Cannot sleep when attempting MILD

this is being written at four in the morning on a terrible iPod so please excuse any mistakes.
This is the second time I’ve tried MILD, it never works. All it does is this, gives me insomnia. Please explain why? Why do I keep getting this ONLY when I attempt to LD. Also want to point out that I can recall my dreams from tonight perfectly. But now that I’m trying to lucid dream I get insomnia. Last time this happened it got so bad I had to wake one of my family members up.
At around seven o’clock I just died. I fell into a deeeeep sleep until noon. Only reason it wasn’t a longer sleep is because I needed to get up.

First of all, let me point out that trying MILD two times is not enough to say it never works. :tongue: MILD can take some time to work, and often you will see a small grow of success over a longer time (in my experience). I think you are trying too hard with LDing, and this is keeping you awake, causing insomnia. Just take it a bit easier, maybe don’t use any technique for a few nights, and then try again. You could also see how it works out for you if you spent a few minutes repeating your MILD mantra and after that simply go to bed normally. A small hint here: It sounds like you are using MILD before going to sleep the first time. Like most other LD techniques, MILD has a greater success rate when combined with WBTB.

Ok, I’m going to hopefully explain more. Also, thanks for the quick reply :smile:
When I said my second MILD, I meant to say that this is the second time MILD has caused this insomnia.
I actually just calmly repeated the mantra in my head, just to see if I could LD, it wasn’t a full on attempt.
WBTB is what seemed to have caused this. When I woke up I just couldn’t get back to sleep. This only happens if I try MILD after waking up (it still does it even if I am impartial about getting an LD.
finally, I did attempt with WBTB, but couldn’t get back to sleep, even normally.

It might just be a coincidence that you couldn’t go back to sleep when you used WBTB+MILD. But if you feel that WBTB is the problem, then don’t use it. Do you usually have problems with getting back to sleep after randomly waking up? Here you might find some ideas on what to do if you usually need a lot of time to fall asleep (again). If you risk losing sleep by using LD methods, only attempt them during the weekend for example.

Thanks for your help!

Yes, LD has been a bit of a risk for reward kind of thing for me, so I’ll usually try on the weekends like you said. I’ll try experimenting with different techniques until I get a LD. last one I had was a DILD!

Does it matter if you only try on weekends, or would it slow down your progress since you would have less practice?

It would not slow down your progress if your DJ would be updated all the time (especially on work days … and weekends :grin:. I usually can’t update my DJ on workdays because I don’t have much time in the morning. I had two lucid dreams in 3 months. And on holidays I had enough time to update my DJ and to sleep. I had 2 semi-lucid dreams in two weeks.

That’s good to know. :smile:

WBTB’s aren’t really the best idea if you need to get up early, so if that leaves you only weekends, then do WBTB only on weekends (and holidays :grin:.

Plus, if after WBTB you can’t fall asleep, adjust it next time by staying up less time. If you fall asleep too quickly, adjust by staying up a little longer, until you find the right amount of time to stay awake.

That might be it! I went to bed very late so that might be why!

Even i found it a bit difficult falling asleep the first time i tried LDing using MILD. However, I realised, for WBTB to succeed with MILD you need not wake up for longer periods of time, in fact, not even getting out of bed. WBTB requires just a momentary consciousness and directed intention to become aware the next time you are dreaming. Two successful methods i employ to become lucid are ‘Recurring Alarm method’ and ‘Hypnotic franctantaion’ method.
In the RAM (Recurring alarm method) I find out my REM period (its usually at 3AM) and at that period i set my alarm in my cell phone and keep it near my bed. Then i sleep 4-5 hours before. When the alarm rings ( i keep it in audible tone) i momentarily become conscious, while still remembering my dream and hit the snooze button. My cellphone has customized snooze option wherein i can set snooze intervals (I usually keep 15 mins). Then i recapitulate my dream and run it several times and modify it (i do not repeat any mantra for becoming lucid, sometimes i just affirm once my intention to become aware, as i feel very sleepy and unable to concentrate). I then include elements in my dream that may increase my chances of becoming lucid (For ex: In my dream I ll incorporate a huge banner containing the words I AM DREAMING). This ll save my energy from repeating any Mantra related to LD. Then ill casually let myself fall asleep and get the dream incorporating the elements. Then ill wake up to second snooze and repeat the same technique.
In HFM (Hypnotic fractantation method), I ll do away with physically moving even my hands through ‘task maker’ application in my mobile that rings at pre determined times. In this method, i get more OOBE’s than lucid dreaming.
The whole secret to ensuring the success of both these techniques is to do the steps sincerely, Letting go and feel free. Just do it casually without anticipation and you will be rewarded with Success.