Are blackouts real?

[Miguelinileugim]

As far as I know, nothing in lucid dreaming is impossible, however why can't I dream for more than 5 seconds before everything fades out? I think that there are two explanations for this: -Either it's all in my head (pun not intended) and it's not that the dream fades away but only that I expect it to fade away and so it does -Or I'm just getting too excited and it's natural that I regain some sort of wakefulness, not enough to become aware of my real body but enough for the dream to dissolve So, why is this happening? What should I do then? Is it possible to have exciting lucid dreams without getting actually excited should the second explanation be true?

[user5659]

When I just started lucid dreaming, my first lucid dreams were pretty short too, as soon as I realized that I was lucid I woke up in few seconds. You just have to get used to it, later you definitely will have exciting dreams without fading out.

[Fugue]

Sometimes blackouts aren't all bad. Like you said, because you don't necessarily gain enough wakefulness to "reconnect" with your physical body as it were, you're more than welcome to initiate another dream. All you have to do is relax. I've had a few lucid experiences where, following a false awakening, I would verify I was dreaming, walk out of my room and into a random dream scene, explore a bit, and when the dream blacked out I would just keep my eyes closed (even though I could choose to open them), relax, and go into a new dream, starting again from a false awakening (even though I was technically expecting it after a while). Dream stabilization takes focus and practice to improve like other skills. Ideally I think the accomplished lucid dreamer must be able to maintain awareness that the dream is not "real" (so as to have control over the elements in the dream) whilst not centering on it. That is, the awareness must be firm but distant in a sense. It's just sort of theorizing on my part though because I'm still quite the novice.

[Miguelinileugim]

Sometimes blackouts aren't all bad. Like you said, because you don't necessarily gain enough wakefulness to "reconnect" with your physical body as it were, you're more than welcome to initiate another dream. All you have to do is relax. I've had a few lucid experiences where, following a false awakening, I would verify I was dreaming, walk out of my room and into a random dream scene, explore a bit, and when the dream blacked out I would just keep my eyes closed (even though I could choose to open them), relax, and go into a new dream, starting again from a false awakening (even though I was technically expecting it after a while). Dream stabilization takes focus and practice to improve like other skills. Ideally I think the accomplished lucid dreamer must be able to maintain awareness that the dream is not "real" (so as to have control over the elements in the dream) whilst not centering on it. That is, the awareness must be firm but distant in a sense. It's just sort of theorizing on my part though because I'm still quite the novice. This whole lucid dreaming things reminds me of Matrix, got the idea, thanks

[Sivason]

The first issue is that the brain thinks something has gone wrong. LDing is strange and your brain flips an emerency shut down switch the first few times. Try a mantra in your head, while awake, like this, "it is good to be aware in my dreams." This is just to get the idea in your brain that LDs are good and not a misfiring of the brain. You can expect that the first few will be short, but expectation has a role. Do not plan on them being short. Plan on the next one being the one that is going to last. Finally, quickly reduce the dream down to a single simple image and do not look around. This is a processing power issue. As soon as you are lucid, try to focus on just one hand. If you can see your hand try moving the fingers around. Only after you can get that far should you try looking around and interacting. This step is not 100% needed after you gain some experience, but is always a good idea.

[Scionox]

There are some good suggestions in this thread, but to add, sometimes it's good not to focus on dream length at all. I've found that if i think about dream length it often makes dream to destabilize/shorten for me. Another good suggestion might be experimenting with sleeping schedule, especially if you get lucid from naps or WBTB. I've did a few changes to my sleeping schedule and since then my general lucid dream length increased alot. Or also, maybe you are just becoming lucid at the end of the dream/REM, it's common, since we have higher awareness at the end of the REM it's easier to become lucid here, if that's the case just keep practicing awareness.

[Miguelinileugim]

There are some good suggestions in this thread, but to add, sometimes it's good not to focus on dream length at all. I've found that if i think about dream length it often makes dream to destabilize/shorten for me. Another good suggestion might be experimenting with sleeping schedule, especially if you get lucid from naps or WBTB. I've did a few changes to my sleeping schedule and since then my general lucid dream length increased alot. Or also, maybe you are just becoming lucid at the end of the dream/REM, it's common, since we have higher awareness at the end of the REM it's easier to become lucid here, if that's the case just keep practicing awareness. My sleep schedule is extremely over complicated, so it's not as simple as using CAT. But thanks for the advice!

[purpleminded]

I experience this problem regularly as well. The only thing that helps me make the dream last longer is by stabilizing the dream, which i do by stopping myself and taking in my dream senses (touch, look, listen). However, I always get distracted and eager to chase some kind of goal in the dream, which makes my dream fade again. Sometimes I will have to stabilize myself several times in a row.