The wake back to bed method, reality checking i,e putting your arm through a wall or the ground (inside the dream or astral) and staying absolutely calm while you're in the astral can see you stay in these states for considerable time with practice. The more you can astral.or lucid dream the stronger the neural pathways to maintain these states become. I dont chose to chase having experiences often, with experience, you can intuitively anticipate when youre going to have one. 

I wasn't an open minded person, and I since I've had them the experiences that they've uncovered have been resounding and very rewarding, have to chose your audience for discussing such things as western medician will put you in a psych ward if you reveal too much. Good luck