How to Stay in Your Dream Longer

During most dreams, sleepers are not even aware that they are dreaming, no matter how absurd or eccentric their dreams are until the moment they are about to wake up.

After years of lucid dreaming and returning to my dreams, here is a list of techniques I have tried and how difficult they were to thrust myself back into my lucid dream. Remember everyone thinks differently and may have more or less success than I had trying to stay in my dream longer.

Spinning Method

Difficulty: Moderately Easy. (worked for me on the first try).

Directions: This technique requires you to use the power of your brain and look at your feet. When you feel yourself slipping out of the dream state don’t open your eyes and pull back your covers to look at your “real” feet. Just think of yourself back in the dream world you just left and walking in a circle while looking at your feet.

For example, if your dream was on the beach imagine your feet sifting through the sand as you spin in the wind. If you were in an office imagine your boots shifting in a circle on the tile floor. Try to remember small details like the color of the tiles. The more details you can recall the more successful you will be.

 Falling Backwards Method

Difficulty: Moderate (I haven’t had much success with this).

Directions: This technique is similar to spinning because it attempts to place you in closer contact with your dream when you feel yourself waking up. Imagine yourself falling backwards though the dream world you are currently in. You should let your body fall freely, but don’t empty your your mind of thoughts. Your mind should concentrate on you falling into another dream world while thinking of the details like the wind blowing by your face.

Hand Rubbing Method

Difficulty: Moderate (I have had success with this but not as easy as Spinning)

Directions: Rubbing your hands together is a common technique used to stimulate sensation in your dreams. To use this technique, look at your hands (in your dream state of course) and rub them together. This stimulates tactile sensation in your mind. While this method may help you to stabilize your dream do not abuse this method too many times. This method may work the first time, but not be as effective later on in your dream or even the next night you are lucid dreaming.

Summary

I have listed 3 techniques I have personally used and how successful they were in keeping me in my dreams.

1. The Spinning Method.
2. the Falling Backwards Method.
3. Hand Rubbing Method.

Remember to mix up your dream stabilization techniques so you wont psyche yourself out of your lucid dreams. Confidence goes a long way when it comes to staying in your dream. So be confident when your try these techniques. They have worked for me and many other people.

Continue to seek excitement and discovery in your lucid dreams by using these techniques or any other methods you can find. Check this post about Lucid Dreaming Techniques to learn more. You might make some great scientific or life changing discovery one day like Friedrich August Kekulé who discovered the structure of a benzene molecule in his dream. Read more about that here.