How true is it that you have to wait 60-90 minutes until you reach REM and dreams? Is it possible to have dreams right after you fall asleep/before REM?
I feel quite stupid for not giving it a try. Yesterday night I stayed aware when HI began and at one point I knew I was accelerating myself to fall asleep. I pictured myself in a garden and dream stills were racing through the garden. When I walked past them I felt the same feeling as when becoming lucid through WILD in the morning. The switch turned and I felt myself lucid in a void, I realized I had to wait for my first REM phase and didn’t feel like waiting for so long so I gave my lucidness away. This I decided in a flash of thought. I woke up later with some regret because I didn’t know for sure if I actually had to wait for so long or if I just had to wait for my first dream to appear in a few seconds time maybe…
If you attained lucidity using WILD as you first fall asleep at night, congratulations. I think what people are saying is that it usually takes 60-90 minutes of WILDing before one usually attains a lucid state. I don’t think it means you need to wait a full hour before doing something if you become lucid during a WILD as you first lie down for the night.
Does that make any sense? I’m having trouble figuring out how to word my thoughts.
They say it takes 60-90 minutes to get to the first REM phase, so 60-90 minutes counting from the moment you fall asleep. It’s the same for everyone no matter if you use a method to become lucid or just go to sleep with no intention to become lucid. But is that actually true, can you alter the rule? When you do WILD in the evening and you feel the lucid “click” when you fall into deep sleep (that is what I experienced), does one has to stay aware and focused (not dreaming) until the first REM phase starts, appx. 60-90 minutes later? Or is it possible to initiate dreams yourself way before the REM phase starts? I get HI in the evening, maybe I can dream right away when I fall asleep too?
there are variables… most people in most cases do need 60-90 minutes. but there are exceptions. for example, if you are sleep deprived, you probably will not need that much time. also, if some person sleeps very little… for example of of my friends here only ever sleeps like 4 hours every day, and she can WILD whenever she goes to sleep. but that’s kind of similar to the sleep deprivation.
also you don’t have to wait that long if you have taken a short nap a couple of hours before that during the day.
then there’s the last exception… there are some people who can fall into REM straight away. however this is very rare. you might be one of those people
but unfortunately for most people it is nearly impossible to WILD first thing in the evening. it can happen on rare occasions, but it’s due to the variables that i mentioned, or even some that i didn’t mention.
but i think i know what you mean. yesterday night i had a similar thing happen to me. i laid down, concentrated and in a minute or two i was in a mini-dream, i think it was just strong HI. i just got surprised and it knocked me out of it… but i think i could have WILDed. but i think that was because about 3-4 hours before bed i went to take a nap… i didn’t go to sleep during that nap, but just… floated around with my mind and body relaxed that might have compensated the 60 minutes needed before REM. that is my theory (and not only mine)
The best and easiest way is to drop philosophy and actually try it. If it works then great, if not still great, at least you know from your own experience.
Alright, next time it happens I’m gonna stay lucid and see if a dream appears or if it stays black for a long time.
Is it normal anyway to have HI in the evening, when you haven’t napped shortly before sleeping?
I always experience it but two nights ago it was the first time I stayed aware when I fell into deep sleep and had the lucid “click”. A not intended WILD, too bad I gave it away…
that might have compensated the 60 minutes needed before REM. that is my theory 
