Dreaming Awake: Lucid Dreams

What Is Lucid Dreaming?

Lucid dreaming is becoming self-aware in your dreams. You know your dreaming and can sometimes control the dream. Becoming aware means you will likely be able to explore and make decisions in a dream world. There is no limit as to what you could do. But many just play out with little control.

(Dream Facts)

• Dreaming can occur anytime during sleep.
• A lucid dream will start out like any other dream.
• Lucid dreams are not considered nightmares
• Frederik Van Eden, a Dutch psychiatrist, first described lucid dreaming is 1913.

Regular Dreams

Dreams are stories that play out while we sleep, you may not even remember dreaming.

They can be about almost anything and often strange.

Why We Dream

It is said the reason we dream is to, help in solving problems in our everyday lives, and process emotions.

REM

During REM Rapid eye movement your eyes move in different directions. This usually occurs 90 minutes after you fall asleep. This is when the brain is most active, causing vivid dreams.

Lucid Dreams

Have you ever woken up but already felt like you had been awake.

This may be because you were having a lucid dream. When having a lucid dream you feel as if conscious during the dream. In many lucid dreams, you can control what happens. From flying to meeting your favorite celebrity. Some experts suggest letting the dream occur naturally though. The control over lucid dreams varies though some say you can learn to control it. Some people may never have a lucid dream, which is normal.

It has been scientifically proven by Stephen La Berge that lucid dreaming is real.

Lucid Dream vs. Nightmares

When you have a nightmare, you usually feel as if you have no control over what is happening and often wake up right before that monster reaches you. While lucid dreaming you are aware that it's a dream and can become more relaxed while dreaming.

Is it safe?

It may seem that it can be unsafe. But you are dreaming, so even if you lucid dream remember you’ll still wake up back in your bed.

Sleep Paralysis

Sometimes sleep paralysis can occur during lucid dreams.

This is when you feel awake but can’t move your body. Your body does this when you are going to sleep so you won't be sleepwalking. But if it happens and you are aware it can be scary.

What causes it?

Sometimes it can happen randomly while other times it can be related to stress or not getting enough sleep.

My Experiences

I have had dreams where I think I am awake only to wake up for real later.

It is a very strange feeling for me. I don’t try to control it mostly let it play out. But sometimes for me, it gets a little too strange and once I realize I'm dreaming, my brain will start saying “wake up.”

I have only experienced a few of these. My most recent one was a couple months back.

I went to sleep like any other night, I woke up in my room and sat up. But when I walked to the door the vibes in the room felt wrong. I walked through the door into what should have been the living room, but it wasn't my living room.

It was a small and dark room and there was smoke everywhere. Of course, then I knew this had to be a dream. I told myself to wake up several times.

Eventually, I woke up, back in the bed and everything was normal of course. Many of these dreams are the same as this but different rooms or small changes where I can sense I'm dreaming.

Sources:

Dr Susan Blackmore

WebMD

How To Lucid