Another dry spell...

Once again I seem to have stumbled into a ditch that I can't get out of. It's been nearly 3 weeks since I had a lucid dream which is frustrating for many reasons, the main one being I haven't been able to access the dream world I was building (read some of my previous posts)

Dry spells seem to be very common for me and although I know many people experience them the frequency in which they come for me is ridiculous. I suppose a reason for this is when I am having lots of lucid dreams I tend to abandon my dream journal or I no longer feel I have to put in as much effort but then my lucidity declines.
I currently focus on DILDS, although if an opportunity for a WILD presents itself I won't pass up on it. I tend to do reality checks and ADA as best I can. I'd say I reality check anywhere between 5-20 times a day and my ADA is reasonably good although some days it's harder than others.

I have been very stressed recently and I wonder if my dry spell is related to that. If so how can I calm my mind down? I know I can always meditate, which is something I try and do, but are there any other techniques anyone can recommend for alleviating any stress or negative feelings? Would incorporating MILD into my routine at night be a good idea? I have a very vivid imagination so would daydreaming about walking around my dream world be useful at all? Any advice or tips are welcome. I need to get lucid tonight!
Thanks

I often notice that the more time I give to the dream world the stronger it gets, and the more frequent my dreams of it are. Also when I have trouble remembering to do something in a dream I resort to MILD (though like you I often rely on DILD's otherwise). Also like you I have a vivid imagination, and I find actively day-dreaming about what I want to dream does keep me thinking about it, which improves my chances of later having that dream. So I think you are on the right track, all you have left is to put the effort in to actually make it happen.

Has anything changed 3 weeks ago? Especially sleep related? I once had dry spell due to minor change in my sleep schedule and i got back to having lucid dreams semi-regularly once i fixed it back. :-?
Playing video games and watching videos(especially humorous ones) helps me if/when i am stressed, though i am not sure if it'll work for you, really depends on how much you are into that. :peek:
And try to not abandon dream journal, i know it takes time, but it's completely worth it, especially for DILDs. :zzz:
Good luck on getting lucid!

I agree with Checker666, inconsistent sleep schedule definitely disturbs LDs. I can partially relate this to my own recent dry spell. January was very strong for LD, then Feb was a complete misery, with only two semi-lucids where I barely participated, and another semi-L in March. I have read that if you are deeply preoccupied in your life, that tends to affect your dreaming and it sounds logical. I have tried not to worry about things so much, not to get over excited or agitated for whatever happens during the day, but my dream recall has gotten poorer. If I had to give an advice to myself and to you as well then:

- be patient and at ease, it will eventually come back
- try to rechannel some of your daily energy, the more involved in daily stuff your mind is, the less likely it will be that you will bounce back from a dream into an LD
- to reduce stress, meditation to calm agitation down would be great if possible, but also any game that brings calming pleasure, a nice movie that calms you down, relaxing music, chillout channels perhaps ?
- Stress: how many of our problems are really problems? Think of whatever's bothering you in retrospect. How many difficult times you have been through? How do your past worries seem now?
- the last one is checker's advice, a more regular sleep practice and this is what i have to emphasize for myself too

GL!:)

Hmm well when my partner stays over my sleep gets disturbed. He works nights so he will come in at 4-5am and wake me up and proceeds to be very noisy. Whats worse is on his nights off he continues to stick to that pattern so I'm kept up a lot. It's annoying how I have to creep around all day as to not make a sound or he tells me off but when it's the other way around...