Too aware

You know when your in bed trying to go to sleep and your thoughts start to turn into dreams? Well last night during that time since in that state your still not completely asleep, I kept becoming aware of the dream before it really started and waking up. I couldn't stabilize because like I said I'm still not completely in the dream yet. By the time I fell asleep I couldn't become aware in my dream. Even though there were alot of hints. I was kept up for about an hour because of this.
Any help is appreciated.

I assume this happens when initially going to sleep? - Perhaps the worst time to try a WILD, if thats what you were intending to do.. Try some relaxation/breathing excercises before you go to bed if you find it difficult to sleep. If you sleep fine but want to WILD properly, try waking up after 4-7 hours of sleep, then visualize yourself into a dream - this should allow you to enter them dreams with a lot more stability.

This sounds like a failed WILD attempt. Like ShadowofSelf mentioned, you really should do a WBTB then try and WILD. It will make it alot more easier. :)

No it wasn't a wild attempt I try to stick to DILD and DEILD. Maybe I could try WILD though.

Well, if you are trying to visualize and control the pictures in your minds eye then basically that is called VILD.

What does the "V" in VILD stand for.

Visualize. :)

First be ready to sleep. Practice deep breathing and/ or progressive muscle relaxation. When you are deeply relaxed visualize a peaceful dreamscape.... control the images in your mind (to a degree that you feel comfortable with) Anchor via something in the real world. You can enter sleep in a non-REM lucid dream which, IMHO, is the most intense LD one can have. Good luck to you!
:shadewink:

If you are trying to have a DILD (realizing you are dreaming while having a regular dream) - you should practice MILD, which includes daytime awarenes, doing RCs while awake, and as you falling asleep, your last thought should be your mantra (something to the effect of "next time I'm dreaming I'll realize I'm dreaming"). When you trying to DILD, you fall asleep normaly.

You say your mantra, so your mind knows, what you want to do and it will help you do it. You RC, so when you realize you are dreaming, you remember to confirm by RC. And you practice daytime awareness, so it's easier to notice you are dreaming.

@WILD - During sleep, you go through sleep cycles, that average 90 min each. In each cycle, first you go through a N-REM stage (non dreaming, or very little dreaming) and then REM stage (dreaming stage). If you trying to WILD (enter dream right from being awake) and you do it at the beggining of a cycle, it will not work, because first stage in the cycle is N-REM. That's why you get at least 4.5 hours of sleep before attempting to WILD. (towards the end of the night, REM gets longer and N-REM shorter).

@DEILD - when you wake up after the cycle is over, right after the dream ends, and you had couple of hour of sleep already, you can attempt a DEILD. As you wake up from a dream, you don't move a muscle, don't open your eyes and within couple of seconds, you should feel the exceleration feeling, visuals and you should enter a lucid dream shortly after. To help you not move after you wake up, when you going to bed, say your mantra, to the effect of "When I wake up I won't move". Again, it will help your mind to understand, what you after.

good luck