I’m a beginner, and I’ve only recently tried attempting to lucid dream a few days ago. This is a long question, sorry if I take a while to get to the point.

As far as I can remember, my whole life I haven’t had or at least been able to recall a lucid dream. So I understand that going straight into methods like these isn’t the best idea.

Still, I would like to know what mistakes I’m exactly making, and if this applies to everyone.

Over the past few days, I’ve practiced some of the known ILDS (as stated) along with dream journaling, reality checks, and trying to recall things upon waking.

From what I understand, SSILD just helps me relax and fall asleep normally, and sometimes that might help prime my brain for a lucid dream later in the night through gaining awareness (still, never personally experienced).

But my main problem is with WILD. Yes, I know, not recommended for beginners but I feel like I want to try it mainly because it’s a very direct approach that seems to lead straight into a dream, and unlike other methods, doesn’t rely on hoping for awareness once the dream really starts. Again, I’m a beginner so this is all stuff I think I may know.

Anyways, my issue is that unlike online experiences, which all usually follow the same pattern and talk about things like

Staying still
Focusing on breathing or counting
Hypnagogic sensations (spinning, numbness, vibrations, hallucinations, sounds)
Rolling out of bed into a dream, or trying to visualize your dream from this state,

only very few of these have happened to me so far. I’ve tried staying still for the WILD process and focusing on an anchor like a noise, feeling, or even counting or breathing slowly. (I also lay still on my back as opposed to my usual side sleeping position).

It often takes me about ten minutes lying on my back, whole body still, for my arms to start feeling numb and like they’re not there. Then another five minutes until I feel some sort of spinning around.

My primary issue with spinning sensations is that they raise my heart rate quite a bit. Not so much to where I jump up, but definitely uncomfortably fast.

I’ve tried a few things, such as leaning into the spin, or completely ignoring it and just breathing through, but both of those seemed to just result in me keeping the fast heart rate, until, eventually, the spin slowly went away and I was back in the uncomfortable state.

If I try to focus on sensations or stay still, I just stay awake longer or end up falling asleep normally anyway. I also don’t get consistent hypnagogia, sometimes I feel something weird, but it fades if I pay attention to it.

So I’m confused about what I’m actually supposed to be doing.

My main question is:

Is WILD actually a controllable “step-by-step transition,” or is it more like just falling asleep normally and occasionally becoming aware inside a dream?

Right now it feels like SSILD is just a “chance booster,” and WILD feels like I’m supposed to somehow stay conscious through sleep, but I don’t understand how people actually do that consistently. I can’t experience the usual hypnagogic state with visible hallucinations, and when I do feel like I’m spinning, my heart rate raises too high for me to comfortably drift off.

One last note, I’ve been trying this at many times, mostly at around 4 am during or after my REM cycle, but I notice it’s easier to go through the sensations during the day at times such as afternoon naps.

Would appreciate any clarification from people who have experience with this.