Last night's try

[MsElizabeth]

I laid down in bed last night, closed my eyes, and started saying to myself "When I dream, I will know I am dreaming" over and over again. I started playing a picture in my head of my friend from boot camp calling me to tell me he was home and that he wanted to see me. I continued to tell myself "When I dream, I will know I am dreaming." This type of numbness started filling my body. It started from my head, then went to my arms and hands and my chest. At that point I felt like I was drifting off. I made sure I kept myself very relaxed, but still aware. I started hallucinating some noises which startled me a little, and I guess I didn't relax enough because the numb feeling disappeared very quickly and it didn't end up working. Last night was the first night I've tried to induce a lucid dream myself and it surprised me on how close I got at the first try. I will try again tonight, but hopefully, with better luck.

[Goldenspark]

Hi MsE, I've not seen how you had the LDs in your count, but if you are trying to WILD at the start of the night you might find it doesn't work. That's because to LD you need to be in REM, and that requires your brain chemistry to be right, which it usually isn't just as you go to sleep for the first time in the night. The usual technique for WILD is to wake up after several hours sleep and try what you described. Of course your mantra might still get you to have a MILD (Mnemonic Induced), but the LD would still be in REM, more likely between 4 and 7 for most people. I had the same experience when I first started, and got excited about noises and vibtations, but I quickly realised the early morning was the only time I could get lucid.

[sloth]

What he said.

[MsElizabeth]

Hi MsE, I've not seen how you had the LDs in your count, but if you are trying to WILD at the start of the night you might find it doesn't work. That's because to LD you need to be in REM, and that requires your brain chemistry to be right, which it usually isn't just as you go to sleep for the first time in the night. The usual technique for WILD is to wake up after several hours sleep and try what you described. Of course your mantra might still get you to have a MILD (Mnemonic Induced), but the LD would still be in REM, more likely between 4 and 7 for most people. I had the same experience when I first started, and got excited about noises and vibtations, but I quickly realised the early morning was the only time I could get lucid. When you say "I've not seen how you had the LDs in your count," you mean, you don't know how I've had that many LD's before right? If so, I HAVE had LD's before. But they were all unintentional. I'd have them at random times usually when I woke up in the morning and have fallen back asleep not much longer afterwards. But the last LD I've had was about a year ago, and I've been wanting to try inducing them myself rather then just waiting and having them at random times. But I really appreciate your response. I will try WILD and see if that works for me, because that's how I was having them accidentally in the past I assume.