I have observed in my training that a period of strong hypnagogia at the beginning of a REM cycle can bring about good REM lucidity much quicker.

As an older guy who gets up at 4:00 AM every day, I need my sleep. That means that I do not attempt to wake myself with an alarm for WBTB. Instead I rely on my natural REM cycle. That also means that most times I wake up from a dream at the end of a 90 minute REM cycle. During my first waking I go through SSILD cycles and go right back to sleep. That often leads to lucidity at the end of the 90 minute REM period after which I always wake up naturally again.

But that usually leaves me with less than an hour before I need to get up and at the front end of the 90 minute REM cycle. I have found, though, that if I can get into deep hypnagogia within 15 or 20 minutes after a brief WBTB and then just roll over and go to sleep, I still get my best lucidity just before waking up for the final time. That period of brief but strong lucidity after hypnagogia always leaves me feeling refreshed and well rested and ready to start my day.

Of course, on weekends when I can have a longer WBTB and then a nice long morning lay-in...things get really interesting.

Thoughts on all that?