Experiencing more dreams?

[MBA42]

I find it frustrating that I'm having problems experiencing dreams, and remembering them. I haven't gotten to enter in my DJ for over a month. I easily recall dreams when I know I have them, though. Is there a way to experience more dreams, increasing chance for lucidity?

[tblanco]

Sleeping tends to work for me.

[tblanco]

also, hold still when you wake up and try to remember. when you move it's like you shake the dreams away.

[MBA42]

also, hold still when you wake up and try to remember. when you move it's like you shake the dreams away. Ok. will test.

[dreamcatcher81]

I like to take a early morning nap or afternoon power nap to increase my chances of lucidity but the ld's i had this month were all early in the morning through the wbtb technique. Its most important to go to bed with something that excites u about ld's and if u can harness that before sleep it increases your chances signifigantly. :-) namaste.

[tblanco]

slightly off topic, but with regards to what Dreamcatcher wrote.. Sometimes when i harness the energy for LD excitement, i get so excited i can't sleep. how do you strike the balance?

[dreamcatcher81]

slightly off topic, but with regards to what Dreamcatcher wrote.. Sometimes when i harness the energy for LD excitement, i get so excited i can't sleep. how do you strike the balance? When i first started wake back to bed i was afraid i would just end up staying up all night, luckily for me thats not the case i can zonk out at will, but when first starting out i would drink hot green tea no sugar to help calm me down and breathing techniques to help relax me before i go to sleep. My best results are when i dont do any of those things and fall asleep with something i read or heard that made me feel i can do those things 2. usually personal experience gets me going.

[MBA42]

I like to take a early morning nap or afternoon power nap to increase my chances of lucidity but the ld's i had this month were all early in the morning through the wbtb technique. Its most important to go to bed with something that excites u about ld's and if u can harness that before sleep it increases your chances signifigantly. :-) namaste. Thanks! I'm going to do that next time.

[Puffin]

I'm not sure if you can actually increase the number of dreams you have each night, if you're still getting the same amount of sleep. My first suggestion is to sleep more, which would probably mean going to bed earlier. And yeah, powernapping is very useful - you often have REM left over from the previous night, so there's a good chance you'll dream (and possibly have a lucid using WILD or even DILD).

[Binsk]

As has been mentioned, do not move after waking (and just as importantly, keep your eyes closed). A good method that works, given you don't have to get up early and can afford to lose a little sleep, is to wake yourself up a few times (or even just once) throughout the night by an alarm clock. If you wake yourself up after 4+ hours near or right after a REM cycle, it will be fresh in your head so it will be easier to write down (though very possible to forget by morning). With practice, you can actually get your body to wake itself up, recalling the dream easily. Naps have also proven to be quite effective for some, though I personally have mixed results with them (and it takes time out of your day). Dream journals are of course important, but not only that, you need to ENJOY having a dream journal for it to truly be effective. And though this may sound obvious, you need to get enough sleep. Many people do not, thus why they have issues. Make sure you are getting at least 8 hours a night of uninterrupted (well, with the exception of dream recording) sleep. You will be amazed at the difference between that and even just an hour less. Lastly, you can simply confirm it to yourself that you will remember at least a little more in the morning. As long as you fall asleep confident of that and with it on your mind, and wake up with it on your mind, you should have some measure of success. Hope this helps you out.

[MBA42]

As has been mentioned, do not move after waking (and just as importantly, keep your eyes closed). A good method that works, given you don't have to get up early and can afford to lose a little sleep, is to wake yourself up a few times (or even just once) throughout the night by an alarm clock. If you wake yourself up after 4+ hours near or right after a REM cycle, it will be fresh in your head so it will be easier to write down (though very possible to forget by morning). With practice, you can actually get your body to wake itself up, recalling the dream easily. Naps have also proven to be quite effective for some, though I personally have mixed results with them (and it takes time out of your day). Dream journals are of course important, but not only that, you need to ENJOY having a dream journal for it to truly be effective. And though this may sound obvious, you need to get enough sleep. Many people do not, thus why they have issues. Make sure you are getting at least 8 hours a night of uninterrupted (well, with the exception of dream recording) sleep. You will be amazed at the difference between that and even just an hour less. Lastly, you can simply confirm it to yourself that you will remember at least a little more in the morning. As long as you fall asleep confident of that and with it on your mind, and wake up with it on your mind, you should have some measure of success. Hope this helps you out. Thanks! I do have to monitor my sleep habits.

[MBA42]

I'm not sure if you can actually increase the number of dreams you have each night, if you're still getting the same amount of sleep. My first suggestion is to sleep more, which would probably mean going to bed earlier. And yeah, powernapping is very useful - you often have REM left over from the previous night, so there's a good chance you'll dream (and possibly have a lucid using WILD or even DILD). Didn't know that REM could carry over. I'll check into it.