Having an annoying problem here...

[Danevang]

So I'm trying to achieve a lucid dream...I've never had one in my entire life (as far as I can remember) and my dreams are always very, very blurry and vague. However that is besides the point.

I've been trying to do the WBTB technique, but no matter how tired I am when I go to bed, I ALWAYS wake up at least 1-2 hours before my alarm goes off. I'm so frustrated.
How can I stop myself from waking up when I shouldn't? I try my best not to think about the alarm, and in fact I never do think about it...I don't know why I always wake up too early.
Help? 

[CFTraveler]

Why not try the technique when you wake up naturally?

[Danevang]

^
I think I've tried that about 8-9 days in a row, but I don't seem to be making any progress  I don't think I get enough sleep at all, the ideal would be to wake up about 6 hours after I went to bed, but that would be like a marathon nap to me! Getting 4 hours of sleep in a row is more my standard.

Would it be dumb to try some meds to try and see if I can sleep for longer periods at a time?

[CFTraveler]

I would never recommend medications, because they would blur your abilty to control your environment and diminsh your lucidity.  I know that when I take any type of painkillers (over the counter, I don't tolerate anything at all)  I end up having comatose dreams in which I have to take a nap inside the dream, which is very annoying, because I miss half the action.

[Mydral]

Don't take meds!!!!

Do it in a state when you wake up and are still very tired in an environment which will cause you to have irregular sleep.

[personalreality]

You can try a natural supplement like Valerian Root, Kava Root (don't take this for too long, there have been some studies that show it can cause liver damage with long term use, usually it's recommended not to take it for more than 30 days in a row at a time), Hops, Passion Flower extract. 

All of those will relax your muscles and help you get into a deeper sleep, hopefully helping you stay asleep longer.

[Danevang]

Thanks for your suggestions, I tried sleeping with a sleeping mask, didn't work out that well...but I'll look into some of those natural meds. I'm not that much for those things, but it seems necessary. 3-4 hours of sleep in a row is just not healthy, regardless.

[Pauli2]

1 hour of hard work-out. Run 6 miles in terrain, then do 30 leg push-ups with a 250 lbs weight. You will sleep.

[Danevang]

^
Nice suggestion, but I had extensive leg surgery last year, just stopped taking morphine on a regular basis about 3 months ago...If I'd start working out like that, it could cause inner bleedings. Nothing too dangerous, but very, very painful.

Long walks might do the trick though, I should start taking a 1 hour stroll before I go to bed perhaps?

[CFTraveler]

That explains a lot.  You should concentrate on relaxing and feeling better, and then you can go ahead and try to cultivate awareness techniques.  A lot of these produce sleep deprivation, so I don't think it's a good idea to do it while you're still recovering.

[Pauli2]

Perhaps some stretching instead would do the trick?

[personalreality]

Yoga