you're right about the deprivation thing it's actually a technique to lucid dream and/or obe, what most would do is sleep 5-6hours then wakeup wideawake wash your face for 30mins then go onto the exercise as you are at the threshold of sleep but more aware. Other variation I did once and managed a conscious obe is to sleep 5-6hours then stay awake the entire day then at night go and do the body awareness I happened to obe once like that, but for the 30mins method not yet but had dreambody ap's atleast 50% of the time.
let me start at the begining (always the best place.) I was working till 3 last night so when I got back from lectures this morning I decided to have a sleep. About 1 in the afternoon to be precise. I was dreaming and became lucid.
The first time I shouted out "i want to have an astral projection!! and I woke up and started to vibrate and lift out of my body but i just couldnt get out!
Second time same thing happened, but I was lifting out and instead of breathing I held my breath. What followed was only my second real projection! I lifted out and turned round in the air, ended up at the bottom of my bed and got up and walked around. At this point I lost control and it turned into a dream. but it was definitly real to start with, I could tell from experience.
I managed to get two things from this which are useful to everyone.
(1)Your breathing, once you reach exit should be under control and you shouldnt be aware of it, (gained this incite through holding my breath!.)
(2) I definitly project better when I'm in a light sleep, no doubt about it. This is best when I am deprived of sleep the day before and then try and sleep in the afternoon. I think this is the most important thing I have ever discovered for myself (i.e. not been told by others) about OOBE.
Hope this was helpful, and I really recomend you try the sleep deprivation technique I just described, Its the dogs B***ocks!