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1. When I do a WBTB, I think about my objective too much and can never get back to sleep and just end up sitting there frustrated
2. When I do have a nice vivid dream, I usually have an idea that its a dream but can't get myself to do a RC to spark lucidity. So I usually finish the dream and wake up and write the whole thing down.
Any tips or solutions to these two? Anyone else have a similar roadblock?
Hey!
1: How long do you make your WBTB's? Sure they get more effective the longer you stay up for, but you'll have more problems falling asleep again. How long into sleep you do it is also crucial. If you can't fall asleep either shorten the WBTB itself down to just a few minutes or even just waking up and trying to fall asleep again, and/or wake up earlier, say 4½ hours into sleep instead of 6.
2: You need to focus more on RC's and do them properly. Any time you get the slightest thought you might be dreaming should activate your brain to question your reality. Do them properly, perhaps some daily awareness would be nice. It might take some time for them to work, I can see you're rather new so don't worry, it'll get better in time as long as you practice.
Good luck man!
I agree with DaleCookie.
Try to experiment with the amount of time you stay up during you WBTB. It's different for everyone – the best time for some is only a few minutes, while for others it can be more than an hour. It's basically just trial and error, and hopefully you'll figure out what works best for you in a way that it won't make you too awake, nor will it not wake you enough. One other thing: try to keep a consistent sleep schedule. That can be very beneficial with regards to finding out when your sleep cycles end, so you know when to wake up for WBTB.
Yes, I totally agree with practicing more awareness during the day. You need not worry about doing an RC to spark lucidity. In many cases, you will get lucid first (perhaps spontaneously or gradually), and THEN you will be conscious enough to remember to RC in order to prove your suspicion. Or perhaps not even really lucid, but you will have that wondering moment if it is a dream or not, and then you remember to RC. Even I rarely get lucid by doing a reality check. Like you mentioned, I also have a feeling that it is a dream. The only difference is that because I've been practicing awareness a lot, whenever I get that feeling that it might be a dream, it automatically gets me lucid and I don't "linger" throughout the dream. http://www.dreamviews.com/f49/all-da...gyoshi-113253/
Good luck! You're almost there :)