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Marisa

AVS and Sleep

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I have used the Procyon (and Proteus) for many years (off and on) to help me get to sleep. While I don't use the machine every day, I learned the hard way that if I don't keep it in my room, where I can access it easily, I will find myself awake and thinking about using it but don't want to get out of bed to go find it.

I have a sleep disorder (Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and so falling asleep and staying asleep is a challenge. I do take a sleeping pill and even with that, I don't always fall asleep easily. Take last night, for example, I went to bed at 11 pm and read for an hour. I was exhausted from having to get up really early that day and the activity of the day was more than what I had for energy for. Anyway, midnight and I'm still awake (overtired) and so I put on the Procyon (Program 27) and off I drift into sleep.

I slept for about four hours and woke up (darn it!). I reached over and put the machine on again and dimmed the lights to the point where I could still see them flashing through my closed eyes but not bright enough to wake me up totally. I find it okay to have the lights on full when I first go to sleep but if I want to continue to sleep, it's best to turn them down. During the session I accidentally disconnected the light frames (old style connector) and didn't want to turn on a light to reconnect it so I put the machine aside and fell back into a light sleep.

8 AM and I wake up again and know I need more sleep. The room is light enough to see the connector and so I plug it back in and turn on the machine. The hour goes by and while I have the machine on, I'm thinking about my body healing itself and my cells remembering how to create and store energy. The session ends and I'm not asleep at least not asleep enough to not be thinking about sleep. I think about the forum and some of the people who have used Delta for hypnosis and consider the benefits and .... zzzzzz I fall into a deep, deep sleep. Note: Don't use the sleep programs for hypnosis or meditation.

What I think is an interesting point is that the effects of the machine are not always immediate. While I was "awake" for that last session - my brain was gearing back down for more sleep. It just took longer. If you are not falling asleep using one of the Night Voyage programs, don't give up. Let the program play through and if you are still awake when it is over, just lie there with your eyes closed and I'm pretty sure you will drift off.

Sidebar: If you use a sleep program for meditation or self-hypnosis, do it at night where you can fall asleep afterward. You will likely fall asleep during the session and so playing a hypnosis CD with that program will not get you the best results because once you fall asleep, suggestions won't work. Also, since these programs do not ramp up at the end, which wakes the brain up and unless you are able to go to sleep afterward, you will feel really groggy and it will take your brain some time to "wake up". You could counter this with an energizing program but I think it would be easier to choose a program like "Deep meditation" than the "Night Voyage" for anything other than sleep.

I woke up at 1:30 pm (the joy of being self-employed) and felt refreshed. I have to say - if any of you have problems getting to sleep - get an AVS machine. Make sure you put it within reach of your bed and set it to the sleep program ahead of time so all you have to do is put the machine on and switch it on.

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Updated 05-27-2011 at 11:03 AM by Marisa (had to add category)

Categories
AVS , Light and Sound

Comments

  1. Robert Austin's Avatar
    Reminds me that we should consider building some extra-robust ganzframes and phones for sleepers, who might just roll over their Procyon. I wonder if small speakers on either side of the bed, with binaural beats, might help? No wires to tangle or console to smash in that case!
  2. Marisa's Avatar
    The glasses and headphones are pretty robust and have held up pretty good (no damage yet). The long wires are a bit of a problem but I've solved that adequately by winding up the wires and bunching them together with an elastic band. I'll email you on an idea of a sleep model.
  3. neuroasis's Avatar
    This product design is pretty nice: SleepPhones. Pillow Speakers work for some people too. I have in the past used both ones that are inserted into a pillow case and ones that are manufactured in the pillow. I prefer the inserted ones as it much easier to laundry the pillow.
    Updated 06-02-2011 at 04:37 PM by neuroasis
  4. andrev's Avatar
    i agree with Marisa's recommendation of AVS machines for sleep disorders. I used a Photosonix Muse# for more than 20 years, and now have a Procyon, with which I'm very pleased.

    Headphones for sleep are a big issue. Have tried just about everything. The most comfortable ones I've ever used were Bedphones, http://www.bedphones.com, although the three that I tried had quality control issues and limited low end response. Sent feedback to the company and was told that they were aware of these issues, and were working to address them. So it's probably worth keeping an eye on their progress.

    Am currently using some good quality Sony in-ears, which do an excellent job of screening out ambient noise. Reasonably comfortable, and I'm able to adjust them so the cables go up and away from my head.