Paper dream journal as apposed to online

[DarthDallas]

So this may seem like a weird question, but hear me out. I've heard that actually physically writing things down can attribute to your memory more when trying to memorize things, so I was wondering if the same principal would apply to dream recall and journaling: would keeping a paper journal be more affective then actually physically writing down your dreams? For the moment, i'm just going to type up last nights dreams on my journal on here because i'm lazy any insight on this from anyone?

[Caradon]

For me posting them online is more effective because I take more time to describe it in better detail, because of knowing people are reading it. Plus, just wanting to have a dream to share online helps recall as well. Right now I'm just using my paper journal for normal dreams though, to save time, and wear on my wrists. Because of carpal tunnel problems.

[ExoByte]

So this may seem like a weird question, but hear me out. I've heard that actually physically writing things down can attribute to your memory more when trying to memorize things, so I was wondering if the same principal would apply to dream recall and journaling: would keeping a paper journal be more affective then actually physically writing down your dreams? For the moment, i'm just going to type up last nights dreams on my journal on here because i'm lazy any insight on this from anyone? Its encouraged to keep both. I personally have a notepad handy for writing out my dreams, and then I think on them more as I type them out. The best idea is to always have a pen(cil) and paper handy by your bed so when you do remember a dream you can write it down easily without wasting time going for the computer and opening up your text editor.

[Caradon]

True, I always keep a notebook by my bed. I just use it to take a few notes though, then write it in better detail later. But there is no way I would ever write an entire dream twice, unless it was an important Lucid that got lost somehow. I just don't have enough time for that. And at least for me, it's not necessary.

[Kanano]

Personally, I use a Text Document on my computer. I can't write very fast and if I try, it looks horrible, but I'm really good at typing and I go more into detail when typing because I can go a lot faster. Also, I don't need a paper journal to keep details on my dreams if I'm too tired to get up and type them and want to preserve the dream. I have a small digital camera that has a voice recorder, so I just record whatever I can remember from the dream and analyze it later. Of course the problem with this is it's hard to make out what I was saying sometimes >_>

[Lëzen]

I'm sure each has its own advantages, but... I use the computer to type up my dreams for two reasons: A) I'm lazy and hate writing by hand and B) I can type faster than I can write and therefore I can get more details in before the dream starts to fade from my memory. However, I don't leave my computer on all night; when I wake up from a dream, I'm usually forced to ask myself "Is this dream profound enough to make me wanna get up and turn on the computer?" Usually my answer to that is "no" and I fall back asleep; the #1 reason my DJ isn't as full as it could be. Besides, my other gripe with paper DJs is that...what if it's dark when I wake up? I don't wanna get off my ass and walk halfway across the room to turn on the light. Then I won't be able to go back to sleep.

[JET73L]

For me, I always kept my old laptop by my bed and typed dreams into it (until the screen died and it started taking too long to switch on). I never got thehang of writing dreams down. Now I just type them into a notepad file and copy/paste then here. (I don;t think I have a save file on this computer, but I will transfer them to my new laptop when I get one before next semester starts)

[DarthDallas]

I'm sure each has its own advantages, but... I use the computer to type up my dreams for two reasons: A) I'm lazy and hate writing by hand yeah the laziness factor is pretty much why i like online journaling, its much quicker for me and I can usually get more information in in a shorter ammount of time. but both is probably ideal from what i'm hearing... and its probably fact that the more you write down your dreams the more your likely to remember over time.

[Shift]

I like to type mine up on the computer, because when I first wake up from a dream I like to write it down ASAP. Writing by hand just takes too long, and/or if you start getting writer's cramp then you focus on that and the dream slips away quickly. I can type about 97 words/minute, which is WAY faster than I write Plus you can bold, italicize, etc. Once I've written it out and scanned over it a bunch of times my memory of the whole dream sticks, and I can easily add to it (versus the confusing arrows in my handwritten journal!) if I remember some other details. I don't know what, scientifically, works better, but for me a digital dream journal works fine

[last_apoc]

Well I USED to write my dreams down, then one day my mom found them and read them to everyone at the thanksgiving dinner table. I was so embarrassed I stopped writing them down. I get most of you would say "whats the big deal", but they were some really really random dreams and everyone was laughing lol it was terrible.

[JET73L]

Well I USED to write my dreams down, then one day my mom found them and read them to everyone at the thanksgiving dinner table. I was so embarrassed I stopped writing them down. I get most of you would say "whats the big deal", but they were some really really random dreams and everyone was laughing lol it was terrible. Yet another reason I don;t use a paper journal.

[apachama]

My PC takes a while to load up, but a paper journal is easilly used in a hurry, transported and hidden in a backpack if I'm travelling. Its far better. Writing feels more immediate to me anyway. And having all my dreams in books helps me keep track of them better. Transferring dreams onto computer is a bit of a chore unless its a blog like this site gives us.

[LobbyDonut]

I've been writing down keywords after awakening to freshen the dream memory, then I write them in my journal here.

[ZmillA]

I only use a notepad. I don't see how one could be better than the other, its all about getting the dream recorded. A notepad seems way more convenient also.

[Sylph]

I keep a bunch of paper sheets by the pillow (good thing I don't trash about in my sleep ) so I can pin everything down before I forget. Since most dreams I realize having happen from dawn to morning, light isn't much of an issue, but I keep a flashlight by the bed just in case (a have a lamp by the bed also but too much light chases the dream away). Later I try to decipher all the "glyphs" and notes and type everything in proper order. I thought about keeping note books, since I make sketches of what I see as well, but I estimated I would need at least 4 of them a year and that takes up a lot of room. So sketch books and text files it is. In my case, hand writing helps me focus, but by the previous answers I'd say it depends a lot on how your memory works...

[Shift]

Later I try to decipher all the "glyphs" and notes That's another good point... depending on how tired I am, my handwriting can be completely illegible. The hand-written DJ I've been keeping on my vacation is for some reason impossible to read. I can make out about every 5th word, which is strange because I can usually read my handwriting even at its messiest

[Sylph]

That's another good point... depending on how tired I am, my handwriting can be completely illegible. The hand-written DJ I've been keeping on my vacation is for some reason impossible to read. I can make out about every 5th word, which is strange because I can usually read my handwriting even at its messiest My handwriting is normally illegible enough that I'm only one who understands it. Since I started my DJ, howerever, I find myself more and more often turning the pages this way and that and thinking WTF?! edit - Good way to deal with nosy relatives, though.

[Misbijoux]

I'm not sure I see a difference between writing a dream down and typing it online. As long as you are writing/typing your dreams right when you wake up, it should help. I don't see how one could be more effective than the other.

[JET73L]

I'm not sure I see a difference between writing a dream down and typing it online. As long as you are writing/typing your dreams right when you wake up, it should help. I don't see how one could be more effective than the other. Some people have a type of memory/thought that works better when they write out the shape of the letters, rather than typing on a keyboard covered with letters that are all contianed within perfectly equal rectangles that are typed by a single finger tap. (persoanally, I'm bad at writing, and don;t like doign so, so it's just better for me to type it out than to write it down.)

[Angelzen]

I would think that handwriting dreams would help you remember those dreams better, precisely because it IS a slower process and tends to be more thoughtful. It forces you to work out not only the shape of the letters, but to think about the words as you are writing them out, moreso than if you quickly tap them into a text document. Also gives you more time to bring back details you may miss if you're going too quickly (I tend to remember more of my dreams about half an hour or longer after I wake up than I do right away, but that may just be me).

[archdreamer]

I think each has it's advantages. Having something next to your bed, like a notebook or switched on laptop, is probably good, because the memories will be fresh, especially when you wake up in the middle of the night, and it will also build a habit of recalling dreams upon awakening. However, the ease of typing probably makes it easier to go into detail. Ideally, you'd want to make notes during the night and then go into detail later in the day by typing them out, I guess.