Ins and Outs of Lucid Dreaming

Many people consider dreams an experience rooted in their subconscious, which would mean that dreaming is entirely out of our control. For many, this is true, but some dreamers out there experience what is called lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming occurs when the dreamer is aware of their dream in a sleeping state—they feel awake in their dreams. During a lucid dream, this dreamer will interpret real emotions, thoughts, and even make what they perceive as conscious decisions. Are you a lucid dreamer? Check out these fun facts and tips if you’d like to try your hand at manifesting this surreal, dreamy experience!

When Lucid Dreaming Happens

During sleep, there are two phases: REM and non-REM sleep. REM stands for “rapid eye movement.” When someone is in a non-REM sleep phase, things are happening to your body like a slowed heartbeat, slow eye movement, and a change in your brainwaves. Your brainwaves and eye movements speed up during your REM sleep period. All of the lucid dreaming magic happens during our REM sleep phase when the brain is highly active.

Lucid Dreaming Tips

Now lucid dreaming is not solely the destiny for those that can do this naturally! Some several techniques and practices could manifest this experience for nearly anyone. Take a look below to jumpstart your lucid dreaming practice.

1) Get More REM-Phase Sleep: It might seem like a no-brainer; however, if you want to practice lucid dreaming, you need to increase the amount of REM sleep you get. Exercise during the day, keep a strict sleep schedule, avoid electronics before your bedtime, and also avoid caffeine and alcohol in the hours before you hit the sack.

2) Reality Testing: During REM sleep, our consciousness level is nearly the same as in our waking state. To enhance your consciousness during sleep, reality testing can help. For example, looking into mirrors during a dream will not produce a spitting image of your waking likeness. If you have tattoos in your waking life, study those that show up on your skin in your dream—they will not be the same.

3) “Wake Back to Bed”: Our brains are magnificent organs—they are complex and continue to baffle experts in many scientific fields. Brains are also easy to train! Next time you want to experience a lucid dream, you can increase your chances by trying the “wake back to bed” method. The “wake back to bed” method entails you waking yourself up about five hours into your sleep phase. Go back to sleep almost immediately, and your brain tends to enter a REM phase more quickly and vibrantly while you are still conscious.

Are plain old dreams not cutting it anymore? Would you like to experience a more conscious state in your dreams so that you can take the reins? Lucid dreaming is not out of the realm of possibility with these tips—go ahead, dream on!