I need help falling back asleep?

[Emreoz28]

Hey sorry guys I just joined so if this question is somewhere in the forum I'm extremely sorry! Last night I had a lucid dream for maybe 3 seconds then I got too excited and woke up. I've been trying to lucid dream for a while now and only recently I had that one. Butmy biggest problem right now is FALLING back asleep. I would go to sleep for about 4/5 hours and then wake up. I'd get up and I would read about lucid dreami and recite mantras like "when I sleep I will know I'm dreaming" or "ill remember to do a reality check". But then when it comes to going back to sleep I'm stumped. I don't even stay up very long, maybe 10-15 minutes. Then I would try to WILD(wake induced lucid dream) where I go through sleep paralysis. And nothing. I don't end up going through paralysis so I try to just fall asleep normally but by the time I want to sleep, my frustration of failure has already kept me up. Someone, anyone, have any suggestions??? I'm losing sleep becuse of this and it's not fun lol And a big mistake was me asking this question on yahoo answers cause honestly there's no help there on a subject like this lol no one knows anything there. But if anyone can help, it's very much appreciated!

[melanieb]

Welcome to the forum! Let's see if we can help. First off, you do not need sleep paralysis to achieve a WILD. That is a rumor that has gone around far too long because of a misinterpretation. Sleep paralysis is actually a condition that can be used by some to achieve a WILD but is only regularly experienced by a small percentage of the population. Read more below. http://www.dreamviews.com/wake-initi...explained.html Now, when you wake up after 4 or 5 hours...are you looking at a computer or reading? If so that interruption to your sleep pattern with the light source might be what's preventing you getting back to sleep. Waking up after a few hours of sleep can be a great way to help you achieve lucidity. Instead of reading and turning on any lights I suggest being awake/aware for 10 or 15 minutes in the dark. The lack of light is less likely to interfere with falling back to sleep and may help you get into that foggy state leading up to a WILD. Remember, sleep paralysis (SP) is not a necessary part of the WILD attempt, so get comfortable and work on getting to sleep. All the action happens while you are asleep, and if something is preventing you getting good rest then it isn't helping. Since you're not a consistent lucid dreamer I would also suggest not worrying about trying to achieve a lucid dream. The very anxiety of trying and not achieving causes many people to fail. Instead, while awake during the day, practice RCs, mantras, or place suggestive ideas around your home to help spur you to keep lucid dreaming concepts in your mind. This is more likely to create the strong influence you need and will likely carry over from your waking mind to your dreams. We're here to help and are glad to offer suggestions. Please stay a while and enjoy some great reading material on lucid dreaming. And maybe consider posting an introduction in the Introduction Zone. We like greeting new members of the forum!

[Emreoz28]

Wow thanks alot that actually really helped! And when I wake up, I usually start reading about lucid dreaming on my phone, I don't really have any reading materials that are related to lucid dreaming. And I've always thought SP was related to WILD because I have experienced SP, and I thought they were connect but I guess not. By suggestive ideas around my house, do you mean like signs I would remember in my dream that help me distinguish what's real and a dream? Another thing is I have these bizarre dreams with stuff that is NO where near reality.. Bizarre things like dragons and space or aliens; things I KNOW don't exist or things I know ill never experience, but I can't seem to realize its a dream! All my dreams are vivid and clear but to me, while I'm dreaming i think its 100% reality. Everything here has been very helpful....way better than yahoo answers LOL don't even know why I didn't come here at first! But tonight when I goto sleep, are there any key things I should focus on? Or just do exactly what I did last night? Thanks alot

[melanieb]

By suggestive ideas around my house, do you mean like signs I would remember in my dream that help me distinguish what's real and a dream? Yes, or anything that will specifically trigger lucidity. I know one of the admins puts up drawing and I've read other people do as well. It seems to be a popular idea. With lucid dreaming the key is finding methods and elements that work for you. Drawings, Reality Checks, Mantras...all tools to help trigger lucidity. Another thing is I have these bizarre dreams with stuff that is NO where near reality.. Bizarre things like dragons and space or aliens; things I KNOW don't exist or things I know ill never experience, but I can't seem to realize its a dream! All my dreams are vivid and clear but to me, while I'm dreaming i think its 100% reality. Have you seen the DreamViews Academy yet? There is an Intro Class for Beginners that really helps you work on things like this. You start with writing down your dream goals and a bunch of dream signs, elements that frequently appear in dreams that should make you realize you're dreaming simply because you would never see them in waking life. Writing this stuff out really helps. Everything here has been very helpful....way better than yahoo answers LOL don't even know why I didn't come here at first! But tonight when I goto sleep, are there any key things I should focus on? Or just do exactly what I did last night? Thanks alot If by "do exactly what I did last night" you mean have a lucid dream...yes. Do that. As for key things....start reading on the forum, write down your dreams, list some of your common dream signs, and consider joining the Intro class. The more you inundate your mind with the idea of lucid dreaming the more likely it is to happen. Report back often!

[Emreoz28]

Wow this is extremely helpful thanks alot. But I have one last question! I heard taking a nap during the day is a good Time to have a lucid dream. If I were to take a nap around this time, are there any steps I should follow? And how long should I sleep? And as for that beginners intro, I might actually do that because I have just started to write down my dreams. I can recall most of my dreams every night, but I think writing them down will be better. Thanks!

[melanieb]

Wow this is extremely helpful thanks alot. But I have one last question! I heard taking a nap during the day is a good Time to have a lucid dream. If I were to take a nap around this time, are there any steps I should follow? And how long should I sleep? And as for that beginners intro, I might actually do that because I have just started to write down my dreams. I can recall most of my dreams every night, but I think writing them down will be better. Thanks! A nap is a great way to get a lucid dream. The one thing many people forget is...you can't nap unless you feel the need for sleep. I've read many stories about people who want to lucid dream during a nap and end up lying around for 40 minutes with no results. I don't nap as often as I would like but I do get sleepy in the afternoon quite often. If this happens to you please try for a lucid dream. Even if you just have a neat dream you haven't wasted your time if you can recall it well. It will make good material for a dream journal or other log. What steps should you take? Make your sleep-space comfortable. 'Bout all I can say you need to do. Work on the basics before worrying about setting intentions. Once again, this ties to the Intro class. How long should you sleep? Until you wake up is my honest answer. I don't set limits for myself but give yourself 90 minutes at least if you can spare the time. With that you should get a good nap/dream. I do hope you take the Intro class. I found it useful and reading the workbooks of others is a lot of fun. They can really inspire you and offer helpful suggestions.

[NyxCC]

Very good explanation melanieb. I've also noticed this trend on some threads that seem to distort the relationship between SP and WILD that I begin to get confused myself. In my WBTB attempts I most of the time transition directly into the dream (while attempting to WILD or intending a DILD) and in rare circumstances I feel some SP.