Starting my own REM

Im new to all of this so bear with me.

Last night i was having some troubles falling asleep and i was lying there for about a half hour tossing and then i thought to myself, why don't i try closing my eyes and movement them around with my eyelids shut like you do during REM cycles. I figured it couldn't hurt since that is when you get the most rest sleeping anyway so i went ahead and started moving them around.
At first my eyes were getting tired of doing it but i kept at it for about 5 minutes and before i realized it i could feel my heart hammering in my chest and my breath quickening. I was visualizing a moving triangle that my eyes would trace out and it was becoming more natural the longer i did it. What felt like mere seconds later my legs and arms all started tingling and felt like my nerve was being sucked into my skull, it wasn't unpleasant but it was the trippyist thing Ive ever felt haha. :shock:
The heartbeat and breathing were starting to freak me out because i couldn't control them and my eyelids were twitching so i opened my eyes decided to stop.

Ive yet to have a Lucid Dream so this was quite an experience, by what Ive read it sounds like it was something from a WILD attempt but im not really sure, just thought id share haha

Don't take my word for it, because I've never had one, but it sounds like you almost did a WILD.

It was, probably, sleep paralysis kicking in, the start of it.

Is it a common thing to start the REM on my own?

Well an REM is about increased brain function, not just moving your eyes. Although that might trick your brain into thinking it's going into REM. Just keep going through with it and see if you go into a dream. Good luck! :D

i don't know if the eye movement helped, but I've experienced the heartbeat/breathing increase during my failed WILD attempts. I believe it is the start of sleep paralysis, especially since you also saw hypnagogic imagery.