Unique way to jot down dreams (for best recall)

**LiveInTheDream** · 03-08-2010 08:56 PM

I don't know if anyone else has said something about this, but just in case I thought I'd share this little tip with everyone.

Windows Vista and 7 include a nifty little speech recognition utility. Originally when I got my Vista machine I set it up just because it was fun to use, but upon getting into lucid dreaming I began to think up other possible uses.

The trick:

If you haven't already, set up Windows Speech Recognition to your voice, and then tweak it and your microphone's settings around until it's decently accurate with dictation even when you're not speaking very loudly.

Now you'll have to be able to put the microphone by the head of your bed, so either use a laptop or move your desktop PC close to where you sleep (or stock up on 3.5mm jack extension cords!). If you wanted to get really creative, you could even set the mic up to dangle a foot or so above your face for best reception. You'll also want to disable automatic sleep mode, hibernation, power offs, and even the screensaver on your PC. Let the monitor turn itself off at the soonest possible time, though, or alternatively (for desktop users) just hit the monitor power button and manually turn it off.

Then, leaving a text application open, speech recognition turned on, and your computer turned on, you can attempt to lucid dream. When you wake up, stay in your bed and keep your eyes closed and focus on remembering the dreams you just had. Think out loud. Don't worry about making sense right now or explaining anything; just getting the dream written down is the point here.

When you're done, you can get up, take a look at your computer, and there you'll have your notes all written out for you (minus one or two inevitable errors)! Or alternatively, you can let yourself go right back to sleep.

Advantages:

-Better/more accurate notes from fresher memory

-Faster than writing

-Makes it easier to go back to sleep after note-taking

Disadvantages:

-Setup can take a lot of work

-PC noises may keep some awake (personally I can't sympathize)

-Your computer gets left on all night, which is hard on the PSU if it gets used much during the day as well.

Anyway, being a computer nerd I like doing this, and I really do think it helps my notes be more accurate. Plus I get to laugh at some of the weird things I say (or that the computer mistakenly thinks I said), so I thought I'd share it with all of you.

Have fun!

**changed** · 03-09-2010 12:25 AM

To bad i don't have vista...

**BigFan** · 03-09-2010 12:32 AM

It's a nice idea, but, my rig is in my basement, so, no go and my laptop only has xp on it. I think a voice recorder is just as effective, only difference is you will have to listen to it and type the dreams out instead of having them typed for you

**LiveInTheDream** · 03-09-2010 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by BigFan

It's a nice idea, but, my rig is in my basement, so, no go and my laptop only has xp on it. I think a voice recorder is just as effective, only difference is you will have to listen to it and type the dreams out instead of having them typed for you

I have the opposite situation to you; no voice recorder, and my PC is very close to my bed

Of course a PC can act as a voice recorder to, but I prefer to have my notes written out at the same time so I don't spend extra time just typing them.

**BigFan** · 03-09-2010 01:16 AM

Originally Posted by LiveInTheDream

I have the opposite situation to you; no voice recorder, and my PC is very close to my bed

Of course a PC can act as a voice recorder to, but I prefer to have my notes written out at the same time so I don't spend extra time just typing them.

I don't have a voice recorder either and I tried to use my phone in the past but in one case, I didn't even hear my voice, even though it was right next to me

I would think typing and writing your notes is a good thing because you would be spending some time on them

**LiveInTheDream** · 03-09-2010 04:05 AM

Originally Posted by BigFan

I would think typing and writing your notes is a good thing because you would be spending some time on them

That's actually often my biggest problem. I spend so much time trying to write that by the time I'm done I'm too awake to go back and have one last dream before its time to get up. I can't type it in the morning because looking at a screen wakes me up very quickly.

Actually, that's why I thought up the speech recognition idea. Sure I could just use Audacity to record myself, but then I have to listen through the audio and re-write everything later. So speech recognition is like the perfect thing for me. It's written down, it's fast, and I don't even have to open my eyes, so I can go back to sleep no problem!

**Planewalker** · 03-09-2010 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by LiveInTheDream

-PC noises may keep some awake (personally I can't sympathize)

-Your computer gets left on all night, which is hard on the PSU if it gets used much during the day as well.

Plus you're wasting energy you have to pay for.

I think I can help with that though. I have a very inexpensive and small MP3 player (Phillips GoGear) that can also do voice recordings. The device can be connected via USB and accessed like a normal flash memory stick (that it actually contains). It should be possible to run that audio data through the recognization software later. The file size of the records is very small though, so this can be done irregularly.

**Stygian** · 03-09-2010 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by LiveInTheDream

That's actually often my biggest problem. I spend so much time trying to write that by the time I'm done I'm too awake to go back and have one last dream before its time to get up. I can't type it in the morning because looking at a screen wakes me up very quickly.

Actually, that's why I thought up the speech recognition idea. Sure I could just use Audacity to record myself, but then I have to listen through the audio and re-write everything later. So speech recognition is like the perfect thing for me. It's written down, it's fast, and I don't even have to open my eyes, so I can go back to sleep no problem!

I just jot down some notes on a note card next to my bed and then go back to sleep. I only record general details, usually the big ones, and I build the smaller details off the big ones later. This works for me for the most part. The only time I've forgotten everything about what I jotted down was today, actually. I wrote, "Took (my brother's name)'s Game (BC2).” I don't remember having that dream fragment at all.

**CourtingTheUnknown** · 03-11-2010 09:54 PM

My computer isn't by my bed, but I get up every morning at around 4:30am and force myself to recall my dreams for a few, usually get up and use the restroom and grab a drink before heading back to sleep.

So thank you!

I'm going to try this tomorrow morning when I wake up, I'm too lazy and hug my sleep too much to spend the time to write anything out these days.

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