Is it better to perform a WILD right after a REM period (eg. when waking up from a dream naturally) or during a REM period(eg. you wake up by artificial means - an alarm)?
I think it will be better to do WILD before R.E.M period. This is because the next R.E.M period occurs after 1 hr 30 Mins and you need to be awake between those periods.
Trying to do WILD before can be a bit quicker and you’re more likely to go into a dream almost right away. However, you can also do a few other things after an REM. Generally you wake up for a few seconds following an REM phase (or at the end of a dream). If you can train yourself to notice when you’ve woken up and not to move, you can use DEILD instead. DEILD works just like WILD but happens much quicker. Regardless of REM phases, staying still and aware can trigger a dream, and if you can get in the habit of not moving DEILD is one of the most reliable techniques out there.