first lucid dream turned into sleep paralysis

So I got home from work today, and after doing some chores I went and had a nap on the couch. I started dreaming and realized shortly thereafter that this workplace scenario just plain didn’t make any sense, and that I must be dreaming.
So, maybe being overexcited, in the dream I told my co-worker to step out of the way so I could fly. So I jumped up and started to soar. It was fun for the first two seconds or so, then I heard my co-worker mutter sceptically “Oh really?!”. Then I didn’t have control anymore and continued soaring towards the sky and as I saw the ground disappear under me it all faded away. I “woke up”, on the couch, tried to have another go at it, when I felt completely numb and unable to move. Then, some invisible force started to drag me off the couch by my feet. I managed to break free, but was still somehow unable to move. I heard an advertisement playing on the radio and realized I don’t even have a radio in real life. I then woke up for real, but could still hear muffled music in the background, like the chorus of some somewhat cheerful song about “it all keeps burning” or something similar on repeat.

A weird experience, but at least I got interested in the whole concept of lucid dreaming.

So: Any tips on how to stay in control for a complete newb? Not getting too excited? Also any tips on making paralysis not freaky should it happen again?

Thanks :smile:

For staying in control - do reality checks all the time and keep reminding yourself that it is your dream, and you have full control. I would recommend stabilising your dream before flying, which can be done by doing reality checks, and then spinning or rubbing your hands (I prefer the latter) while imagining all your senses getting “boosted”. Don’t forget temperature, I rarely have it in my dreams.
For not getting too excited, do what I said above. And I can’t give any advice on sleep paralysis since I’ve never had it, except for reminding yourself that it is only temporary.