WILD/MILD Troubles

[Asymptote]

I've had a couple of lucid dreams before, and all the best ones were obtained via WILD or MILD. I find that the Wake Back-To-Bed method is really the only one that works for me. Lately, however, I've been setting my alarm for 5 A.M. (I usually get to sleep around midnight), but I never seem to be able to wake up properly: either I don't wake up at all, or I'm not conscious enough to think about lucid dreaming. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Tranquil Toad]

Well make sure you aren't just laying in bed for 15 mins when it goes off, get up and move around. Read something, or jot your dreams in your DJ, the key is to get your mind active.

[Asymptote]

Actually, I don't think I even get conscious enough to write anything in my dream journal. Usually, when my alarm goes off, I'm only dimly aware that I'm even awake.

[Murch]

Maybe you should drink a few glasses of water before bed? (i've found out that my bladder is VERY convincing o.O)

[Asymptote]

Yeah, I do seem to recall that my single successful WILD attempt occurred when I'd had about three bottles of water before I went to sleep...although I think I had a lot of water before my latest failed attempts, too.

[Mes Tarrant]

Try waking up at 6am instead of 5. Maybe that extra hour will give you enough energy to be able to get out of bed. Or you can be sort of cruel to yourself and put your alarm clock on the other side of the room so you'd be forced to get up and turn it off. Whenever I do that, I find myself waking up before it rings anyway because I dread it so much.

[Oneironaught]

Actually, I don't think I even get conscious enough to write anything in my dream journal. Usually, when my alarm goes off, I'm only dimly aware that I'm even awake. That's your problem right there.

[Murch]

Maybe you should put your alarm in a bird cage or something -_- One that has a handle which you need at least a little bit of your brain functions to use.

[Asymptote]

Last night, I fell asleep about an hour later than usual, and the alarm woke me up just fine. I suppose I simply hadn't hit the "sweet spot" yet. Of couse, this time, I don't think I'd entered REM yet, so I had no dreams to MILD/WILD with...