You usually have to sleep first, then wake up and go back to sleep again to try and have a lucid dream right?

Another thing...how long does it usually feel like a lucid dream lasts? If you are actually asleep for 60 mins and your lucid dream last 10 mins...does it actually seem like 10 mins? Cause Ive heard dreams are usually like 5 mins but they seem to last for hours...

...and I dont really understand this whole reality check thing. If your already at a point where you can stop your dream and do a RC...arent you already lucid?

And I take sleeping pills alot to help me go to sleep...would that affect anything?