easier, and a fine replacement.

[cygnus]

i used to use a voice recorder but i found that the detail i was recording was much less than when i write it down. i also think it's easier to recall certain things when you're looking at another part that is written down - you can't do this with a recorder. but i guess it's different for everyone - i only write in a DJ now.

[oathbreaker]

Hmm I may have to try recording my voice for a week and writing down diligently for a week... It's just the damned light makes me take forever to get back to sleep. I may have to look for my old book light.

[cygnus]

I may have to look for my old book light. good idea. you could also attach a nightlight to a small extension cord and put it near your journal - shouldn't be too bright to keep you up.

[oathbreaker]

good idea. you could also attach a nightlight to a small extension cord and put it near your journal - shouldn't be too bright to keep you up. Wow! Haha it so simple yet genius.

[reci]

I've been using my digital camera in movie-mode as a dream journal. Record my voice with the camera pointed at the clock. Later in the day (or week), record them in my online dream journal along with the time. It's very helpful and a lot faster than writing them down in the morning when getting ready for the day.

[DREAMER242000]

I keep a dictation machine on a table next to my bed and after each dream i just record each dream into it, there is no need to put the light on.

[bigCHEESE77]

you could just get one of those small light up pens. Thats what i use. It has a nice glow-enough to see to write-not enough to wake me up, and staring at the dull blue light right after I wake up really helps me remember the dreams

[oathbreaker]

Nice suggestions, actually I have an ipod touch, which I never thought to use and the light on that works perfectly.

[oniman7]

I keep a laptop next to my bed on sleep, and when I wake up, I turn it on and copy my dreams down. Ideally, anyways. I haven't been so diligent about it lately. Anyways, it depends on you. For example, when I do use my laptop, the light is blinding, and I need to get back to sleep before it wakes me up too much, so I just write down keywords. If you can record the basis of your dream, the key events in the plot, you might be able to remember the whole thing. That's the way I am, anyways.

[Mobe2005]

I was reading the question regarding using a recorder rather than writing in a dream journal. I tried it for awhile. Unfortunately, when I talked into the recorder, my husband thought I was talking to him. I used to have the most amazing dreams, and I am now down to almost having none. I was wondering if anyone can encourage dream recall when you are only having 6 l/2 to 7 hours of sleep a night. When I had 8-9 hours of sleep I would always remember my dreams. Take care everyone. MoBe

[oniman7]

I'm pretty sure you have a dream every hour and a half, or something close to that. One for every REM cycle. However, you may be more tired getting less sleep and that might be the reason you can't remember any.

[hisnameistyler]

That's an interesting idea. If anything, it'd record it during the night and write it down the next morning in better detail.

[beachgirl]

I record my dreams on my IPhone. For a while i was also doing a written dream journal. (Like 2 months). Then i stopped because it was a lot of extra work. Especially when i missed a few days! then it could take a while to catch up. I took a two month break not from recording, but from writing. Hmm... that didn't work so well for me. Last week i started recording in my dj again. Wow, i couldn't believe all the details i missed by not doing this. (I only started in August so i don't have a huge sample.... but here is what i found.) I lost a lot of detail because i didn't remember much... often i didn't recall anything of what i had recorded verbally. There is something about writing that puts things into long term memory. The second night of recording +writing, i had a dream with five dream signs in it. while i didn't become lucid, well, i did but woke up when i did... i realized my mind is giving me a strong signal that it is happy i started again. I already also have more lucidity overall, and it's been less than a week. so for me, there really is a difference, recording and then writing it down, vs. simply recording it. i do record initially so i don't wake up too much... but now i follow through with writing as well. definitely feels like progress and that i am way more on track.

[BeenThere]

I use a digital recorder that I keep at the head of my bed. When I wake up, I simply reach up for it and begin talking. I can do this multiple times during the night if needed. During free time, I listen to the recording and "go back into the dream" and pull out more detail and type it into my DJ. I think using both is the best way to go for me. Without the recorder I was forgetting many dreams.

[Keitorin]

I think it really depends on the person. I tried it a few times with my cellphone's recording feature and it worked really well. That is, until I tried to decipher what I was saying to type it up in my DV DJ. My words could be slurred because I had just woken up, making it hard to understand. But it wasn't too bad. Still, I use a notebook dream journal now. I have a nice booklight I can use to see to write in it and it doesn't blind me. I've also used my cellphone light in the past but it's not as reliable because the light dims after so long or goes off completely. I have a lamp on my nightstand but I don't think I'd try that. *wince* I like cygnus' idea for a nightlight... I'll definitely keep that in mind.