How long to wait before trying to DILD: how long do my dreams need to be?

**Pistols** · 08-12-2010 01:28 PM

So I'm still really new to the site but i've been doing my research...

I started my dream journal about 5 days ago and have been remembering between 1-4 dreams per night with an average of 2/3.

My problem is that my dreams are not particularly long, they are like 3-5 minute scenes and that is it... some have cohesion and lead on with gaps in between.

This has led to ask the following questions before changing my mantra's from "I will remember my dreams" to "I will have a lucid dream and realise when I am dreaming"

1. How long should I just focus on recording my dreams before I try and start to DILD? (I already have one dream sign)

2. Do my dream have to be of a certain length or detail to be sufficient enough to attempt becoming lucid?

My dreams are very vivid but have been very short...

Any advice would be appreciated as I can't wait to start trying to have my first lucid dream

Many thanks.
Pistols.

**SillyDreamer** · 08-12-2010 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by Pistols

1. How long should I just focus on recording my dreams before I try and start to DILD? (I already have one dream sign)

This should be your routine. It is not like an assignment/project work/exam preparation. You should do it till you are satisfied with your LD goals and beyond.

2. Do my dream have to be of a certain length or detail to be sufficient enough to attempt becoming lucid?

Not necessarily. Once you are aware of the dream, you can detail, and lengthen it by your will.

**Pistols** · 08-12-2010 02:04 PM

Thanks again SillyDreamer

Originally Posted by SillyDreamer

It is not like an assignment/project work/exam preparation. You should do it till you are satisfied with your LD goals and beyond.

All I really meant by that question was, should I wait a certain length of time before trying to MILD?

In ninja's tutorial and most that I have read it recommends that you are able to remember at least one dream every night before attempting any techniques. Do you know how long I need to be able to remember my dreams for consistently before I should try?

I am remembering my dreams every night at the moment but this has only been for five days. should I wait 1 week? 2 weeks? a month? to ensure I remember my dreams first?

Or should I just try and have a MILD now?

**SillyDreamer** · 08-12-2010 02:19 PM

If you are confident, nothing can stop you from starting. Go Ahead.
Yes, MILD requires you to recall at least one dream per night. If you can, there is no barrier for trying. Good Luck..
Don't forget to post the feed back, back here.

**Rathez** · 08-12-2010 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Pistols

So I'm still really new to the site but i've been doing my research...

I started my dream journal about 5 days ago and have been remembering between 1-4 dreams per night with an average of 2/3.

My problem is that my dreams are not particularly long, they are like 3-5 minute scenes and that is it... some have cohesion and lead on with gaps in between.

This has led to ask the following questions before changing my mantra's from "I will remember my dreams" to "I will have a lucid dream and realise when I am dreaming"

1. How long should I just focus on recording my dreams before I try and start to DILD? (I already have one dream sign)

2. Do my dream have to be of a certain length or detail to be sufficient enough to attempt becoming lucid?

My dreams are very vivid but have been very short...

Any advice would be appreciated as I can't wait to start trying to have my first lucid dream

Many thanks.
Pistols.

1. You should start trying to DILD immediately; there is really no prep-work for this. DILD basically means you became aware in your dream, which honestly is the definition of lucid dreaming. You don't need dream signs, you just need vivid dreams and solid recall. 2-3 dreams a night that are vivid is a VERY solid position to be in; I admire your commitment.

Start doing WBTB after getting 5-6 hours of sleep. This is plenty of sleep for the brain to almost fully function, but your body can still go to sleep. This will help TREMENDOUSLY. I believe the statistic is ~60% increased chance to lucid dream if you do a wake-back-to-bed.

2. Your dreams don't need to be a certain length; lucid dreaming is all based on REM periods. However, vividness and recall are two big things, but it sounds like you are already exceling in that section.

My suggestion to you is to start practicing awareness in your daily life routine. Take 5-10 times a day to just stop for 2 minutes, look around you, examine everything around you as is, ask yourself "am I dreaming, is this a dream?" and do a reality check. Then take 30 seconds to try and imagine if what you would do if this were a lucid dream.

These visualization techniques become WAY easier once you know what a lucid dream feels / looks like, since you'd then have a basis for comparison. But until then, just really become aware of your surroundings when you do these short awareness checks.

Also, start doing wake back to bed. Basically, set your alarm for 5.5 hours from when you get into bed. Get up when the alarm goes off, write in your dream journal any dreams you had, and stay awake until the grogginess fades from you. During this time, exercise your brain by doing something logical / requires thinking. Something where being tired would hinder performance, like solving sudoku puzzles.

After the grogginess fades, get back into bed and go to sleep. I bet you after only a couple days of this (maybe even on the first!) you'll be lucid dreaming.

**Pistols** · 08-12-2010 11:31 PM

Thanks Rathez

Probably the best/most detailed advice i've had since signing up

I'll try this out and let you know... you mind if I pm you any other queries while trying to get my first LD?

I'll try not to ask anything too obvious as i'll be searching the forums for the easy questions.

**Rathez** · 08-13-2010 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Pistols

Thanks Rathez

Probably the best/most detailed advice i've had since signing up

I'll try this out and let you know... you mind if I pm you any other queries while trying to get my first LD?

I'll try not to ask anything too obvious as i'll be searching the forums for the easy questions.

Anytime you need help, just send me a PM!

**Siphorix** · 08-13-2010 10:35 PM

Personally, I dont even use a Dream Journal... When I have a dream, I keep playing it through in my mind, piece by piece, focusing on events, details, etc. That alone makes me remember them. Then when I WILD, I recall the last dream I had, using that as a method to keep me awake AND somehow I manage to remember more about the dream while in the state...

You just have to have consistency with what you do though - Dream recall is EVERYTHING

Any form of induction other then WILD will have varied lengths of dreams. This is because you notice it is a dream at any given point throughout it. It can range from 5-30 min...

**Robot_Butler** · 08-13-2010 10:42 PM

Get started right away! Sometimes it is easy to become lucid when you first become interested. The excitement can help.

**Pistols** · 08-15-2010 02:39 PM

Had my first lucid dream since joining last night!

I couldn't believe it... it all happened so fast and my excitement meant that I woke up in 10-15 seconds (expected) I did use some of the techniques to stay in the dream for a few extra seconds but the problem was I was in a bedroom when I realised I was dreaming and then a force threw me back on to the bed.

The problem was that when I tried to familiarise myself with my dream senses and feel everything around me, it was feeling the same as what my real body would be feeling in bed and because these two were so similar I guess that's why I struggled to stay lucid...

I did calm down a small bit and was able to take 6-7 steps before waking up but the problem was I lost vision and so I could only feel myself walking so I was only fully lucid for like 6-7 seconds...

SOOO cool though ... thanks for all your help guys