New(ish) and a little Stuck

I suck at introductions (probably because I am such a dull person), but I'm going to write one anyway. :content:

I've dabbled in lucid dreaming on and off for about a year or so and have had a couple of good lucid dreams within that time, pretty much all spontaneous.

But over these last few months, I've been wanting to pick it up again seriously so I've been reading a lot and trying out a few things (DEILD, WBTB, MILD) but I seem to have come to a stand still. :|

I spent the first few weeks correcting my erratic sleeping routine and started sleeping from about midnight until 8 in the morning. I wake up naturally pretty consistently in between 5:20 and 6:30 every morning (I assume just out of a REM period?) and note down any dreams I remember, then write them out properly later. Then I go back to sleep again using mantras like "I will have a lucid dream now" or "The next thing I see is a dream", etc. I can't seem to get a grip on WILD yet, but I hope I will eventually. As for DEILD, I used to be able to do it frequently when waking from a lucid, but when I wake form a normal dream, I haven't been able to remember, yet...

But over these few months, I've had no luck whatsoever. I also do reality checks during the day, and practice ADA whenever I can, which is pretty much most of the day, so I'm at a loss of what to do to make some progress.

So if anyone has any tips for me... :tonguewiggle:

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

I found my erratic sleep schedule during the school year (I have two kids) actually helped my lucid and WBTB/WILD attempts. Often I would be up at 1 or 2A.M. and then wake up at 6:30 for an hour before being able to go back to sleep again. Days like that often produced great results for me.

Varying the sleep schedule also helps sometimes. Getting a night of rest followed by a night of shortened sleep and then another rest night can produce results too.

Awareness and RCs help train your mind to recognize signs and keep thoughts of dreams in your mind but even daily practice is no guarantee of consistent results. This comes easier for some than others. The important part is to keep trying and enjoy the experience when it happens.

Don't let the stress of not lucid dreaming get to you. That is a sure-path to failure.

If you have any questions please feel free to post them. Please also post your progress; I'm sure many would be happy to read of your efforts.

Pleasant dreams! :)

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Originally Posted by melanieb

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

I found my erratic sleep schedule during the school year (I have two kids) actually helped my lucid and WBTB/WILD attempts. Often I would be up at 1 or 2A.M. and then wake up at 6:30 for an hour before being able to go back to sleep again. Days like that often produced great results for me.

Varying the sleep schedule also helps sometimes. Getting a night of rest followed by a night of shortened sleep and then another rest night can produce results too.

Awareness and RCs help train your mind to recognize signs and keep thoughts of dreams in your mind but even daily practice is no guarantee of consistent results. This comes easier for some than others. The important part is to keep trying and enjoy the experience when it happens.

Don't let the stress of not lucid dreaming get to you. That is a sure-path to failure.

If you have any questions please feel free to post them. Please also post your progress; I'm sure many would be happy to read of your efforts.

Pleasant dreams! :)

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Hi and thank you! I wonder if you're right! When I was into LDing in the past, my sleeping pattern was pretty bad. I'd only be able to sleep a few hours during the night, then end up dozing off during the day. But since I can no longer sleep through the day, I want to make sure to get a good sleep at night to avoid shutting down, haha...

I also noticed that I go long(ish) periods without an LD, then have 2 or 3 nights in a row where I'd have at least one each night, then another long period of none at all.

But during those periods I don't think I do / eat anything especially different than usual, so I have no idea!

I'll keep at it anyway. :D

Hey, ShyPanda, and welcome to Dreamviews!

Usually when you're having a dry spell of no lucid dreams, you just gotta keep trying cause eventually you WILL get one. But something that has worked for me, is when I usually give up or take a break, I have a lucid dream. Then you'll be motivated to have another LD!

Sometime's doing things differently can get you a lucid dream, like sleeping in a different place. Good luck, and you're sure to have a lucid dream sometime if you keep trying.

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Originally Posted by USA

Hey, ShyPanda, and welcome to Dreamviews!

Usually when you're having a dry spell of no lucid dreams, you just gotta keep trying cause eventually you WILL get one. But something that has worked for me, is when I usually give up or take a break, I have a lucid dream. Then you'll be motivated to have another LD!

Sometime's doing things differently can get you a lucid dream, like sleeping in a different place. Good luck, and you're sure to have a lucid dream sometime if you keep trying.

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Thanks for the reply! Maybe I should try toning it down a little for a few days and see if it helps...
When you say sleeping in a different place, do you think just switching beds or even sleeping on the floor (Not sure if I would sleep on the floor though, haha) would be enough, or would it have to be in a completely different space?

I have two beds in my room and switch back on fourth regularly depending on my mood, or when I can't sleep, it seems to help if I use the other for a few nights. I'm not sure I'd be able to sleep well in a strange room. :P

I probably wouldn't sleep on the floor, unless it was comfy enough :P I meant like maybe a couch or something, but it's up to you, it doesn't always guarantee a lucid dream.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by USA

I probably wouldn't sleep on the floor, unless it was comfy enough :P I meant like maybe a couch or something, but it's up to you, it doesn't always guarantee a lucid dream.

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Haha of course. :tonguewiggle: Maybe it's worth a try though! I'll see how it goes for another couple of weeks for now I think.

Welcome to Dream Views! Remember that alcohol, pot, spice, and caffine are going to have a negative impact. Not suggesting you are doing such things, but it is worth noting.
Try to make your mantras pesent tense, like "I am dreaming" or "this is a dream."
Switching beds will not have the effect USA is talking about. A couch, the floor, or a bed you are not familiar with is what he is refering to. It must be a little odd and out of the normal routine, like spending the night in a hotel or at a friends house. It is matter of the newness causing a lighter sleep.
Good luck and have fun!