Dreams can be fun, scary, boring or just plain weird. Sometimes, you realize that you’re dreaming while you’re still in the dream and can pretty much do or manipulate whatever you want in the dreamworld. This is called lucid dreaming, and many people even attempt to control it. If you’re interested in flying, wielding magical powers, flipping the world upside-down, teleporting around the world or doing basically anything you can imagine, here’s what you need to know about lucid dreaming.
What is lucid dreaming?
For most people, dreams are more like movies than interactive stories. You can see, feel, hear and touch things within the dream, but it doesn’t feel like you have much, or any, control over the events. In most cases, no matter how ridiculous, you don’t even realize it was a dream until you wake up. Having dinner with Mark Twain and Gandhi seemed completely reasonable in the moment!
In a lucid dream, you realize that you’re dreaming and are free to do whatever you want. The only limit is your imagination. If during your dinner with Twain and Gandhi you want to jump up and fly to Japan, you’re welcome to do it. Just burst through the roof and head east. It’s as simple as that.
What does it feel like to lucid dream?
Most people who lucid dream say that there’s a moment of clarity when the dreamer realizes that everything is a dream. In that moment, your senses heighten. Sights, sounds, tastes and smells all become more extreme. Some people even say that their emotions become stronger. Once that happens, you’re immediately free to do anything you can imagine.
Not only are you capable of doing anything, you can also manipulate the world around you, including the events, people and even the physical landscape. Want to make someone stand on his head? Wish it, and it will be so. Want to pretend like you’re in the movie “Inception”? Turn the world upside down with a thought. People who lucid dream say that it comes with a feeling of total control and power that’s oddly relaxing.
Benefits of lucid dreaming
Most people lucid dream because it’s fun. While the real world restricts you by limiting your actions with those pesky laws of physics and social conventions, anything is possible inside of a lucid dream.
More experienced lucid dreamers use their dreams as a place for personal reflection and meditation. You can think about big decisions without having to worry about distractions from the real world. If you wanted to, you could even talk to yourself face-to-face. If you have a big presentation for work the next day, use your dream space to practice in front of a “real” audience.
Want to tell off that irritating coworker from across the aisle? Do it in your dream without the risk of being fired. Your lucid dreams can become a place to relieve yourself of the frustrations of daily life without consequences.
Risks of lucid dreaming
There are very few risks associated with lucid dreaming. When you fall asleep, your brain emits chemicals that paralyze your body. It might sound scary, but it’s a normal safety precaution so your movements in your dreams aren’t transferred to real life. Some people who experience lucid dreaming say that they sometimes wake up before the sleep paralysis has completely worn off. It can be frightening to be awake and unable to move right away, but physically, there’s no harm.
For people who tend to think negatively or are mentally unstable, lucid dreams can become nightmares. Since all feelings in lucid dreams are amplified, negative feelings like fear, sadness and pain can seem even worse.
How to lucid dream
If you’re ready to change the world (in dreamland), there are several ways that you can induce a lucid dream.
- Reality testing – a form of mental training. Every few hours, ask yourself “Am I dreaming?” Check your surroundings to confirm your answer and learn to notice your own consciousness. Pay attention to things like your reflection, your hands, time and breathing to make sure everything is normal. After a while, this process becomes automatic in real life and in your dreams. You’ll be able to identify when you’re dreaming in the regular way and when to go into lucid dreaming.
- Wake back to bed (WBTB) – set an alarm about five hours after you go to sleep. When you wake up in the middle of the night, stay up for about 30 minutes before going back to sleep. When you fall back asleep, you’re more likely to experience a lucid dream.
- Mnemonic induction of lucid dreams (MILD)– basically telling yourself to remember that you’re dreaming. Identify a “dreamsign”: something that doesn’t usually happen in the real world, like being able to fly. Before falling asleep, think about the dreamsign and repeatedly recite the phrase “The next time I dream, I want to remember that I’m dreaming.” When you fall asleep and notice your dreamsign, you’ll be more likely to realize that you’re dreaming.
- Dream journals – every morning when you wake up, write down your dreams in a dream journal. Over time, you’ll become more aware of when you’re dreaming and will be able to lucid dream regularly. It also helps if you read your journal often.