3 ms·

I’m pretty sure dreams correlate with deep sleep and REM, and that being exposed to stimulus with dialogue like TV (ie, not things like constant fan noise, wind

I’m pretty sure dreams correlate with deep sleep and REM, and that being exposed to stimulus with dialogue like TV (ie, not things like constant fan noise, wind, ocean sounds, etc) will keep you from reaching that deep sleep. I’d be cautious about doing what you’re doing long term. I think you’d be better off learning to let go of stressful thoughts before bed, and to make your bedroom a very calm, peaceful, non work related place where all you do is rest and relax. Watching old tv shows before bed, or while on a timer that will turn off when you’re asleep, sounds like a good way to get you relaxed, but I don’t think it’s great to have that type of stimulation continue during sleep. I’ve done the same thing you’re describing during high stress periods with podcasts, and while it’s better than letting worries keep you up, I find myself feeling more “shallow” and less insightful/less rested if they stay on throughout the night. When I allow myself to relax and drift off without distraction, I find myself feeling much more “full” and “together” in the mornings, particularly if I take the time to go over and record my dreams.

koheripbal 7y ago
I am still hitting deep/REM sleep - that isn't changing. If I weren't, I'd feel terrible. It has been about 6 months of doing this all night, every night. So far, I feel myself. The key is to use old familiar programs. Things you can visualize even though you're just listening to them. It's that familiarity that allows your brain to have a sense of comfort, while not really being stimulated. In any case, the experiment continues...
- hnick 7y ago
  I've been overcome with sleepiness at my desk when watching video games on Twitch/YouTube with a calm narrator (no excitable screaming thanks). Something about it makes my mind wander and generating the visuals but not being in control of them seems to be an important step to falling asleep. Sounds similar to what you are doing and maybe I should try it.
fencepost 7y ago
I'm pretty sure there'd be a huge difference between doing this with old TV shows (familiar, no learning, basically structured background noise) and doing it with podcasts (new material, news, etc).

koheripbal 7y ago

I am still hitting deep/REM sleep - that isn't changing. If I weren't, I'd feel terrible. It has been about 6 months of doing this all night, every night. So far, I feel myself. The key is to use old familiar programs. Things you can visualize even though you're just listening to them. It's that familiarity that allows your brain to have a sense of comfort, while not really being stimulated. In any case, the experiment continues...

hnick 7y ago
I've been overcome with sleepiness at my desk when watching video games on Twitch/YouTube with a calm narrator (no excitable screaming thanks). Something about it makes my mind wander and generating the visuals but not being in control of them seems to be an important step to falling asleep. Sounds similar to what you are doing and maybe I should try it.

fencepost 7y ago

I'm pretty sure there'd be a huge difference between doing this with old TV shows (familiar, no learning, basically structured background noise) and doing it with podcasts (new material, news, etc).