Help Falling Asleep

**LucidSleeperCel** · 06-16-2010 06:45 PM

For the longest time I've had trouble falling asleep, and now that I'm getting back into lucid dreaming I find it more frustrating than ever! I find it difficult to get enough sleep to even initiate the deeper REM cycles. So needless to say, lucid dreaming is but a fleeting dream if I can't conquer this problem.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

**WanderingMind** · 06-16-2010 08:38 PM

I've had some success with isochronic tones, especially if you don't want to use supplements.

iso-tones.com has a tone titled "Sleep" and "Deep Meditation." Those two have really helped to knock me out. Usually when I listen to them, I fall asleep in between listening to both of them.

Some other tips:
-Working out in the day really helps to tire you out for the evening. Just make sure not to workout too close to the time you intend to go to bed.
- Eating a good meal helps too, but time before bed is a factor. Granted, I had two last night and ate a meal about an hour before going to bed. I had some sleep tea though.

**LucidSleeperCel** · 06-16-2010 08:59 PM

Thanks, I'll try listening to those tonight and see if they work.
But I don't have much time during the day to be able to work out as consistently as I used to

if it helps me fall asleep faster though, I'll definitely try my best to work it in there somehow.
And why would time before bed be a factor? Is it because your body then digests the calories in the food giving you more energy? And if that's the case how long would you say is a good amount of time to eat before bed?

**WanderingMind** · 06-16-2010 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by LucidSleeperCel

Thanks, I'll try listening to those tonight and see if they work.
But I don't have much time during the day to be able to work out as consistently as I used to

if it helps me fall asleep faster though, I'll definitely try my best to work it in there somehow.
And why would time before bed be a factor? Is it because your body then digests the calories in the food giving you more energy? And if that's the case how long would you say is a good amount of time to eat before bed?

Something like that. It varies dependent on individual but I would say even moreso what and how much you eat. I occasionally take small things to help elicit LDs like bananas (Choline), but I try my best to keep it pretty light prior to sleeping. If you find a meal before bed helps then more power to you. Heck, with all the notes here you can figure what makes you tired (I.e. foods with tryptophan in them) Lots of foods contain helpful molecules for sleep and LD.

**LucidSleeperCel** · 06-16-2010 09:23 PM

Thanks again, looks like I'll just have to try experimenting to find out what works

**Reinhardt** · 06-17-2010 09:05 PM

How did it work for you? im on day 3 and gonna try these sounds tonight

**LucidSleeperCel** · 06-17-2010 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Reinhardt

How did it work for you? im on day 3 and gonna try these sounds tonight

"Deep Meditation" actually worked out pretty well, but in order for it to be loud enough to really lull me to sleep it has to be on a realitively high volume setting (as it's a somewhat quiet recording). But the song "Sleep" is a somewhat louder recording that when played with "Deep Meditation" will tend to wake me up, because I have the volume setting on high and when "Sleep" begins it blares through the speakers haha.
So I had better results with just putting "Deep Meditation" on loop.

**Reinhardt** · 06-18-2010 08:16 AM

I tried these with headphones last night " Binaural Beat Brainwave Entrainment" they say it only works in stereo headphones, but its uncomfortable to sleep with headphones on and im not always sleeping on my back, did you play yours through normal speakers? They specificly told me that i should play through good quality stereo headphones.
Thanks

**LucidSleeperCel** · 06-18-2010 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Reinhardt

I tried these with headphones last night " Binaural Beat Brainwave Entrainment" they say it only works in stereo headphones, but its uncomfortable to sleep with headphones on and I'm not always sleeping on my back, did you play yours through normal speakers? They specifically told me that i should play through good quality stereo headphones.
Thanks

Yes, I did use headphones; but they weren't that good of quality

Maybe you should just try different headphones, because I don't always sleep on my back either and more often then not I wake up with out any headphones in at all.
So between REM cycles when your body naturally wakes up anyway, I guess it'll just take them out and your not even aware of it xD haha

Buuuuut, I've also fallen asleep with just using speakers; I've just obtained better results using headphones

**hgld1234** · 06-19-2010 11:33 AM

I tried these with headphones last night " Binaural Beat Brainwave Entrainment" they say it only works in stereo headphones, but its uncomfortable to sleep with headphones on and im not always sleeping on my back, did you play yours through normal speakers? They specificly told me that i should play through good quality stereo headphones.
Thanks

I DO NOT recommend using headphones during sleep sleep, espically corded ones. The reason goes w/o saying.

Use speakers instead. Dosen't matter which ones, provided a) theyre stero and b) they're loud enough for you to hear.

**LucidSleeperCel** · 06-19-2010 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by hgld1234

I DO NOT recommend using headphones during sleep sleep, espically corded ones. The reason goes w/o saying.

Use speakers instead. Dosen't matter which ones, provided a) theyre stero and b) they're loud enough for you to hear.

Speakers are good, it's just really hot in my room and I need a fan on high in order to be comfortable; the speakers have to be louder than the fan, and at that point it disturbs my sleep :/

**hgld1234** · 06-19-2010 08:40 PM

I find it really hot in my room too! Mabye you could listen to some alpha waves BEFORE bed?

**Reinhardt** · 06-19-2010 09:04 PM

Alot of these tones wake me up at night, i usualy put them in a playlist form like
1.) Sleep tone
2.) Dreamy tone
3.) Lucid Dreaming tone
But sometimes the dreamy tone wakes me up or the lucid dreaming one wakes me up and then its so annyoing that i have to put it off in order to sleep.
I have stereo speakers, should both speakers be on either side of my bed? because at the moment they are all on one side and usualy my one ear is blocked with the pillow?
Doesnt it need both ears to stumulate the frequences in the brain?

**LucidSleeperCel** · 06-19-2010 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by hgld1234

I find it really hot in my room too! Mabye you could listen to some alpha waves BEFORE bed?

It's worth a try, I'll give it a shot and post my results tomorrow

And I don't know about it having to be in both ears, sometimes I just have one headphone in so I can lie on my side

and that works fine for me

**WanderingMind** · 06-22-2010 08:33 PM

I tried a little experiment with Hemi Sync. I did one session called "Sound Sleeper."

Now I was very tired (I'm in the middle of switching my sleep/wake cycle around for my job :/), but I noticed it put into an SP that I could sense. The track was 33 min long, and I didn't finish it, but I had to force myself out of SP. I was a bit surprised.

If anyone wants in on it: PM me.

**LucidSleeperCel** · 06-23-2010 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by LucidSleeperCel

It's worth a try, I'll give it a shot and post my results tomorrow

And I don't know about it having to be in both ears, sometimes I just have one headphone in so I can lie on my side

and that works fine for me

Oops, I forgot to post my results haha
But I found that I have an easier time falling asleep with headphones, that's just me though

**WanderingMind** · 06-24-2010 10:26 AM

Hemi Sync is working pretty well for me.
I did the sound sleeper set with both tracks yesterday morning. I took 6mg melatonin just to sort of help me get used to this sleep/wake swap I have to do, and I had a lucid dream. I also felt like I astral projected again too.