how to wake up from lucid dreams

Hello. I'm new here and this is my first post. I have been having lucid dreams since a child and thought everyone did until I was an adult and I heard people talking how they wished they could. For most of my life they have been typical and almost boring. Until about 10 years ago when they turned dark. And I mean dark like creepy dark cold rainy horror movies. How it goes is I realize I'm dreaming. Check my hands to make sure. Try to wake up and can't then panic I might be dead and this is my hell. Or I'm in a coma or something bad is happening to my son and I'm sleeping through it. Then I wake up, I'm relived and BAM nope still dreaming. And something bad is happening something is coming for me. I feel sick I try to scream but it's like screaming under water I try to run but it's like running in mud. It's always dark and hard to see. I'll finally wake up and sit up in bed trying to shake off the horrible feeling but then again realize I'm still freaking dreaming. And when I do actually wake up I'm fuzzy and off all day. What the hell is wrong with me? How do I wake up. Lately the lucid nightmares have been slowing down and been having other type ones that are more pleasent. But these nightmares are terrifying. Any advice or similar stories would help :)

:welcome: Mandy!

Just go to sleep wherever you are in the dream. Just relax, lie down, close your eyes and wait patiently. Pretend like you're in bed!

Once you wake up, do a reality check. If you're awake, great! If not, just stay asleep a bit longer. Be patient! Don't worry, you're not dead. You'll wake up eventually!

Instead of finding some trick to wake up (you've probably tried them all), I would recommend this: When you realize that you are dreaming, remind yourself that you've experienced this before, countless times, and it always ends, eventually. I'm not necessarily saying that you have to face your fear or fight the scary thing or whatever. This is not some leap of bravery. Just remind yourself that this has happened before and it will end, so you might as well be patient. The point of all this is to back off from the panic state, because that's what's really troubling you, not the dreams. You know that the dreams are harmless, but the panic that you feel in reaction to them is disrupting your life. This works because it will get stronger with repetition. A dream control trick to wake up might stop working after a few times. But reminding yourself that "this is that same boring old nightmare" might start slow but will get stronger.

This in will definitely try! I never thought to go to sleep in a dream. Thanks so much

And sisyphus. Thanks so much for the advice and your right the panic is the scary part. I will for sure take your advice and I'm sure it will work rather then trying to run around screaming my face off :)

Welcome Mandy!

I seem to be amplifying the excellent advice above by saying that maybe your answer lies not in waking up, but becoming more lucid.

You may be aware that you are dreaming during these dark dreams, but you might still need to be aware that these dreams, no matter how bad, are all a part of you, and not something being thrust upon you.

Next time one of these dreams occurs, I suggest that you pause for a moment in the dream and remember. Remember that your actual body is sleeping in bed right where you left it, that these images being thrust upon you are not real, and, above all, that everything in the dream you are enduring is taking place in a world that is literally encased in you and can do you no harm. If you can remember that the scary imagery is a simple construct errantly thrown up by your unconscious, the imagery will suddenly become much less scary. After all that, I would suggest that you turn around, away from the bad stuff, and truly excpect that something nice will greet you when you've finished your turn.