What should you do when you are trying to get to sleep?

[afreshstart]

Hi! I am new here as you can probley tell and you can call me by my spiritual name - Violet Starr. Anyways should I do excizes before I go to bed or a special meditation? How do I get myself to lucid dream?

[OctoberWind]

Meditation is best. Working out before bed gets your adrenaline pumping, making it almost impossible to sleep. Go about 30 minutes with no electronics and just relax. Mediation before sleep is possibly the best thing you can do. No "special" mediation is needed. Just sit and clear your mind. Also, try a mantra. "I lucid dream tonight and every night" is a good one. Other than that, go ahead and browse the forums, find a technique that fits you and good luck! Feel free to ask any other questions you have, I promise, most people here don't bite. ps- Welcome to DV!!

[Matte87]

I suggest you repeat a mantra and visualize yourself getting lucid or what you'd do if you achieved lucidity. Like OctoberWind said, meditation is best.

[Evolventity]

Welcome to DreamViews. I also suggest avoiding stimulants like caffeine, adrenaline, light, and so on. Mantra's and meditation work very well. To help me fall asleep I like to visualize myself already dreaming.

[Dreamprofesser]

Gotta agree with OctoberWind. Meditation helps calm the mind and keep it alert and aware of every little thing around you. Try doing it a good 10 or 15 mins a day, as you will begin to see a dramatic increase in your awareness and your recall. Goodluck! Oh, And welcome to DreamViews.