WILD causes insomnia!

Hey, I’m not sure how many people have realized this, but WILD can really cause you to stay awake for long periods of time. Just this morning I attempted WILD and couldn’t get it to work. I eventually said “forget it” and tried to go back into normal sleep, hoping that I’d thought about it enough to induce an LD later in the night. I had spent so much time trying to WILD, that I could not go back to sleep. I was awake from 2:50 AM and got out of bed at 6:00 AM. Personally, I think that WILD is WAY overrated because of this. Let’s just face it: WILD hardly ever works out and even when it does, the dream has a very weak and blurred quality to it. Don’t get me wrong, WILD work’s great sometimes, but I don’t think it should be forced unless it works after the first few tries.

A lot of it also depends on how experienced you are as an LDer. Starting out with WILD is not a great idea, which is why newbies have trouble with it. I’ve been working on LDs for two years now, and I have had more success with other methods than with a WILD.

But yes, WILD can cause serious sleep deprivation, especially for those who dont fall asleep very quickly.

I think the key word in the above phrase is “can”. WILD CAN cause sleep deprivation, but if done right, you have nothing to worry about.

I had the same problems when just starting WILD, so I don’t recommend starting with WILD, especially during finals or before big meetings or whatnot. I tried during the summer and eventually got the hang of it. I think the key (for me, at least) is to “loosen up”. It’s better to fall asleep trying than stay awake all night.

That, and coupling it with WBTB is always better.

WILD is not overrated. WILD is difficult. WILD almost always works for me when I really try it, and when I WILD, my dreams are a lot clearer than MILDs and RCILDs. It’s just difficult to start with, and it’s different for everyone.

I know, sorry about that. I worded that entire post in a strange way. What I meant when I said WILD is overrated, is that too many people try to use it when they are not advanced enough. WILD can work very well and I’ve had some great experiences with it, but people who are just starting out need to realize that it can take a very long time to master WILD.

I do WILD, and WBTB on the weekends, because it does keep me awake.

Yeah, I’ve tried WILD for a while. It’s never worked for me – sometimes I just fall asleep while attempting, but other times I’ll stay awake and (like you said) give up without being able to fall back asleep. It’s very annoying. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I experienced insomnia like that nightly.

Yes, ive had similar experiences to this. Although i dont think it can truly cause whats diagnosed as insomnia… for me it can cause me to stay awake on the nights i try it. Sometimes the halucinations etc get so intense it can make it difficult to get back to sleep after an unsuccsesfull WILD. I think it’s due to the heart rate increase. WILD can deprive me of some sleeping time for the nights i try it and dont succeed. I do not think it can cause recurring bouts of sleep deprivation though.

Practicing meditation for some years now, I can assure you that if you totaly relax your body, keep totaly still and don’t get worried about loosing sleep, the rest to the body and the mind is exactly the same as sleeping.

The key is you that you can’t start to stress about not getting enough sleep, the sleep is important to rest the body and the mind, but if you just remain relaxed, aware and quiet during WILD without stressing youself you get the same rest.

I have to agree with you jhanastudent. If I read what you said correctly. Meditation has been endlessly helpful to me in my WILD attempts. Both for helping me to get somewhere (SP and vivid HI) and recovering from failure. I find when I fail at WILD and decide to move I am agitated and it is difficult to sleep from that state. I use relaxation and some meditation to recover from that state and usually try to WILD again. I rarely fail to go to sleep when WILD-ing more than one [By sleep I mean slip into an ND] I haven’t LD-ed from WILD yet but I’m hopeful.

I am just starting out in LDs and i have only had 2 that i can remember :confused: and it was before i knew what LDs were. But any ways I tryed WILD and every time i could not go back to bed :sleep: for a few hours. :angry: It makes me mad.

I tried WILD last night for the first time and it did take forever for me to feel anything but it wasn’t an LD thats for sure!

Well, all i can say is that im absolutly zonked! Im so tired today, but maybe that will help with my WILD attempt tonight :content: .

I actually went to bed earlier than normal to try it and i feel more tired, so i think it does affect sleep on the nights you try it but nothing serious if you take some breaks, or would it? Anyway, im sure it will be worth it in the end :happy: