Becoming Lucid - beginner question

Is it normal for attempts to disrupt your sleep? I haven't dreamt or slept very well since I started actively trying to WILD and MILD. Even when I try to do nothing at all, just as I'm falling asleep, I realize that it is happening and I feel a little shock and wake up. Also, as I enter sleep paralysis, I can really feel my heart banging away and my breathing gets heavier. That's a little scary and it wakes me up.

I'm hoping this is just a phase? Do you have any hints for attaining lucidity without thinking about it so much? My mind needs to calm down so I can get some rest!

relax, maybe ease off the WILD for now, maybe even take a day or two off, who knows you may go lucid. it's happened to many members who have relaxed and eased off the intensity of it all for a little while. Overworking things tends to lead failure or stress, or both and it doesn't help your chances much. just let things gradually work their way in. I say just take a day off and just do ocassional reality checks that day.

When I first started I too had these problems, it takes time to get used to it. Don't worry you will find that it gets easier over time, just keep practicing. If you need help with anything shoot me a private message, I'd be more than happy to help. Good luck!

The more you try to WILD the more familiar it feels and then your heart won't go racing and you can just sink into it :)

Thanks, all of you. I decided not to try last night and enjoyed some nice sleep and a good dream. Lately whenever I dream a lot, there have been moments where I start to think a lot about the dream and whether or not it is real, so I think maybe I'll try both strategies for a while. I can try to WILD and MILD some nights and just go with the flow and hope to remember to RC others so that I can get some good sleep. I guess it is just patience and persistance, but I'm a little frustrated because the first time I tried to WILD it was very easy and I just did it without any problem. I haven't been able to do it again for some reason. I guess like Raspberry says, it will come naturally after a while. The heart racing thing is a little scary.