Difficulty in dreaming

[trinsic1]

So I have read all of carols castenda's books and have been wanted to start dreaming. I have been attempting to look at my hands in dreams to start getting some lucidity. Unfortunately, I have been unable to wake it my dreams for over a year or two now.. I use to be able to do it when I was younger but now Im over 40 and wondered if its hard to do when you get older?
Can any one help me get on the right track?