How can I fall asleep while thinking about dreams?

[aL]

Uhhhh, I find that when I am thinking about remembering that I am dreaming and am focusing on the light at the back of my eyes I cannot fall asleep. I can feel my body relax and my eyes "crust" up but I cannot fall asleep. Obviously this causes me to lose sleep. I'm pretty sure some of you have had this problem and I was wondering what you do to fix it.

[will.i.am]

The best way for me is to not think about it at first. I just try to clear my mind, which takes some time becuase I'm not that good at it yet. When mind is clear, then I remind myself that I'm going to start dreaming soon. I just say it once, then I clear my mind again and drift off to sleep. This works for me, or, atleast it worked for my last lucid dream.

[Lowercase Society]

maybe try and take up meditation? it will help "train" your brain on focusing and filtering. __________________________ I'm floating down a river, ours freed from their holes long ago. Lying face up on the floor of my vessel, i marvel at the stars, and feel my heart overflow.[/b]

[Dream-Master]

Lowercase is right, meditation can help you. In a way what you have is a mixed blessing. Many people actually just fall sleep. Since you don't fall sleep, you can use your ability to follow hynaptogonic imagery and enter a dream from waking.

[42]

I usually talk my body asleep with my mind's voice. I go through each body part and tell it to relax starting with my toes and ending with my head. Then I just relax everything and breathe. A lot of times, I'll see the very beginnings of a dream - barely realizing I am actually falling asleep - and I'll wake myself up from it by sort of flickering my eyes. I wish I wouldn't do this because if I didn't, I could probably learn to do WILD. I haven't been successful with it as of yet, but I hope to be in the near future.