I've been reading about lucid dreams for a while and a few days ago I had my first one. I was in my old house and I realized that when I dream it's usually set in my old house and right there I realized it was a dream and stopped what i was doing. Suddenly I couldn't move and everything started fading and I woke up. I was wondering if anyone could give me any tips on how to stay lucid for the next time I have one.

spend the majority of your day, for the next week or two asking yourself
"am i dreaming?"

and / or

"is this real?" etc

that will make you comfortable with doubting or questioning your environment -

this will help you not to be too shocked or alarmed (and waking up) when you ask yourself this automatically in your dream.

If you've got lots of spare time try getting something like a "second wind" (yaknow, jogging or something?) of sleep, instead of getting up ya just zone out and your brains ready to use the concious part of your mind so when you goto sleep your brain stays on.

Keep trying. When you realize you are dreaming just try to stay asleep. Try and change little things at first, then go for bigger. Remember that during dreams your mind seems to discontinue the time and trouble of traveling(walking somewhere,running etc..)You will find yourself popping from one place to another. I awlays have trouble walking somewhere in my dream, i think of it and then I am there.

What works for me is, as soon as I realize I'm having a lucid dream, I start controlling the dream, deciding what I want to do--usually violent and anti-social things I would never do in real life--at least, not while sober.

oh yeah, dehydration works wonders for lucid dreams- eg hangovers makes me hallucinate/ lucid dram like hell, also a good bit of sleep depravation willthrow you right into it.

I also heard that cheese intensifies your dreams, maybe eat a load for supper.

Also mess around with your alarm clock- alternate the time it goes off, and try and identify your REM periods.

I once went into a lucid dream from mediatation, my body fell asleep and i was in a state where my body felt paralysed, my mind was toatlly dreaming away- and i went through REM which is the strangest felling when your totally concious, its like your whole face being stretched and pulled uncontrollably.

Also opposite to my last post try telling yourself- all day that "im only dreaming, its only a dream"