REM Cycle

I used an app on my iphone (4) that monitored how "deep" asleep I was, I don't know how reliable this is but there are many positive reviews of the app (sleep cycle).

I think the optimum time for me to wake up and go back to bed is at 4am? When Im most asleep? or is it the other way round, when Im most awake.

Anyway, try to interpret this graph (Went to sleep 12.37, woke up at 7.44, 7h)

http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/a...53D57B3966.jpg

I'm quite certain it is not reliable. It's just not possible without very sensitive equipment. The iPhone doesn't have anything like that. I'm sure the graph is predetermined.

The iPhone 4 has an incredibly good gyroscope. I'd argue that it is accurate. Lets just say it is accurate, where abouts would you suggest I WBTB.

I have a similar app to my HTC and it does seem to work quite well. You place it beside your head and the phone picks up even the slightest movement you make when in rem sleep.

Can anyone suggest the best time to WBTB....

It's best to wake up during REM sleep. If you wake up during deep sleep, you will feel very annoyed and groggy. It's not a pleasant feeling and it doesn't help lucid dreaming. Without an alarm or any disturbances, you will naturally wake up at the tail end of a REM period.

I haven't fully explored these, but I can think of two REM strategies:

- Wake at the end of REM. This can be natural or with an alarm. Stay awake for several minutes to heighten your awareness and higher bran function, then return to sleep. You will enter light sleep and later transition to REM sleep. This is a DILD approach.

- Wake in the middle of REM, ideally toward the beginning. It would have to be an alarm because this isn't typically natural. Then go back to sleep immediately to re-enter REM sleep. This approach is more in line with DEILD and WILD techniques.

rem cycles are classified by rapid eye movements not head movements. unless there is a connection to goggles that sit over your eyes I would suggest that the app is full of it.

even if you had electrodes on your head it is difficult to determine if your brainwaves represent a waking state or a heavily dreaming state as you will find yourself in high alpha and beta in some rem periods.

the cycles on the main last 90 minutes and you rem more frequently the longer you sleep

or if you are unlucky like me, you wont get into delta often or for very long and wake up at the slightest thing. This would be great for WB2B methods but I find when using that tech I can never sleep properly.