5 ms·

I just spent last night having a set of bizarre dreams ... I wish I could remember them because I'm sure I'd find them funny this morning. Two summers ago I ha

by smoyer 7y ago

I just spent last night having a set of bizarre dreams ... I wish I could remember them because I'm sure I'd find them funny this morning. Two summers ago I had a very strong strain of Salmonella poisoning and the dreams during the first two weeks of recovery included very trippy dreams. Last night's dreams were nothing compared to those.

pmoriarty 7y ago
"I wish I could remember them..." Tips for remembering dreams: 1 - Have a pad of paper and writing implement right next to your bed. I've actually switched to using a voice recorder, because it's way more convenient and I can talk much faster than I can write, so I really recommend it. 2 - Right before you go to sleep, consciously make the intention to remember your dreams and write them down when you wake up. 3 - Also, right before you go to sleep try to remember your day in reverse, starting from the last thing you did before bed on through your day to the first thing you did. The idea is to prime yourself for remembering what happened right before you awoke. 4 - When you wake up immediately write down (or record) what you remember. Even if the only thing you remember is a vague feeling, write it down. Getting in to the habit of recording your dreams will result in you remembering more of them over time. 5 - Restrict your body movement to the minimal possible after you wake up, until you've written down your dreams. I've noticed that even turning over from one side to another can make me forget a dream. 6 - If you have a long, detailed dream to write down, don't start writing it down in detail from start to finish. When I've done that I often forget the dream half-way through writing it down. Instead, start by writing down the highlights or key words or images from the dream, then go back and fill in the details. 7 - Get interested in dreams and read about them. 8 - Review the dreams you recorded and try to make sense of them. Try to figure out how they reflect your waking life, the people you know, and the concerns you have. Make connections between your dreams, and try to pick up on recurring patterns in them. The more attention you give to your dreams and dreams in general the more likely you are to remember them. If your interest and attention fades and you don't care about them or are too busy for them and don't write them down, you'll remember less. Having something interesting, notable, strange, exciting, or stressful happen to you also frequently results in vivid dreams, so it makes sense that an unusual, stressful, and terrifying event like the pandemic makes for vivid dreams.
- smoyer 7y ago
  I've had a voice-activated recorder in my nightstand for 30 years ... so many times the solution to a problem I've been working on gets solved by my sub-conscience. My wife got tired of me turning on the light to write in my journal so having something voice activated works well. It does require some editing as it will record other conversations/activities. (though normally I transcribe the important parts and let the tape record back over itself).
  - SlowRobotAhead 7y ago
    My wife would tolerate me talking to myself about my dreams a lot less than a small light, pen, and pad. When it’s not your dream it’s pretty uninteresting.
  - zachkatz 7y ago
    What kind? Been looking for something like that.
  - emptysongglass 7y ago
    Replying to this comment on the off-chance you let us know the software hardware stack.
- silveroriole 7y ago
  To get more interesting and memorable dreams generally, I suggest trying to write short stories. After I write, my dreams are far more coherent, vivid and meaningful - I guess because my brain is trying to continue fitting things into a narrative package.
- mturmon 7y ago
  These are some really smart suggestions. The biggest helps for me — listed in 1 and 2 above — were to keep a pad of paper and a pen nearby, and to decide willfully that I would wake up enough to start writing it down. Once I started to write, I would recall a surprising amount of the dream. For me, writing was better than voice.

by smoyer 7y ago

pmoriarty 7y ago

"I wish I could remember them..." Tips for remembering dreams: 1 - Have a pad of paper and writing implement right next to your bed. I've actually switched to using a voice recorder, because it's way more convenient and I can talk much faster than I can write, so I really recommend it. 2 - Right before you go to sleep, consciously make the intention to remember your dreams and write them down when you wake up. 3 - Also, right before you go to sleep try to remember your day in reverse, starting from the last thing you did before bed on through your day to the first thing you did. The idea is to prime yourself for remembering what happened right before you awoke. 4 - When you wake up immediately write down (or record) what you remember. Even if the only thing you remember is a vague feeling, write it down. Getting in to the habit of recording your dreams will result in you remembering more of them over time. 5 - Restrict your body movement to the minimal possible after you wake up, until you've written down your dreams. I've noticed that even turning over from one side to another can make me forget a dream. 6 - If you have a long, detailed dream to write down, don't start writing it down in detail from start to finish. When I've done that I often forget the dream half-way through writing it down. Instead, start by writing down the highlights or key words or images from the dream, then go back and fill in the details. 7 - Get interested in dreams and read about them. 8 - Review the dreams you recorded and try to make sense of them. Try to figure out how they reflect your waking life, the people you know, and the concerns you have. Make connections between your dreams, and try to pick up on recurring patterns in them. The more attention you give to your dreams and dreams in general the more likely you are to remember them. If your interest and attention fades and you don't care about them or are too busy for them and don't write them down, you'll remember less. Having something interesting, notable, strange, exciting, or stressful happen to you also frequently results in vivid dreams, so it makes sense that an unusual, stressful, and terrifying event like the pandemic makes for vivid dreams.

smoyer 7y ago
I've had a voice-activated recorder in my nightstand for 30 years ... so many times the solution to a problem I've been working on gets solved by my sub-conscience. My wife got tired of me turning on the light to write in my journal so having something voice activated works well. It does require some editing as it will record other conversations/activities. (though normally I transcribe the important parts and let the tape record back over itself).
- SlowRobotAhead 7y ago
  My wife would tolerate me talking to myself about my dreams a lot less than a small light, pen, and pad. When it’s not your dream it’s pretty uninteresting.
- zachkatz 7y ago
  What kind? Been looking for something like that.
- emptysongglass 7y ago
  Replying to this comment on the off-chance you let us know the software hardware stack.
silveroriole 7y ago
To get more interesting and memorable dreams generally, I suggest trying to write short stories. After I write, my dreams are far more coherent, vivid and meaningful - I guess because my brain is trying to continue fitting things into a narrative package.
mturmon 7y ago
These are some really smart suggestions. The biggest helps for me — listed in 1 and 2 above — were to keep a pad of paper and a pen nearby, and to decide willfully that I would wake up enough to start writing it down. Once I started to write, I would recall a surprising amount of the dream. For me, writing was better than voice.