Still confused about the whole REM cycle please help

**420Lucidity** · 08-17-2014 11:39 PM

This morning i woke up around noon which is my usual sleeping schedule and i tried wilding an hour later at 1. After 30 minutes of lying still trying to fall asleep while also holding onto an anchor, i gave up thinking it had to do with the rem cycle.

If someone could go into more detail on rem cycles what they are and when they are id appreciate it

**Darkmatters** · 08-17-2014 11:59 PM

No use trying to force yourself to sleep if you aren't sleepy. Those afternoon naps work best if you're already starting to drift off and just let yourself go.

**420Lucidity** · 08-18-2014 12:01 AM

But wont you need to have already taken a nap in order to wild? Or can you try and wild before you take the nap? I am just confused about when im able to dream and when i am not.

**Darkmatters** · 08-18-2014 12:09 AM

I have no idea what you mean. You don't WILD before or after sleeping - you do it while you're going to sleep. An hour after waking up should work, as long as you're tired enough to get back to sleep quickly - if you're not then there's no point in trying.

**LucidityMaster** · 08-18-2014 12:18 AM

Well, I don't know how much you know about the subject, so I will start from the basics:

A scientist called Eugene Aserinsky discovered REM sleep in 1953.

He observed rapid eye movements at roughly 90 minute intervals throughout the sleep cycle.

Hence the term Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep

The 90 minute estimate usually works, however, you must keep these factors in mind:

1- the length of REM periods increase throughout the night

2- the REM periods become closer and closer to each other

In late morning, you are very likely to be in a REM period because the REM periods reach about one hour in length.

During REM sleep, the brain paralyzes the body and acetylcholine is produced.

I would recommend writing when you go to bed, counting out 90 minute intervals and setting an alarm to ensure you hit a REM period.

For example, if I head to bed at 11:00 pm or so, I would set an alarm for:

12:30 am , 2:00 am , 3:30 am , 5:00 am , 6:30 am , 8:00 am , 9:30 am , 11:00 am , 12:30 pm

I would aim for the later REM periods when the tendency to enter REM sleep is high.

Good luck with WILD- I am looking forward to hear your progress.

Always use WILD in combination with the dream chaining technique to multiply your lucid dream frequency by a factor of five.

Dream chaining technique:

1- dream spin when you feel your dream fading

2- remain still with eyes closed to contrast the motion of spinning

3- you should be able to enter another lucid dream, a DEILD

You might also consider using hybrid techniques (which I call HILD) such as SSILD

These can induce both DILDs and WILDs, as well as DEILDs.

I use a different technique called SSCR, which helps me lucid dream at will.

Hybrid techniques are my favourite lucid dream induction methods.

Tell me when you next attempt to induce a WILD

I wish you the best of luck with your lucid dreaming adventures!

LucidityMaster

**420Lucidity** · 08-18-2014 12:22 AM

Originally Posted by LucidityMaster

Well, I don't know how much you know about the subject, so I will start from the basics:

A scientist called Eugene Aserinsky discovered REM sleep in 1953.

He observed rapid eye movements at roughly 90 minute intervals throughout the sleep cycle.

Hence the term Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep

The 90 minute estimate usually works, however, you must keep these factors in mind:

1- the length of REM periods increase throughout the night

2- the REM periods become closer and closer to each other

In late morning, you are very likely to be in a REM period because the REM periods reach about one hour in length.

During REM sleep, the brain paralyzes the body and acetylcholine is produced.

I would recommend writing when you go to bed, counting out 90 minute intervals and setting an alarm to ensure you hit a REM period.

For example, if I head to bed at 11:00 pm or so, I would set an alarm for:

12:30 am , 2:00 am , 3:30 am , 5:00 am , 6:30 am , 8:00 am , 9:30 am , 11:00 am , 12:30 pm

I would aim for the later REM periods when the tendency to enter REM sleep is high.

Good luck with WILD- I am looking forward to hear your progress.

Always use WILD in combination with the dream chaining technique to multiply your lucid dream frequency by a factor of five.

Dream chaining technique:

1- dream spin when you feel your dream fading

2- remain still with eyes closed to contrast the motion of spinning

3- you should be able to enter another lucid dream, a DEILD

You might also consider using hybrid techniques (which I call HILD) such as SSILD

These can induce both DILDs and WILDs, as well as DEILDs.

I use a different technique called SSCR, which helps me lucid dream at will.

Hybrid techniques are my favourite lucid dream induction methods.

Tell me when you next attempt to induce a WILD

I wish you the best of luck with your lucid dreaming adventures!

LucidityMaster

I could not have asked for a better reply, thanks

**Darkmatters** · 08-18-2014 12:26 AM

^ Whoah there - I would not recommend setting alarms for every 90 minutes!! You're supposed to definitely get a good solid 4 hours of sleep before trying a WBTB. Not only do the REM periods get closer together, but they also get longer, so that by morning you're in almost continual REM. REM cycles continue after you wake for several hours, then at some point they reset for the day. Think of taking a nap as just a WBTB - you get up for a while, then if you're still capable of falling back to sleep, take a nap and go for WILD.

I have certain days when I'm walking around all sleepy for a few hours, and on some of those days I can practically feel myself already dreaming even as I'm awake, if that makes sense - I can just tell I'm ready to dream up a storm. Those are the days to go for a WILD nap!

**420Lucidity** · 08-18-2014 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by Darkmatters

^ Whoah there - I would not recommend setting alarms for every 90 minutes!! You're supposed to definitely get a good solid 4 hours of sleep before trying a WBTB. Not only do the REM periods get closer together, but they also get longer, so that by morning you're in almost continual REM. REM cycles continue after you wake for several hours, then at some point they reset for the day. Think of taking a nap as just a WBTB - you get up for a while, then if you're still capable of falling back to sleep, take a nap and go for WILD.

I have certain days when I'm walking around all sleepy for a few hours, and on some of those days I can practically feel myself already dreaming even as I'm awake, if that makes sense - I can just tell I'm ready to dream up a storm. Those are the days to go for a WILD nap!

Great info thank you