Came close, but unsure

After spending a few weeks attempting to lucid dream, I had essentially given up, as I never even come close, and usually just end up keeping myself awake until I need to get up for work.

Yesterday, I came back home after a very long sports session, absolutely exhausted, and went to bed pretty quickly. I think I got to sleep about three hours later (I have problems sleeping), and had not thought about lucid dreaming at all that day. My alarm woke me up at about 6.00, and I began having a dream. However, I could feel my actualy body in bed, and my sleeping position, and the only dream feedback I had was visual and sound. Because I could feel me body, I thought “huh, I’m dreaming”, and suddenly everything went white, my heart started pounding very loudly, and I could hear strange sounds. I understand this is sleep paralysis, but when I tried to take advantage of what is obviously the first stage of LD, I could still feel my body, and opened my eyes.

This is the closest I have ever got, but I don’t have any clue if I can replicate it, or go any further with it, as any thoughts I had about trying to “create” a dream did nothing, and it was just white until I opened my eyes. This was over about 10 seconds or less.

I realise this is a bit jumbled, but I have absolutely no clue what happened or what I should even ask. That said, is there any advice on where I am or what I can do in LD?

This looks to me like WILD attempt, and part where you “failed” is that you tried to do something, rather than just letting it happen. During the day you need to put effort in RCs and questioning the state of your mind and surroundings, but when it comes to getting to sleep you should not make any effort, just let it all go with silent intention to reach LD. If you are interested in WILD you should look at WILD FAQ (link in my sig) and also I would suggest that you try some other techniques. This article/tutorial has excellent method to find your most successive technique. And in Knowledgebase there are tutorials on allmost all techniques. Try taking a look there, it has A LOT of info.

Great. The last few nights, I have been trying to get to sleep paralysis first time, and I start to feel it, then something annoying and involuntary happens, like my jaw opening, and I get pulled out. I was on the edge of SP about 8 times tonight, and now I have just given up and am staying awake tonight.

I’m hoping the lack of sleep, combined with the work and sport I do will get me to sleep tomorrow, but knowing my luck I will just end up going straight through my REM cycle.

I think I came a bit closer tonight. Rather than slipping in and out of sleep paralysis, I had one extended period, which plateaued for about 15 seconds, but I didn’t get any further, and I lost it, then went to sleep about an hour later.
I changed my breathing rhythm about 5 seconds in, from shallow breaths to deep breaths, and started counting my heartbeat, so that could be it. I was trying to calm myself and stop my eyes moving, but I guess I failed.
Always one step away, curses!

Double posts edited together. :mattias:

Am I actually approaching SP if I don’t hallucinate or hear anything except my heart? All I feel is the tingling and my blood pumping, and I tried to open my eyes and close them, and it increased, but that was all. I can move, and when I stand up my limbs feel fine, so I guess I am not as close as I thought.