Assignment 4
Students will experiment with at least three different WBTBs, noting in their workbooks the length of time staying awake and different techniques to become alert or relaxed. After each attempt they will discuss which things may or may not have been helpful and why.
Well, all my data is so far pretty much inconclusive. I have played around with the wake up time during this course and also prior to it. I just very rarely seem to nail the REM time and honestly don't know when it is the best time. However 6 hours works kind of well - I'm not too refreshed to fail falling asleep again, even if I stay up for an extended period of time. 4.5 hours.. I don't know. I guess I should test it out more, but I don't feel like it's going to work, as I'm already having trouble with tiredness as it is. Sleeping even shorter time would make you even more suspectible to just passing out, I think. Despite autosuggesting, I haven't been able to wake up naturally either very consistently and the results haven't really been any better. But like I said it's more down to lack of data. I'll update this by the end of the week.
In terms of how much to stay awake.. I tried a lot before the course with only short WBTB time and had none success. It seems like I have to stay up longer to have any chance. That said, my only successes (2 of them) have come from staying awake over 24 hours, then having a few hour nap (around 2-3 hours), then staying awake for length of a soccer match (both times I watched a match in between while laying down) and then going to bed. I was so tired on those instances, that I just intensely concentrated on WILDing as I knew I couldn't avoid falling asleep. That's why I had so many attempts on short WTBTs, I was trying to replicate that, but it doesn't seem to work like that. I guess I should make another experimentation like that - 4.5 hours, just barely get up and then intense attempt. I guess I should write plans for the next few days right away.
August 7th
Plan
1. While getting to bed, remind yourself about DILDing, waking up naturally and recalling. Set alarm to 6 hours.
2. Get up, RC, recall. Write down dreams, review dream goals, think about WILDing and LD:s in general while staying as aware as possible looking for dreamsigns.
3. Get back to bed. Give breathing technique another chance.
4. WILD?
5. Get up, RC, recall and write down dreams. Standard.
Results
1. All went as planned
2. I woke up naturally, but only for few seconds and hardly remembered it. Couldn't be bothered with an effort.
3. Woke up to alarm as planned. I stayed up 20 minutes and examined some component packages (I bought a new computer yesterday). That got me so worked up I didn't feel a need to stay awake any more..
4. ..Apparently too worked up, as I failed to fall asleep again.
August 8th
Plan
1. Same as above.
2. Same as above.
3. I'll use meditation as a relaxation technique this time. Other than that same as above.
4. And rest is standard.
Results
1. Same as yesterday - woke up after 6 hours, but couldn't fall asleep again. After two nights of sleeping 6 hours, I'm bound to be tired in the evening so I'll try to nap and do a WILD then.
2. I didn't get tired on the evening, so no nap.
August 9th
Plan
1. Alarm to 4.5 hours, only autosuggest about DILDing, no point trying to wake up naturally before this alarm.
2. Get up, RC, recall and stay up only for couple of minutes. Enough to know what you're doing. Write only keywords down from possible remembered dreams.
3. Intense concentration on mantaining awareness.
4. WILD or doomed attempt, we'll see.
5. Standard.
Results
1. Got up to alarm as planned. Not sure if I did an RC though.
2. Tried to concentrate intensely and I think I stayed awake for long. But my head wasn't probably clear enough to have a proper effort. I passed out after a while. No recall.
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