Thread: One of those nights that crushes the spirit a little more ;_;

Aw, I feel you man. Just a week back I wasted my whole night away trying to sleep. Laid in my about 6 hours straight. Very frustrating. When I finally fell asleep, the sun was rising... And that was because I got tired over time from staying up!

Maybe it was the room temperature? A cold room gets you cozy in bed, which does help me sleep. It's probably why it happened to me.

In fact, I just came out of a nap 45 minutes ago. Wanted to have a lucid dream and everything, but I woke up right in the middle of my first dream! Only had a nap because my sleeping habits have been knocked around a little.

Man, Denny22, sounds like you are having a tough time, not just with sleeping, but with the whole journey toward lucidity, too! And it is obvious you are working hard at it! If I was the god of LDs I'd totally give you a night of lucids, just to keep your hopes up. I am seriously rooting for you.

I struggle with insomnia from time to time, too. Used to be I'd go 2-4 days without a wink of sleep almost every month (partially because I was manic, but that is a story for another time). However, using the techniques I learned here I've gone about 200 days with always getting at least enough sleep to have at least one dream every 24 hour period (not always a REM-stage dream, though).

I stopped taking naps, unless I decided I was at the point where my sleep deprivation was becoming dangerous. I don't watch TV, movies, or play video games for at least an hour before bed anymore, either. I exercize some every day, unless I'm sick. I do something relaxing before bed. Often I play solitare. It seems to numb my consciouness perfectly for bedtime.

And what has really made the biggest difference? I let my mind review the day for NO MORE than five minutes as I lay in bed. Then I do any autosuggestion I'm working on for five minutes. Then, and this has been the most important for me, I count. I count "one" on the in breath and "two" on the out breath. I just repeat these two numbers until my mind starts that random, vague thought stage of my falling-asleep process. Makes me fall asleep tons faster than I used to. Now I'm nearly always alsleep within a half hour (versus an hour or more).

Hope this helps you. If you need any help you know you can PM me anytime.

Many thanks for the kind replies.

Seeker28, I haven't been having any recall over the last five day but before that I felt I was doing pretty well. If I get over the dry patch I think I could be back on track. For instance, I never remember my dreams but since I joined here I've made entries in my DJ. For me that's a great step. So I guess all is not lost.

I think the reason for all of this is because I've been thinking about it way too much. Plus, last night I had a great sleep but no recall but I chalk this down to getting back into my sleep pattern.

Tonight I won't try and jump the gun and get an LD. It's much too soon. Tonight I'll try affirmation to have good recall.

Sounds like a good idea. Recall before lucids always, any way. You don't want to have an awesome LD and not be able to remember it!

Yup

I'll be heading off to bed soon and I'll see how it goes. All I intend one doing is 1) remembering my dreams, and if possible 2)Waking up after every dream.

I'll get back to you and tell you how it goes. Thanks again for the respones.

Good luck! I hate having days with no dream recall.

what i have learned is that if you have no recall you have no dream... it was experienced by you once but you don't know it ever happened after that. my recall isn't the greatest and is very vague and confusing when trying to remember chronologically.

Ok, this morning I woke up with no recall. However, recently I've picked up a very minor fragment so all is not lost I guess.

Better than nothing, eh?

I bet it is good to see some sort of progress! Keep at it, Denny22. Autosuggestion often takes time to reach its greatest effect.