Lucid Dreams

The idea of Lucid dreams is very interesting. A lucid dream is a dream in which the dreamer knows he is dreaming. The dreamer also may have control over the narrative, the characters, their actions and the environment. However, this is not essential for your dream to be considered lucid. Like most dreams, lucid dreaming normally occurs during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Lucid Dreams are usually initiated during a regular dream when the dreamer realises that they are dreaming. This the most common way people become lucid dreamers. It is called the dream initiated lucid dream (DILD). However, there is also wake initiated lucid dream (WILD) which occurs when you go from a normal waking state directly into a lucid dream. Now that you know what a lucid dream is you are probably interested in trying to be a lucid dreamer. Here are some ways to help you dream lucidly:

1.     Keep a Dream Journal

Write down all you remember of your dream as soon as you wake up, this will train you to focus on your dreams.

2.     Performing Reality Checks

Every few hours during the day asking yourself “am I dreaming?” with enough practice you will begin to do that in your dreams too.

3.     Look Out for Clocks

In dreams the concept of time is warped and every time you look at clock the time will be drastically different even if you looked away for a second.

4.     Wake up during the REM cycle

Count back your sleep cycles and identify your longest REM cycle of sleep (6 hours after you sleep). Wake up for about 20 minutes and visualise what you want to do in your dream. In the REM cycle of sleep, your mind is closer to wakefulness than deep sleep, so it is easier to turn your dreams lucid. This is the best technique to provide quick results.

Citations

“YouTube.” YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA5HOgf3znw.

“What Do Your Dreams Say About Who You Are?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/quilted-science/201110/what-do-your-dreams-say-about-who-you-are.

Maria Cohut, Ph.D. “Lucid Dreams: What They Are, and How to Experience Them.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323077.php#12.