Help with WBTB technique?

I've tried numerous WBTB methods, more recently the one with the timer. And they all seem really great, but the problem is whenever I wake up after sleeping for 4-5hours I can't go back to sleep, and if I do end up going back to sleep it takes over an hour and by then I've given up on trying to use the timer, or I've given up on having that lucid dreaming mindset.

I've tried to not move much when I wake up and stay away from light but that still doesn't really help. Usually when I get up for WBTB it's natural and I don't use a clock to get up after 4 hours. Is there something I'm doing wrong? Because I really want to be able to try the timer technique, but in order to do that I need to be able to go back to bed! Also I've heard of the water technique where you drink large amounts of water to wake you up doing after REM so I might try that soon.

Any advice will help. Thanks!

Some techniques just don't work for certain people. I would try the water technique like you mentioned. You could also set a 3 second alarm that goes off by itself so you don't have to get out of bed. Just lay still and go to sleep thinking about lucid dreaming.

Listen to music that calms you. I like this one. Google it- deadmau5 'I remember' instrumental mix. Just listen I the whole thing at a medium volume.

Is it possible you staying up too long for WBTB? You have to experiment with length of time. Do you ever wake up at night to use the restroom? Can you go back to sleep after?

When I wake naturally for a WBTB, it is harder for me to go back to sleep. It is normally right after a good dream, and I wake feeling refreshed, excited, and energized. This is good in the morning, but bad in the middle of the night. Try setting an alarm for a time when you know you are in the middle of a dream. For example, if you normally wake at 4:30am naturally, try setting an alarm for 4:00 or even 3:45. You will wake feeling like crap, groggy as hell. You might even switch off your alarm without even remembering.

Your other option is to just accept it and stay awake for 30 or 45 minutes for your WBTB. Read a little, or do something around the house, if you feel like it is a waste of time. This is what I do. It is better than laying in bed for an hour trying to go back to sleep. If I stay up for 30 minutes, I can normally fall back to sleep easily.

thanks for the help guys! i'll probably try the water technique and definitely try and set an alarm and stay up for a little less. hopefully it'll work! thanks again.

Good luck. :)

Whenever I try WBTB ( which is usually when I awaken in the middle of the night for no apparent reason) I stay perfectly still while visualizing the last dream I can recall... even if that dream occurred days before. This sends me right back into dreamland. Hope this helps!

What is this timer method and what is the water method someone in here mentioned?

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Originally Posted by Soaploaf

What is this timer method and what is the water method someone in here mentioned?

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you can learn more about the timer method here:
http://www.dreamviews.com/f12/want-s...n-help-100376/

and the water method is where you drink like a liter of water before you go to bed, so you wake up in the middle of the night naturally because you need to go to the bathroom.