The story so far. With questions :-)

If this is too long for you, you can just read the*questions at bottom please. Or just skip first three paragraphs which are just a bit of back story.*

I started reading about lucid dreaming about 2 weeks ago and on the very first night I had an extremely short lucid dream. Realized I was dreaming, started by looking at my hands and then moving them, got too excited and woke up.*

Well since then my dream recall which used to be very good went downhill and *for the last week I've hardly remembered any of my dreams. I was setting my alarm for 4.5 and 6 hours into my sleep and then trying to lucid dream. One of the few times I remembered my dream I was annoyed because it was such a crazy dream and I didn't become lucid!

Anyways, after that I decided to get a little bit of info about when I'm REM sleeping. I used the iPhone sleep cycle app. I'll post up the charts when I get back home. But short story, because I wasn't sleeping for very long I was missing out on the later, longer REM sleep periods. Because I'm working and living on the mines doing days and nights my sleep pattern sucks and I struggle to get any decent sleep. I decided to wait until I'm back home and in a proper sleep pattern until I try LD'ing again. For the last few nights I haven't attempted anything.*

So this morning after night shift I went to the bar with the team and we had a few morning beers to celebrate Christmas. (by the way, it sucks working on Christmas and being 100's of kms away from you family) anyway I went to bed and because of the few beers I had I fell asleep quite easily. I usually struggle. Well I started to dream about work and then all of a sudden the dream changed to me being in the back seat of this car being driven by some random women. I realized all of a sudden that I was dreaming and so I turned lucid. I looked down at my hands and then looked to the female driver. I asked her to pull over. She put the indicator on, it was at this moment I felt the dream slipping. I thought about spinning but I was in a car and couldn't. By the time I tried rubbing my hands it was too late, and I slowly woke up.*

Once i was awake I decided to try a go back into the dream. Because I had woke up so calmly I knew not to move an inch, which I didn't. I was hoping that sleep paralysis would kick in but I had never experience it so I wasn't sure what to expect. After I while my left hand started to tingle and then so did my right hand. This tingling worked it's way up through my forearms to my elbows. It was at this point that my right arm that was trapped under my head started to ache. I have read that this is usually you body testing if your asleep but it got so uncomfortable that I eventually moved it by my side. The tingling didn't go so I continued to be still apart from moving my tongue to clear salvia in my throat.*

Well the tingling started to subdue and changed into my hands, my left hand in particular feeling extremely heavy. Now my body was completely still but only my hands had that extreme heaviness to them. I tried to wiggle my legs ever so slightly but they didn't move so I assume that my body was in sleep paralysis.*

Now I knew all I had to do was concentrate on a dream and slowly fall asleep. The problem was that this sleep paralysis took about 30 mins to set in and the whole time my mind was racing. Well I tried everything to calm my mind but I just couldn't. Eventually I gave up and decided to test my sleep paralysis. I was able to move my legs first. Then my arms and when I got to my hands it was really weird. My fingers were completely locked into a half clenched fist and I simply could not get them to move. I moved my fingers over my body and they were completely numb. It took about 5 mins before I got them moving. After a short while I went back to sleep but no LD's.*

So questions.*
With sleep paralysis should you feel that extreme heaviness over every inch of your body? I only felt it over my hands and to a lesser extent my forearms. But I'm pretty sure my legs were under SP aswell.*

When under SP how active and awake do you want you mind? Or should I be really ready to fall straight back to sleep?

Once you are under SP what should I be thinking of? Should I be thinking of the dream I want?

Also when thinking of the dream should I be imagining waking up from sleep in my dream?

My other issues about my waking from the LD early due to excitement will I'm sure sort itself out with enough practice.

Thanks ver much for reading this essay. Hehe

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Welcome to the forums jiujitsujoe. I don't have the answer to your questions because I'm a DILDer.

Hi,

Im not much of a reader so ill just answer questions bellow.(take my answers with reserve)

With sleep paralysis should you feel that extreme heaviness over every inch of your body? I only felt it over my hands and to a lesser extent my forearms. But I'm pretty sure my legs were under SP aswell.

Should? you could its possible. Everyone has different SP experience there are many common similiarities however (now im just gussing) from your description id say that you were starting to feel SP but it wasnt complete what im saying is - If you had waited it might eventually come over every inch of your body (I dont know if you "escaped" from SP before it was finished) take this answer with reserve. Some people dont feel a thing while under SP as I sayd everyone has different SP experience.

When under SP how active and awake do you want your mind? Or should I be really ready to fall straight back to sleep?

Imagine situation --Lets say youve just woke up from sleep - u can usually easily go back to sleep right away -Id say little more aware than that.

Once you are under SP what should I be thinking of? Should I be thinking of the dream I want?

I cant answer that but I can tell you what I do. - I do nothing. I just let "dream scene" apear infront of me. It just happens. Im dreaming and I know it. Its good to use some stabilization methoths when you are in this "begining of dream".

Also when thinking of the dream should I be imagining waking up from sleep in my dream?

Uhm,I dont know if I got the qustion right so all ill say is that you shoudnt be thinking of your dream body when you are in LD.

My other issues about my waking from the LD early due to excitement will I'm sure sort itself out with enough practice.
Im sure you will good luck. :)