There are some things you can do in both your waking life and in your lucid dream that will cut it short or help you extend it. Knowing what mistakes cause your lucid dreams to be cut short is beneficial if you want to make the most of your lucid dreams.
10 Things To Avoid If You Want To Extend Your Lucid Dreams
1. Getting Too Excited In Your Lucid Dream
As a seasoned lucid dreamer, I am often asked why getting too excited in a dream can cause a dreamer to lose lucidity. The truth is that the level of control in a lucid dream relies on a delicate balance between awareness and calmness.
When we become too excited, our heart rate increases, our thoughts speed up, and our focus becomes scattered. All of these factors are a recipe for disaster in a lucid dream, where even the slightest shift in attention can cause the dream to slip away.
The key to maintaining lucidity is to stay present and relaxed so that we can navigate the dream world with ease.
So the next time you find yourself becoming too excited in a lucid dream, take a deep breath, ground yourself in the present moment, and watch as your lucidity blossoms.
2. Trying Too Hard To Have A Lucid Dream Or Maintain It
I can attest that many aspiring dreamers fall into the trap of trying too hard to achieve lucidity. Ironically, this overeager effort often leads to a loss of lucidity instead of maintaining it.
Again, this occurs due to the delicate balance between conscious awareness and intuitive surrender. When dreamers push too hard to control their dreams, they end up activating the intellectual analytical part of their brain. This results in waking the dreaming mind and breaking the bond of lucidity.
Therefore, learning to let go of control and relax into the flow of the dream realm is essential to maintaining lucidity.
While it may appear against our natural fixation on control, the art of lucid dreaming requires a permeable and intuitive approach that aligns with the nature of the subconscious mind.
3. Not Paying Attention to Your Surroundings
Lucid dreaming is an experience that many people find to be thrilling and exciting. However, not paying attention to your surroundings can easily ruin this experience.
When you lose touch with your senses, whether it’s because you’re distracted or preoccupied, it’s easy to lose lucidity in a dream.
In a lucid dream, you need to be hyper-aware of your surroundings and everything that’s happening around you. Failing to do so makes it easy to slip back into a state of non-lucidity, where the dream controls you and not the other way around, which can be frustrating, especially if you’re trying to explore your dream world.
So, next time you find yourself lucid dreaming, make sure you’re fully present in the moment, and always keep an eye on your surroundings. It can mean the difference between a successful lucid dream and a disappointing one.
The best way to do this is to make it a habit to pay attention to your surroundings in your waking life. Pay attention to the smells, sounds, and sights. Be hyper-aware of what’s going on around you as often as you can.
When you make it a habit in your waking life to pay attention, your subconscious mind will automatically do it in your dreaming life too.
4. Having Unrealistic Expectations For Your Lucid Dream
When you are dreaming lucidly, it is important to be realistic with your expectations and accept whatever situation or experience that arises without trying to change it or control it too much.
Of course, you should have a lucid dream plan in place to help you call out for your desired experience, but sometimes things take a turn in a direction that you don’t expect because you either need to head in that direction for your personal growth or because your subconscious decides that you are not ready to have the lucid dream you desire.
In short, if you have unrealistic expectations, these can easily lead to disappointment and then break the lucidity of the dream.
5. Not Grounding Yourself In The Lucid Dream
When we’re in a lucid dream, we’re in a heightened state of awareness and control. But if we don’t take the time to ground ourselves—whether it’s through examining our surroundings or focusing on our breath—we risk losing that lucidity and being swept away in a fantasy of our mind’s choosing.
Without an anchor, our mind can wander and our dream can slip away. It’s a frustrating experience, but one that’s easily avoidable with a little grounding effort.
Practicing grounding in your waking life can help you maintain a grounded experience in your lucid dream.
You can do this by taking a deep breath in and exhaling slowly. Feel the weight of your body on the ground, and listen to the sounds around you. Observe your thoughts without judgment or attachment, like clouds passing by in the sky.
In a lucid dream, you can also try focusing on your hands or feet. This simple act of grounding can bring us back to the present moment and help us connect with our true selves, wherever we are.
6. Being Too Impatient In The Lucid Dream
It’s exciting to have a lucid dream, so it’s not uncommon to become overly excited when realizing you’re in a lucid dream and try to rush the experience that you want to have. And while this excitement – and the need to get to where you want to be quickly – is understandable, it can be detrimental to the experience.
For example, if you want to talk to a deceased loved one in a lucid dream, you may become impatient if they don’t appear right away. It’s understandable, but it can have a negative effect on your ability to stay lucid.
Rushing into action or attempting to control the dream too quickly can disrupt the delicate balance of the dreaming mind, leading to a loss of control. Just like in the waking world, we must learn to be patient and take our time to fully enjoy the experience.
So next time you find yourself in a lucid dream, take a deep breath, call out for the lucid dream you want to have, and then let the magic unfold.
7. Not Practicing Lucid Dreaming Techniques Regularly
The more regularly you practice lucid dreaming techniques, the easier it will be to extend your lucid dreams and become a master of your dream world.
You will naturally recheck to make sure you are dreaming as you start to lose lucidity. These lucid dreaming checks will help you maintain lucidity for longer.
Regular practice of lucid dreaming techniques in your waking life will help you become more familiar with the techniques that work for you and increase your confidence in being able to control what happens in the dream.
8. Not Relaxing Before Bed
Before going to bed, take some time to relax, clear your mind, and focus on having a lucid dream. This can help you influence your dreams. You may even want to use relaxation or meditation techniques such as yoga, breathing exercises or mindfulness before going to bed.
The premise is simple. If your mind and body are relaxed when you first enter the dream state, this will help you stay lucid for longer in your lucid dreams.
9. Not Exploring The Dream World
You may want to have one experience over and over again lucid dreams. For instance, you may want to always visit a deceased pet in your dream or practice a new skill in your lucid dream. However, experimenting with different locations, people, and objects in your dream world, can help you extend your lucid dreams.
If things start to get boring, the lucidity can begin to fade away.
If you don’t want to completely change your lucid dream, try changing up the environment or introducing a new character into the dream. For instance, if you want to talk to a deceased loved one in a lucid dream, then meet them in a new place or talk about something different. Exploring different scenarios and creating unique stories can be a fun way to extend your lucid dreams.
10. Not Being Able To Control Your Emotions
When lucid dreaming, you will be able to experience a range of emotions from joy and excitement to fear and sadness. It is important to try and remain in control of these feelings so as not to become overwhelmed by them. If you can stay in control of your emotions, this should help you extend the duration of your lucid dream.
Again, being able to control your emotions in your dreams will be easier if you are able to control your emotions in your waking life. Take the time to practice emotional intelligence by regulating your emotions as often as possible.
