Thread: When Do You Start Dreaming?

Originally Posted by TheDreamer

So from reading up on LD and what not I have gotten the impression that people dream during REM sleep which theoretically doesn't start till 5 or 6 hours after going to sleep. When I go to sleep my mind wanders alot. I think about random things and eventually I fall to sleep. Sometimes my mind latches onto one thought and I begin to lose consiousness (as in I don't really notice feeling my body anymore or the fact that I am laying in my bed). Sometimes I come back out of this but other times I think it is me falling asleep. Now for the question: do these thoughts become dreams (before 5 or 6 hours)? I ask because a few times this has happened and in the thought/dream I am skateboarding. I then fall down which jolts me back into consiousness. To me it seems that this may be a dream because it is vivid and real enough to wake me up when I fall down. So if dreams aren't supposed to start until REM what am I experiencing. Also, does anyone have any idea on how to become lucid in these (shall I call them semi-dreams).

edit: Sorry if this belongs in the sleep and dream forum, I'm not completely sure where to put it becuase it is about normal dreams and lucidity etc... Feel free to move it.
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you have several rem periods throughout the night. usually spaced out about an hour and a half in between each one.

Originally Posted by Waite

you have several rem periods throughout the night. usually spaced out about an hour and a half in between each one.
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This one would seem to begin right when I fell to sleep then, is that normal?

From what I've read, WILDing takes advantage of those "semi-dreams" and uses them as sort of a launching point. I've never attempted a WILD, but I have experienced these. It's called Hypnogogic Imagery. I'm pretty sure it happens to everyone.