I want to try the CAT technique. Not only as a lucid dream induction technique, but also to adjust and improve my sleep rythm. CAT might as well be a motivation to improve the way I spend my day and evening and for how long I stay in bed.
There is one problem, however: I have a side job in a restaurant and sometimes I have to work till late (approximately till 12 a.m. or sometimes later).
I work two to three days per week.
Can I still use the CAT technique considering the days I work cannot be changed? And how should I adjust the technique in my situation?
Update: Over three months of dry spell broke last night and I had a quite short lucid dream! I can’t say how much of an impact the Cycle Adjustment Technique had on this, but it certainly had something to do with it. I have also been very focused on prospective memory training, dream signs and reality checks and this lucid dream was triggered by snow, which is definitely my most significant and frequent dream sign. I also succeeded for the first time in the nose pinch reality test. It was really confusing when it felt like air was passing through my fingers, and I didn't immediately realize I was dreaming. I just squeezed my nose more and more and breathed in and out at least five times before I realized that this must be a dream! The dream itself immediately began to darken and shatter and I began to fear that something would come from the darkness that would scare me awake. However, did not, and I had time to see my face in a mirror. That too was an exciting experience and I recommend it to everyone and without any preconception. I don't want to influence the experiences of others by telling mine directly here, but I can tell it later if anyone is interested. By the way, can spoiler alerts be made on this forum to hide the description of the phenomenon if I would like to share it? Anyway, back to the technique itself. I have been trying this for one month now and the technique fits well into my daily life. Last nights lucid dream induced when I tried waking up at the earlier time and after a little awakening (about 10-20 minutes) I continued sleeping to the later time trying to induce a WILD. It didn't work but I managed to induce a DILD. I think I'll continue experimenting more of this variation of CAT to see if it works more frequently. I will keep you updated!
Quick update:
My sleep cycle has gone off track and this week I have to wake up a few times in a row at an earlier time. No Lucid Dreams so far but I find that in the mornings of later wakings, I remember far more of my dreams or at least I remember having dreams if I don’t remember their content. I have also noticed that my consciousness in dreams is evolving.
I will now combine this with LaBerge’s prospective memory training to carry out my future intentions, which are reality checks in dreams. I have now had several dreams where I know I should do a reality test, but I just don’t have the intellect to do it or I just do it incompletely.
@Honka
I'm sorry for the late reply, I've been very busy with starting at a university of applied sciences, so lucid dreaming hasn't quite been a priority. Of course, I'm not quitting, but I needed a little break.
I have been thinking about CAT and I honestly think it is not suitable for me, since I have to work till late sometimes and would break if I'd wake up to early every day. Instead, I'm going to focus on the basics for the next weeks and master those before trying any fancy technigues.
With that said, I'm genuinly hopeful for you that CAT will work for you. Good luck and keep us updated!
@JLow I'm interested how this technique worked for you? I'm on the first week of this technique and I normally wake up at 5:45 am so I set my alarm one hour early at 4:45 am. Starting from next week I will be alternating with 4:45 am and 6:15 am so in the end I get that 90 min difference. I have already noticed a change in my sleep cycle. Yesterday I woke up from a pretty light sleep stage and it almost felt normal to wake up that early when on Monday I woke up from really deep sleep stage and almost couldn't get up. Today I woke up directly from REM stage.
I have regular working hours but I can't get to bed very early and I have to wake up really early so sleep interrupt techniques are not very ideal for me. With this technique, I get extra time for those days when I get to sleep longer so I’m hopeful about that.
Oh, this sounds tricky... On days you work late, would you still be able to set your alarm to wake up at the usual time, at least, or would that just be way too little sleep? Daniel writes in his description of the technique, "You must stick to the schedule or you are unlikely to trigger the chemical response in your body which is what will help you have lucid dreams" and "The more rigid you are about going to bed and waking up at the set times, the more likely it is to induce lucid dreams".