Falling asleep consciously

I’ve been trying this for about a month now and I’m beginning to have even more serious troubles than not being able to do it. When I first started, I was able to ‘gently’ begin to observe the hypnagogic imagery and stay relaxed, almost getting close to losing wakefulness. As time progressed, though, I began to lose this ability. Right now, not only can I not fall asleep consciously, I am even at the point where I find it very difficult to fall asleep as I seem to have lost the ability to let my consciousness drift away when going to sleep even when I don’t even want to attempt LDs. Now it often takes me several hours to fall asleep when I used to do it almost instantly. Any suggestions on either falling asleep consciously or rectifying my current situation? Thanks in advance.

Maybe you’re trying it too hard. Just let yourself relax… if you drift off, you always can try it again. Just don’t try it too hard. That’s what have happened to me and I have found out that I’m trying it too hard.

yeah i’m having the exact same troubles. like i use relaxation music or whatever but it isn’t really working. i might be trying too hard so maybe i’ll try the same thing. thanks DM7.

i have a similar problem, i can no longer get to sleep quickly (never really have been able to but now it takes longer) so trying for a OBE or LD is really difficult as it takes ages to fully relax.

When I try to go to sleep I just close my eyes gently and let my mind wander to wherever it wants to. There is a certian thing I do with my eyes. I let them drift up towards my forhead as if just letting them sink back into my head so to speak. If I let them stay there and just relax for a few minutes (if you are doing it right you may start to feel a little dizzy or light headed) until sounds, sights, and images come into my head. Its like a random multimedia picture show going on until my body shuts down and I slip right into sleep or sometimes even dreams. Try it out and see what happens. You may also repeat dream inducing phrases like “I wish to have a dream about ________ and I am going to remember it when I wake.”

Hope this helps someone, somewhere, somehow.

Late, :tongue: