My first 'On purpose' Lucid Dreams

I've always found it a natural thing for me to LD and I wanted to learn more about it. So I found this forum and read some things and then took a nap.

1.) Is it normal to wake up with a massive headache?
2.) Do you often shift in and out of LD? (Because this is what I did, I'd be going along doing my thing and all the sudden I'd be watching the dream from the outside, which is my trigger to know I'm dreaming, I'd tweek my nose and be back in control of the dream again.)
3.) I'm assuming this takes a lot of practice, because I'd change something and then it would change back and I'd change it again. I found that the less I concentrated on what I wanted the easier it was to make it happen.
4.) Is it possible to dream you're lucid dreaming, and if you are how do you stop dreaming about LD and actually be in LD? (If that makes sense)

Any input would be awesome!

1) Not repeatedly but if it only happened one or two times I wouldn't worry about it. You may just have a headache, nothing to worry about.

2) Sometimes but only when I don't have a good hold on the dream. When you become lucid you want to keep the thought that you are dreaming on your mind at all times. Even repeat to yourself every minute or so "I'm dreaming." If you just constantly remind yourself that you're dreaming then it should be much easier to maintain that lucidity. This is also a good time to do a quick stabilization in case the dream ever gets a little fuzzy/hazy.

3) Some people have different methods for dream control than others. You sound like you share the same type as me in the way that I just want something to change and it does, but if I put a lot of focus on it then it becomes more difficult. If you want a door to appear in a wall, for example, I often just snap my fingers or close my eyes for a second, and expect a door to be there. I don't use a lot of concentration but enough so that the door still appears.

4) Some people like to define lucid in different layers, with dreams about being lucid as the first layer, or the lowest form of lucidity. Basically the only way to become fully lucid from one of those is to preform a RC unconsciously (since you can't control anything/aren't truly aware you're dreaming yet) and then recognize the fact that it says you're dreaming. There will be times where you are extremely close to becoming lucid but you never quite get there, and then you end up kicking yourself when you wake up (sometimes literally :cheeky:). The only way to combat these is to be very thorough with your RCs and other techniques you use while awake so that when you preform them in a dream you consciously recognize the signs and become fully lucid.

Hope this helps and if you have any more questions feel free to ask :)

Thank you! That really helps a lot.

1.) No, it isn't.
2.) Not for me, but I have been practicing lucid dreaming for a long time. This is something common that happens with beginners for the most part.
3.) It takes a different amount of practice for different people but yes. It requires effort :D Dream control is mostly about being confident and believing you can change things.
4.) Some claim to have lucid like this, but I am not sure. Reality checking would turn the dream intro an actual lucid :D