Night time routine help

**AlexTheDreamer** · 06-28-2016 03:36 PM

So for lucid dreaming, I think that I have a pretty solid day time routine. I practice mindfullness, often meditate, and do critical reality checks. My night time practice, however, is really lacking. I make attempt at doing MILD when ever I wake up in the middle of the night, but when I do wake up it's usually for a second, and then I go unconscious. Then times when I can get up and practice, I'm usually either not motivated to lucid dream or want to, but can't because I have lots of thoughts in my head. This sometimes leads to me not being able to go to sleep. I don't know what to do for my night time lucidity routine, nothing seems to work well for me.

**duke396** · 06-28-2016 06:08 PM

I like to do some reading on DV or r/LucidDreaming before bed, read some of my own DJ entries (especially past LDs for motivation), or catalog dreams that aren't yet in my "official" DJ. Basically anything to keep my mind on dreaming.

Then when I actually go to bed I'll assert to myself that I will remember my dreams, or I will have a lucid dream, or both. Sometimes I try to go over recent dream signs to remind myself to look for them. Then if I think about it I'll try to do some visualization (similar to what you'd do for a WILD) and pay attention to the way sounds start to distort as I drift off.

I'm somewhat happy with my night time practice, but my daytime practice is severely lacking.

**Rothgar** · 06-28-2016 06:31 PM

I use MILD but only long enough for a bathroom break. Any longer and sleeping would be difficult, but too short and I fall immediately asleep. You need to find your sweet spot where you are awake enough but not too much.

**cooleymd** · 06-29-2016 03:10 AM

You can extend your consciousness time by doing something to prevent you from falling right back asleep. For instance if you sleep on your back hold your arms in the air, or if on your side cross your legs funny. Hold this position while you focus on your mantra for like 20 times or whatever then relax and get comfortable, this way you won't wake your self up much but just hold yourself awake for the short term. If necessary modify your mantra to "I'm tired but I must remember my dreams", or "I must fall asleep, but must wake in my dreams" so that your mind doesn't wander but stays focused on the mantra and sleep and dreams.