Have you ever had a dream that felt so real? Chances are, you may have been in a state of lucidity.
They say that lucid dreaming is more than just having a crystal clear dream. It is said that it’s a way for you to put the deepest areas of your brain to good use while you’re sleeping.
Read on if you’re curious to know more about this phenomenon and learn the best ways to trigger it.
Train yourself to have lucid dreams
Training yourself to have lucid dreams isn’t easy by any means, but is something that can be accomplished with practice. That said, it should be noted that only roughly 20% of people can truly mastered lucid dreaming. In order to train yourself, the following steps need to be taken.
Set your bedroom conducive to dreaming
The first would be to set your bedroom as a sleep sanctuary of sorts, and conducive to dreaming. Our minds hate clutter, so pick up everything off the floor. Charge your electronics elsewhere and make your room cool and as dark as possible. It is also recommended to make use of a white noise machine to mask any ambient sounds.
Related: 9 Ways to Relax and Calm Your Mind
Create a dream journal
The next step would be to create a dream journal. While there dream journal apps out there, it is preferred to keep a dedicated notebook so you aren’t stimulated by your device.
Review your dream signs
Next, review your dream signs. Go through the journal and see if you can find any correlating signs. Are you seeing the same people in your dreams? Are there any recurring themes?
Perform reality checks
It is also key to perform reality checks to confirm whether you are awake or asleep. One way to do this is to look at a clock or a page in a book. Then quickly look away and look back. In a dream, the odds are that the text or the time will change, whereas of course if you are wake it will stay the same.
If you do wake up, write down your dreams in your journal and then immediately close your eyes and start focusing on your last dream. Run through the dream and imagine that you are dreaming.
With some dedicated practice, you could achieve what only one in five people are able to do.
Lucid dreaming tends to happen easier for those that are more (right brained), such as artists, writers, musicians, etc. than those that are more left rained, such as accountants, computer programmers, etc. but I can share a tip for your article that will help just about anybody “wake up” inside their dream!
HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON!
Most lucid dreams happen closer to the morning than earlier in the night because, at that point, we are closer to wakefulness.
If you normally need to be up at 6:30, for example, set your alarm for 6:00 and set your snooze for 20 or 30 minutes. Not 5 or 10 minutes. You need at least 20 minutes. That 20 to a 30-minute window is where the magic can happen!
It’s a long enough window that will allow you to fall back asleep but short enough to wake you before you enter into the deep delta sleep. Within that window, you will remain in the lighter stages of sleep and will likely start dreaming again. Couple that with the awareness that you need to wake up soon and you have the perfect recipe for lucidity!
Don’t be surprised if the first couple of times you try this, you get those annoying “false awakening” dreams where you think you are awake and start your morning only to realize you are still asleep and in bed. That’s actually a good sign that this little trick is working!
So keep at it for at least a week and before you know it, you may find yourself in a really cool dream with the awareness that it is a dream and then whatever happens next is entirely up to you!
The first thing I do is float or fly, just to make sure I am actually in a dream. Then, I like to ask questions and see what sort of answer I get. I can’t recommend this enough. Find a character in your dream, or “will” someone to appear before you and ask anything you want, like “What is the meaning of life?” or “What should I do about this particular problem in my life?“
You WILL get an answer! This is your conscious mind having a conversation with your subconscious mind. How cool is that?
Being Conscious of When You’re Unconscious
When a person dreams lucidly, they are aware that they are dreaming while it is happening. It’s hard work to get to this stage intentionally, but there are ways to train your brain to be more aware of when you’re not awake.
Firstly, you can start keeping a dream journal. Every morning, as soon as you wake up, quickly jot down as much as you can remember about your dreams from that night. Over time you might start to recognize patterns and themes such as familiar faces, similar locations, etc.
Once you get a better picture of what types of dreams you have, you can become better at also detecting these themes while you’re dreaming, and you can be more mindful during your sleep that this is happening.
In order to dream lucidly, you can also train yourself by thinking in between sleep. Essentially, we often think we sleep through the night while in fact, we experience temporary interruptions for things like coughing or rolling over.
By making yourself cognizant of when these movements/sleep disturbances are happening, you can then be aware as you fall back asleep and into dreamland. Seizing this brief opportunity of consciousness and grabbing onto it as you drift off again is a great way to really get to experience your dreams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Lucid Dreams Happen Naturally?
Yes, lucid dreams can happen naturally. Lucid dreaming refers to the experience of being aware that you are dreaming while you are dreaming. This state of awareness allows the dreamer to have some control over their dream and potentially even manipulate the dream content.
Lucid dreaming occurs during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep, which is the stage of sleep associated with dreaming. Individuals can increase their likelihood of having a lucid dream through various techniques such as:
• Keeping a dream diary
• Reality testing (checking throughout the day if you are awake or dreaming)
• Visualization exercises.
It is also possible to naturally increase the frequency of lucid dreams by improving the overall quality of your sleep, reducing stress, and practicing mindfulness. Some individuals may be predisposed to experiencing lucid dreams more frequently, but with practice and patience, anyone can learn how to have lucid dreams.
Are Lucid Dreams Rare?
No, lucid dreaming is not uncommon. Actually, it is estimated that approximately 55% of people have had at least one lucid dream in their lifetime, so it is not considered a rare phenomenon.
However, having frequent lucid dreams is what is considered to be rare. Not everyone who has had a lucid dream will have them on a regular basis, and the frequency of lucid dreaming can vary significantly from person to person. Some people may only have one or two lucid dreams in their lifetime, while others may have them regularly.
Are Lucid Dreams Good?
For some people, lucid dreams can be a source of self-discovery, personal growth, and creativity, allowing them to explore their unconscious and gain insights into their fears, desires, and motivations. Additionally, some people use lucid dreaming as a tool for problem-solving, overcoming phobias, or rehearsing for real-life situations.
On the other hand, others may find that lucid dreams can be overwhelming, disturbing, or stressful, especially if they experience vivid and intense nightmares. Some people may also find that attempting to control their dreams can cause feelings of frustration or disappointment if they are unable to do so.
Can Lucid Dreams Harm?
Lucid dreams are generally considered safe. However, there are some potential harms that you should be aware of:
• Stress and anxiety: Some people may experience increased stress and anxiety levels due to being aware that they are dreaming. This can lead to vivid and intense nightmares or even sleep disturbances.
• Disrupting sleep patterns: Engaging in too much dream control and manipulation can disrupt your sleep patterns and lead to feelings of fatigue and decreased energy levels during the day.
• Confusion between reality and dream: If you spend too much time in a lucid dream state, you may start to experience confusion between reality and dream, which can be disturbing and disorienting.
• Addiction: Some individuals may become addicted to the feeling of control and power that comes with having lucid dreams. This can lead to neglect of other aspects of their lives and cause physical and mental health problems.
How Long Do Lucid Dreams Last?
Lucid dreams can be incredibly vivid and intense, and it may feel like they last for a long time. However, the actual duration of a lucid dream can vary, but typically, they last between 10 minutes to an hour.
The length of a lucid dream can be influenced by various factors, such as the dreamer’s sleep patterns, their level of lucid dream experience, and the vividness of the dream. Additionally, some techniques used to induce lucid dreams, such as lucid dream induction devices, may also impact the duration of the lucid dream.
Can You Get Stuck in Lucid Dreams?
There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that a person can become permanently trapped in a lucid dream. It is a normal part of the sleep cycle, and, like all dreams, it will eventually come to an end as the brain shifts into deeper stages of sleep.