Hello and a Query

**LeviathanReborn** · 11-23-2011 07:23 PM

Hey everyone, just start with a little introduction.

I'm 19 and have kept a dream journal for about 2 years now, almost every night I write in it. Over the last 2 years, my dream recollection has improved greatly, and so has the vividness of my dreams, however i have yet to achieve my final goal of lucidity.

I've only had about 2 lucid dreams in those two years, each lasting for no more than a few seconds before i lost them. I've tried almost every single dreaming technique i could find on the internet, and none really seem to work. My mind is too active when i "try" to sleep, or when i try to keep lucidity in my thoughts as im resting.

My question is that is there anyway to relax my mind so that i can ease myself into sleep. Also it takes me about 30 min to fall asleep under normal circumstances, ive never understood how people can fall asleep so easily.

**Enjyu** · 11-24-2011 12:31 AM

Welcome to DreamViews.

Normally I need at least 30 minutes to fall asleep. When I go to bed my mind seems a lot more active than it is during the day, but I think you're just paying more attention to it then.
If you want to fall asleep faster, I suggest you use a relaxation technique to clear your mind and completely relax your body. When I use such a technique I only need about 10 minutes to fall asleep, a lot faster than usual.

The following is a quote from a self-hypnosis tutorial on the internet:

Close your eyes and work to rid your mind of any feelings of fear, stress, or anxiety. When you begin, you might find it difficult not to think. You may find that thoughts keep intruding. When this happens, don't try to force the thoughts out. Observe them impartially, and then let them slip away.

Don't try to pay too much attention to what's going on inside your head. Instead, try to focus on something you hear. For example, listen to the wind or the rain outside. You can also try to focus on your breathing.

Another quote from the same tutorial, describing how to relax your body:

Beginning with your toes, imagine the tension slowly falling away from your body and vanishing. Imagine it freeing each body part one at a time starting with your toes and working its way up your body. Visualize each part of your body becoming lighter and lighter as the tension is removed. relax your toes, then your feet. Continue with your calves, thighs, hips, stomach and so on, until you've relaxed each portion, including your face and head. Using imagery techniques of something you find comforting or soothing, such as water (feel the water rushing over your feet and ankles, cleansing them of tension) can be effective as well.

When you're done, you will feel that your body is completely relaxed. Now it is a lot easier to fall asleep.
Try not to move, as you will need to start over again if you do.

I hope this helps you somehow.