What happens before REM kicks in?

I've read quite a lot about WILDing, and there's something I'm still fuzzy on: what happens before REM starts?

As best I can understand it, when doing a successful WILD, at some point there's a feeling of transition: vibrations, or a feeling of heaviness, or just an extra sense of peace. Does the NREM period start now?

For instance, say I wake up after 6 hours, after my 4th complete REM cycle. Under normal circumstances, it's my understanding that I'll have another 30-45 minutes of NREM sleep before the next REM period. When WILDing, do I have to wait those same 30-45 minutes after the transition occurs? I assume that period of time isn't as restful as normal sleep. Is it restful at all (after all, the body is sort of asleep), or is it "lost" time?

I'm not really sure how long is NREM and REM after some sleep. All I know is, that when we start out, our 90 min sleep cycle consists of about 80 of NREM and about 10 min of REM. And as we sleep, NREM gets shorter and REM longer. So by morning, NREM is very short and REM is long.

I would say every time period, that you are asleep, is restfull time.

Both times, when falling asleep normally and WILDing, we start with NREM light sleep. It's a very light sleep and we can be woken up from it very easily. People woken up from it often swear, that they were not even asleep yet. So I guess we are still thinking, sorting out the events of the day, or thinking about something else.

And after we are asleep, I would say its restfull. No matter if we are concious in a LD or not.

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Originally Posted by Nazrax

I've read quite a lot about WILDing, and there's something I'm still fuzzy on: what happens before REM starts?

As best I can understand it, when doing a successful WILD, at some point there's a feeling of transition: vibrations, or a feeling of heaviness, or just an extra sense of peace. Does the NREM period start now?

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What happens during the transition varies dramatically from person to person. Some people experience nothing at all, while some are entertained by exciting bouts of hypnagogia. I think the best thing to do is not read so much about what other people experience and see how your particular transition goes. Also, reading about all that stuff (vibrations, heaviness, etc) might cause you to look for them during your WILD attempt, and that will only amount to a distraction from your WILD.

To answer your question: no, REM does not necessarily begin during the transition of your body (not you!) from wake to sleep. You might have to endure/enjoy a few moments of NREM before the dreams begins (that BTW could be the peaceful moment that people talk about; I personally find NREM/delta sleep an excellent time to be self-aware). This is why it is good to try WILD's well into the sleep cycle, as your chances of transitioning right into REM are improved.

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For instance, say I wake up after 6 hours, after my 4th complete REM cycle. Under normal circumstances, it's my understanding that I'll have another 30-45 minutes of NREM sleep before the next REM period. When WILDing, do I have to wait those same 30-45 minutes after the transition occurs? I assume that period of time isn't as restful as normal sleep. Is it restful at all (after all, the body is sort of asleep), or is it "lost" time?

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Yes, you generally have to wait for that time period to pass to best catch your next REM cycle. And it will come, if you remain awake in a peaceful, dreamy sort of way while avoiding waking-life distractions like TV, your computer, or your phone. Though it isn't sleep, that period can indeed be quite restful. That period is called WBTB, by the way, and should definitely be included in any WILD attempt.