Why do I keep waking up so fast after EVERY lucid dream!

On one hand it's great that I'm finally able to lucid dream but what good is it if I'm waking up after 30 seconds or though?

The first time I started dreaming I got excited and woke up and that simply was because I got excited. The second time it happened I DID NOT GET EXCITED, I could remember telling myself to stay calm and enjoy it, but then I WOKE UP. The third time, even after staying calm, I quickly woke up.

What is happening and how can I stop myself from waking up? I know people have suggested spinning as a way to KEEP your lucid dream but what good is spinning if I don't have an indicator that I'm waking up?

Are you stabilizing your dreams? That will make them much longer.

To stabilize simply engage your senses. Rub your hands, take a look at the detail of objects. Stuff like that. It calms you down and solidifies the dream.

I agree with Zebrah

I've had quite a few LDs over the years but would keep giving up and go for spells without trying because of the same problem. Only fairly recently did I start having long LDs. Because I kept waking up, I got very frustrated and bitter and started to doubt myself. For me, I know it was a mental barrier I had to overcome, knowing that I could do this. Once I had my first really long LD, it's like I proved to myself it was possible and it's been going much better since then.

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Originally Posted by Zebrah

Are you stabilizing your dreams? That will make them much longer.

To stabilize simply engage your senses. Rub your hands, take a look at the detail of objects. Stuff like that. It calms you down and solidifies the dream.

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This could definitely have been my problem, I just rushed to do things (fly, etc). So basically next time I should just stop, look at my hands, rub them together, look around at things, etc very slowly?

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Originally Posted by FancyRat

I've had quite a few LDs over the years but would keep giving up and go for spells without trying because of the same problem. Only fairly recently did I start having long LDs. Because I kept waking up, I got very frustrated and bitter and started to doubt myself. For me, I know it was a mental barrier I had to overcome, knowing that I could do this. Once I had my first really long LD, it's like I proved to myself it was possible and it's been going much better since then.

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What did you do differently?

I don't know that I did much differently. I'm just saying once I knew I could do it, it was like my mind clicked.
I would definetly agree with the others about stabilizing though, just practice that. When I become lucid, my first instinct is to fly too, but I have to tell myself to take it slow.

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Originally Posted by kyzz

This could definitely have been my problem, I just rushed to do things (fly, etc). So basically next time I should just stop, look at my hands, rub them together, look around at things, etc very slowly?

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Yeah at first do that. Don't just go jumping into the action. Give yourself some time to stabilize and get ready to enjoy your dream.

It usually happens to me if I have a lucid at night. Since REM comes in early morning you're likely to wake up naturally; becoming lucid is 1 step from being awake. Thats why my best and longest lucids happened during afternoon naps where you enter REM much faster.

Stabilizing is good when you're not about to wake up. It keeps you lucid and prevents you from drifting to another dream not from waking up. If you wake up for real, not false awakening you just reached the end of the REM string and need to renew it.

In fact stabilizing can sometimes accelerate your awakening because you speed up your brain activity. You need to feel weather you are about to wake up or you are deep. If you about to wake up it's best to relax and hope a new dream will come even if you risk losing lucidity.

Yup, like others are saying make sure you stabilize.
exercise all your senses, consistently remind yourself you're dreaming, try voice commands, ground yourself.
This will definitely lengthen your LD time.

I did it again! Damnit!!!

So I realized I was dreaming and STOPPED, stabilized by rubbing my hands together, everything was going well. As soon as I stopped and turned around the dream started fading and before I had a chance to recover I woke up! :(

How long do you guys "stabilize" for?

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Originally Posted by kyzz

I did it again! Damnit!!!

So I realized I was dreaming and STOPPED, stabilized by rubbing my hands together, everything was going well. As soon as I stopped and turned around the dream started fading and before I had a chance to recover I woke up! :(

How long do you guys "stabilize" for?

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Read my post gain you might have missed something about stabilizing :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kyzz

I did it again! Damnit!!!

So I realized I was dreaming and STOPPED, stabilized by rubbing my hands together, everything was going well. As soon as I stopped and turned around the dream started fading and before I had a chance to recover I woke up! :(

How long do you guys "stabilize" for?

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I had this problem too... Honestly, it just takes time. Every time I became lucid I'd rub my hands together. The first few dreams didn't last longer than a few seconds, but over time they would last longer and longer. Several dreams later and I can last (what feels like) an hour or more while being lucid. The more lucid dreams you have, the longer they will last. Practice and persistence is key!