Setting alarms for REM sleep

**Fugue** · 07-21-2010 12:22 AM

I understand that some people set alarms for themselves so that they know when they're about to enter REM sleep and prepare themselves for a lucid dream I suppose, but I don't really understand how it's done. If I wake up for an alarm doesn't that mean my sleep cycle will start over? And is this technique used for WILDs or DILDs? I'm not very knowledgeable about the whole process, so any insight would be fantastic.

**Xedan** · 07-21-2010 04:18 AM

You're sleep cycle doesn't stop for waking up. And it can be used for pretty much any technique. There aren't many ILDs that WBTB doesn't help.

**Fugue** · 07-21-2010 06:08 AM

Oh, I see. So what you're saying is that you set the alarm when you know you're about to enter REM sleep, then utilize the WBTB technique to attain lucidity?

**Xedan** · 07-21-2010 06:12 AM

yes, though some WILDers prefer a much shorter amount of time to be up so they don't get "too awake"

**Fugue** · 07-21-2010 06:31 AM

How long does it take to enter REM sleep for most people? Or how long after I go to bed should I set the alarm for?

**mattbrox** · 07-21-2010 07:27 AM

I'd say about 6 hours is good. Some people also say about an hour or two before you usually wake up.

**Xedan** · 07-21-2010 02:13 PM

Yeah, I think it averages at about 4 hours if you take everyone's advice into account, but if all else fails, feel free to overshoot. There's absolutely no danger of skipping your rem-cycle, since in carries on a good twelve hours.

**Fugue** · 07-21-2010 06:09 PM

Fantastic. Thanks a lot you guys.

**Rathez** · 07-21-2010 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Xedan

Yeah, I think it averages at about 4 hours if you take everyone's advice into account, but if all else fails, feel free to overshoot. There's absolutely no danger of skipping your rem-cycle, since in carries on a good twelve hours.

Could you explain this a bit more?

**Xedan** · 07-21-2010 06:46 PM

well your rem cycle is LOOONG. That's why most people dream when they nap. And why some people think going back to bed repeatedly will give much higher chance of a lucid.

**Rathez** · 07-21-2010 06:51 PM

Which REM cycle are you talking about thats super long?

I'm aware that REM cycles get longer as the night progresses but I don't understand what you mean when you're refering to naps.

**Xedan** · 07-21-2010 07:07 PM

Each part of the rem cycle gets longer and longer, and it's sometimes able to last up to 12 hours or so after waking up because humans are programmed to nap. So if you take a nap within 12 hours of waking, you'll have a dream because yo'll be entering a rem cycle.

**Rathez** · 07-21-2010 07:11 PM

How do you know that its a REM cycle thats going to come up next and that you're not going to go into one of the other stages of sleep?

Sorry for all the questions. REM cycles are something I've wanted to learn for a while but I find it really hard to find information on it.

**Xedan** · 07-21-2010 07:19 PM

well there's no way to really know, but timing is your best way of guessing. Or if you've already had a dream when you wake up, you definitely are in REM.

**Rathez** · 07-21-2010 07:25 PM

So today I woke up and I don't think I was dreaming. I'm going to be trying a wild at around 5pm, which will be 10 hrs after I woke up. If I hit an REM cycle, will it be really long then? Do you know roughly how long?

**Xedan** · 07-21-2010 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by Rathez

So today I woke up and I don't think I was dreaming. I'm going to be trying a wild at around 5pm, which will be 10 hrs after I woke up. If I hit an REM cycle, will it be really long then? Do you know roughly how long?

probably an hour or an hour and a half. So pretty long.