Many thanks for your replies. Yes, I will try that book you mention - it certainly seems like an enlightening read.

I had heard of lucid dreaming before - I knew it existed and that some people practised it; and I have had my own experiences of sleep paralysis over the years.

But that was a long time ago - I used to have terrible trouble getting to sleep as a young adult although it did settle down over the years. I'm just in my early 40s and my sleep now is better although I have had recurring anxiety/depression since my teens.

The idea of tackling - or maybe just exploring it - while asleep intrigues me, and I have a lot to learn starting with some reading on this site.

Again, thanks. It's 10.20pm here and I'm not afraid of sleep tonight. It just seemed so very odd when almost everything else in my life has improved lately, and I've been helping others a bit (I'm a recovering alcoholic),to have this strange episode.

A friend quoted Hamlet to me today - A dream within a dream.