I understand the concept of lucid dreaming but I want to clarify on it. Towards the end of my sleep cycle, towards the end of my dreams, I become aware that I'm dreaming. However, the more aware I become of my dream, the less clear it becomes in my mind and the more I have to think about the dream to keep it going but it gets to a stage where its all fuzzy and I can only focus on a few details at a time. Eventually I just can't focus and maintain the dream and then I wake up.

So is this lucid dreaming? Is my imagination flawed for not being able to keep me immersed in a detailed world of dream? Is it a lack of focus or practise? Or is it simply what happens to everyone as you slowly wake up at your own lesuire?

Lucid dreaming is when you are still in the dream - the scenery of the dream is still around you and the actions of the dream are still going on around you - but you know it is a dream.

I'm a lucid dreamer and when I wake up I am fully awake ready to jump out of bed and start my day. But I know that some people seem to be confused, not sure whether they are in bed or still in the dream, when they wake up.

I don't know why you are trying to force yourself to maintain a dream, unless it is an especially enjoyable dream and you want it to go on and on, or why you are worried about your imagination. It's not a contest. Do you do creative things in waking life - write, draw, play music, etc? Evidence of your imagination will be there.

Yea thanks Marcia, its not really a case of forcing myself to maintain a dream, its more like my family wakes me up with noise while I'm trying to sleep in haha. But I guess it isnt lucid dreaming because it's not especially obvious to me that I'm dreaming, also when in this state I'm very influenced by outside noise. I.e. If the TV is on while, the words from the TV become the script in my dream.

I think that's very common.

it may be another kind of dream called "psuedo-lucid dreaming"*. that is where you don't become aware that you are dreaming untill you are wakeing up.

*i used this for lack of better name

Sometimes when I realize that I am dreaming (in the dream) I think, "I need to be awake now" and I wake myself up. Is that what you mean?