Lately, I’ve been trying to practice WBTB. Since I take a couple hours to get to sleep I try to predict a good time to set my DS alarm (I have a radio one, but my mom’s dogs don’t like it and bark). Usually I set it around 4-6 am (sometimes I don’t fall asleep til like 2 am) I don’t have the best luck with alarms, though since often it goes off for half an hour until I finally wake up. Other times I hear it and don’t turn it off and just go back to sleep. I block it out. I would try a louder alarm and put it on my dresser that’s on the other side of the room, but that would disturb my parents’ sleep and make the dogs bark (not a good thing since that makes my mom very upset) Other times I do turn if off and try to stay awake for a bit. Then I try to relax and attempt WILD (I’m really bad at visualizing for MILD) but I just lose concentration on counting and fall asleep to have a normal dream. I don’t remember very well how long I do stay awake, but it’s not for very long. I’m very very sleepy when I wake up. If I do stay up too long it’s extremely hard to go back to sleep for me. (usually over 10-15 minutes) I do try to do RC’s during the day, but I often forget and only get in maybe 5 a day. I’ve started taking a multivitamin that has Vitamin B in it, but I just started two days ago. The most progress I guess I’ve made was seeing HI that one night, but woke up right away. I downloaded a song that’s relaxing and has a guy repeatedly talking about being aware of dreaming and had it on my iPod to listen to while trying to fall asleep but I never fell asleep with it except once when I put my iPod on a speaker stand, but it was too quiet for me to hear. I thought maybe if I heard it while sleeping it’d get into my dream and give me a chance to become lucid. I once had a dream about baboons when I fell asleep during a show about baboons on Animal Planet. XD
I’m really sorry if I don’t seem to make a lot of sense. I have read a bit about LD’s and really want one, but I’ve been having trouble with it.
I find that the best kind of alarm for me is a stereo that lights up. When I set the alarm, I never NEED to put a CD into the stereo since the light is enough to wake me up.
So yes, I do need an alternative for an alarm clock. Not something that’s really loud, but still reliable. I have to get up around 5am when school starts so I’d set it around 1-2am, but my parents are trying to sleep then.
I’m not sure, but I don’t have a terrible dream recall. I usually recall a dream a night around 5/7 nights. I’m trying to motivate myself to write in my Dream Journal.
And I’ve noticed water is often in my dreams. Like a pool of sorts or a lake/pond. Would a good RC target be when I see these things in waking life?
Have you tried auditory counting. It works almost every time for me. Just record your voise going 1 I am dreaming, 2 I am dreaming maby have some relaxing music in the backround. just make sure you use headphones.
Alright, let me tell you my alternatives. Well, they worked for me I don’t know about you.
-Large book on bed. Put it on top of the bed, and if you’re lucky it will fall off at an appropriate time, wake you up, and you can do your techniques.
-Alarm clock. Well, you already tried that.
-Watch alarm clock. Loud enough for you, quiet enough for your parents.
-Computer alarm clock. This might not work if you want to save electricity.
-Practicing to subconsciously wake up. I assume that’s the most effective method. Don’t ask me how though.
-Cellphone alarm. Easy enough.
-MOVE YOUR BED. I did when I first went into highschool and my recall improved dramatically.
Hm, the watch alarm clock might work. I always wear my watch and my mom and I are going shopping for school later this week. I can ask her if I can get one with an alarm. Thanks for the suggestion.
I can’t move my bed either. It’s a big waterbed and already takes up half of my room with a giant shelving unit on the other side.
