A Guide to Lucid Dreaming

Taking control of what you can: your dreams

Recap on Lucid Dreaming: In this dream state, the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming and is able to use that realization to their advantage. Once becoming aware of your dreams, you are able to manipulate the dream from its plot to its setting. In doing so, many benefits arise: problem solving, creativity bursts, overall positive results! Lucid dreaming has been around for centuries, and it's been proven by scientists through usage of electroencephalograms that show that the state is a part of Rapid Eye Movement, aka deep sleep in which sleepers have the most vivid and emotional dreams. 

Cautions before attempting lucid dreaming

Lucid dreaming takes practice and brain power. Therefore exhaustion and sleeping problems are probable with the amount of time and number of sleep disruptions that occur with lucid dreaming. 

Anything in lucid dreaming is achievable, from flying to overcoming a fear. With this ability, it's important not to let it take over your life, nor your reality. Derealization can happen, which is another consequence of the sleep disruptions that may confuse your perceptions of reality vs fantasy. 

SLEEP PARALYSIS happens when your REM sleep experiences a disruption and can occur when you're on your way to lucid dream. If this happens, remember to wiggle your extremities and to not open your eyes. 

Lucid dreaming techniques!

• Reality testing

Reality testing is a great method to boost awareness while dreaming and can help you get into the dream state quicker. Reality checks within your dreams can help you realize you're dreaming by looking for normality in different objects: checking your reflection in mirrors, testing solid objects like tables, looking for clocks to see if the time looks different, etc. 

• MILD

Mnemonic Induced Lucid Dream is a technique using our prospective memory, in which we remember to perform tasks in the future. So, before you go to bed, you must rehearse lines such as "I will remember that I am dreaming". Then, imagine yourself in a dream becoming aware. Repeat these steps several times before falling asleep. 

• Dream journaling

Dream journaling is a classic way to help you lucid dream. By writing down your dreams, you are able to remember them better and find different dream symbols that you can attach to and test the next time you dream! Similar to reality testing, dream journaling can boost your dream awareness and can be an effective way to get into lucid dreaming consistently. Try to write down your dreams right when you wake up, as it's noted that we forget as much as half of the dream's content several minutes after waking up. 

• WILD

Wake Induced Lucid Dream is a method that I've tried before and was able to get results fast. First off, being tired helps. Get into bed, and lie still with your eyes closed and arms to the side. Now, this takes us into a hypnagogic state in which hallucinations and lack of muscle tone are prevalent. Ignore the sensation to move, ignore the light buzzing in your ears, let yourself melt to sleep. Once you're asleep but also half awake, you'll be dreaming probably wherever your memory takes you, you can even be dreaming that you're in your room. 

• WBTB

Wake Back to Bed is where you may have to beware of sleep paralysis and general exhaustion. This method asks the sleeper to interrupt their sleep schedule by setting an alarm a few hours after they go to bed to wake them up out of their REM cycle. Again, REM is where most vivid dreams occur and disruptions tend to cause sleep paralysis. However, if you manage to wake up, then you go back to bed. So, Wake up and then get Back to Bed- this should allow you to have more awareness in your dream state while having you in REM already. 

That's a wrap!

Lucid dreaming has many benefits, and I believe a major one is just having control over an aspect of your life. In life, we don't have much control of anything, as anything can happen. The lucid state is a way for you to take some control back, alleviate stress and anxiety, and have fun!

Comment if you've tried these methods, or are going to try them, and how effective they are for you! 

Sleep well and stay healthy.