Thread: HELP! Losing my job to lucid dreaming

bugger...you got yourself a problem there...I'll get back to yiou if i find a viable solution.

Originally Posted by thedogsmeow

But can some of you give me tips to help find the healthy balance in life, between work and "play"?!

thedogsmeow, I try to be in bed by 12:30 am as work fulltime and have to get up at 5:45 am!

Since 99% of my LDs are via WILDS using the WBTB method (i.e., waking up around 3:30 am, stay up for a bit and then going back to bed), I only seriously attempt to WILD on the weekends or when I don't have work the next morning.

I'd love to try to WILD every day but I know that I would suffer the next day at work.

Originally Posted by thedogsmeow

I've missed a lot of days of work this year (this is my first job by the way) and most days were missed due to me having mono in August, which some of you know about. However, recently I've missed five days, and I'm scared I'll lose my job, which I really need!

Now, I am still feeling the fatigue and exhaustion associated with mono, so that explains half of why I am missing so much work. But, I can't help thinking that my love for lucid dreaming also has at least a small part in it. During the week, I am usually sleep deprived - not due to work, but due to staying up till 11 or 12 doing stuff online. So, to make up for it, I stay up EVEN LATER on the weekends, and sleep in late as well, causing me to experience very vivid dreams due to REM relapse!

Sometimes, my sleep deprivation catches up with me during the week, so I'll miss a day of work and sleep for 10+ hours, experiencing REM relapse and vivid dreams! These dreams I have when I miss work are (usually) the best dreams I ever have. Now, I don't really have a social life, the computer/music/movies are basically my life. So, dreaming is, in a sense, my "life" because in them I can do anything I want and it's so much fun!

Now, I am NOT going to miss anymore days due to sleep deprivation and REM relapse! But can some of you give me tips to help find the healthy balance in life, between work and "play"?

Thank you!

Y try so hard to LD? Unless Ur using it for the lottery.....it's just a hobby. There are other easier ways to play in reality....not just LDing.

IMJ

Do you not have enough energy for work? Because if so, being in shape raises your energy level and lets you get by on less sleep, so maybe working out will help.

you could try polyphasic sleep

makes you need less sleep and makes WILDS faster

Be happy you've had your first LD.
I'm still.. waiting

You should probably just go to sleep a little earlier; try not staying up past 10:30-11 for a few weeks. This'll probably have a significant increase over time of the number of lucid dreams you have on weekdays, so it won't be too much of a sacrifice, plus it'll make work easier. Plus, you can still sleep in on weekends, so you'll probably lucid dream more overall with this plan. Alternatively, you could choose not to sleep any later on weekends, and use the extra waking hours you get on those mornings to make up for the ones you lose by not staying up late, if you'd prefer to use that time for internet/etc.

Go to bed earlier! I'm lucky, I can skip whenever I want, and I don't even need to give an excuse. But my job sucks.

Clairity - Wow! How do you function on such little sleep? Anywhere from 7-9 hours is ideal for me. You have a good point though. I will try to save serious LDing/dreaming for the weekends, and focus more on my job (obviously) during the week.

thatguy - When I don't get enough sleep and in the winter especially, and now that I'm recovering from mono. Thanks for the suggestion, I don't really exercise a whole lot and should really cut back on sweets (I'm not really fat I just don't eat healthy a lot) I had some fruit yesterday and today and it's surprisingly refreshing to eat healthy!

Kromoh - Don't think I'll be trying that anytime soon. Thanks for the suggestion, though!

Serith - That's exactly what I'm doing. It's going on 11 p.m. now and I'm heading to bed! Good suggestion for not staying up late on the weekends as well, I'll try that.

mikestankus - I'm sure you'll have an LD eventually. Just keep at it, but don't let if affect your work/school

The Cusp - Lucky you! Sorry your job sucks though

Well, as I said it's 11:00 and I'm going to bed! I will keep you all updated on my sleep schedule and energy levels. I'm thinking about starting a blog as well... will let you know if and when I decide to make one!

Originally Posted by thedogsmeow

Clairity - Wow! How do you function on such little sleep? Anywhere from 7-9 hours is ideal for me. You have a good point though. I will try to save serious LDing/dreaming for the weekends, and focus more on my job (obviously) during the week.

I think I'm just used to it. I would love to sleep longer but I just can't seem to go to bed before 11:30 pm (unless I'm sick).

But I can easily sleep until 1:00 pm on the weekends!

I like to be online and then listen to music at night so I am up late alot. You could try just a couple days a week to get to bed early. I'm guessing you can't change your work times but if it is a job that allows you too then maybe work at times that better suit your sleep schedule.

Another thing is that mornings are often a terrible time where you aren't thinking straight and want to stay in bed but maybe try forcing yourself to get up and moving and it won't be so bad. You just need to define your priorities. If the job is important to you then you should focus on that. If dreaming is so important to you then you might have to make a career move and either try to change work times or get a job that allows you time to sleep in.

Nothing is better than having long vivid dreams but sacrificing your life for it often isn't worth it.

I get plenty of sleep and I have found that I have my best LDs when I am well rested. I sleep 8-10 hours on the week days and up to 13 on the weekends, so actually getting some rest will not rob you of LDs. I have more LDs than anyone I've run into (an average of 4.1 per night).

I've never had mono, so I don't know how exhausted it makes you.

I have had experience with various sleeping schedules, polyphasic, reduced sleep time, staying up for days on end. I find that, contrary to popular belief, a reduced sleeptime schedule does not alter your energy level much. I find that regular excercise and eating healthy have the biggest impact on energy level.

Sugary drinks and snacks put me right to sleep. Try cutting out sugar and simple carbohydrates and eat more protein. Try drinking a protein shake 30 minutes before you normally feel tired, and see if it goes away. I never believed this made a big difference until my girlfriend (who is a martial arts instructor, tournament fighter and fitness freak) made me try it. I eat more protein and whole grains, and I have all the energy I need no matter what.

I can't stress enough that reducing your sleeping from 8-9 to 5-6 hours a night does not make you tired the next day. It sounds crazy, but your body is very adaptable to such things.

Originally Posted by Robot_Butler

I can't stress enough that reducing your sleeping from 8-9 to 5-6 hours a night does not make you tired the next day. It sounds crazy, but your body is very adaptable to such things.

However, if you're a teenager, that's not such a good idea. I've read studies on teen sleeping patterns, and apparently teens that get even one hour less than the recommended eight a night get grades about 20% lower on average, do 1 or 2 hundred points worse on the SATs, think about as well on average as someone a year younger than they are, suffer more from depression, and have all kinds of other nasty side effects.

Originally Posted by Serith

However, if you're a teenager, that's not such a good idea. I've read studies on teen sleeping patterns, and apparently teens that get even one hour less than the recommended eight a night get grades about 20% lower on average, do 1 or 2 hundred points worse on the SATs, think about as well on average as someone a year younger than they are, suffer more from depression, and have all kinds of other nasty side effects.

I seriously doubt that is a direct corrolation. It's probably more of a lifestyle synnergy between people who sleep less and people who are less successful with school. You could also say that people who do poorly in school are more stressed, so they get less sleep. Or people who eat poorly get less sleep and do worse in school.

But, you never know. You could be right. We would have to see how the study was controlled to see if they controlled for such things. They usually don't.