Reactivating this forum after quite some years :-)

I can totally resonate with what Open said about it actually draining energy if we're too deeply unconscious during sleep, due to interference from intervention.

I woke up at 5am this morning to go to the toilet. Again, the sun was rising and the birds were singing which really lifted me and made it easy to get out of bed. I decided to try lying down on my back without a pillow and practice deep relaxation. I notice after around 10 minutes my body feels very uncomfortable and I want to change position. I'll keep practicing and feeling through these densities as it seems to be stored energy that needs unwinding.

For me, it's not hard to relax body and mind. When I go unconscious is when the brain enters the dreamscape, where the mind has a different quality. So, like Ann I wonder if there are specific exercises one can do at this point to stay conscious, or is it something that happens naturally with practice?

Interestingly, apparently those with more Alpha brainwave activity during the deepest stages of sleep report not feeling refreshed upon waking, no matter the duration of sleep. That's really the case for me. So, I wonder if a more conscious approach to sleeping and wakeful relaxation could help with that too.

Rich