The idea of being able to control your own dreams may seem like just a plot from a recent Hollywood movie to some people, but it is actually a very real thing. Lucid dreaming, or the ability to control your dreams, is a skill that can actually be learned. However, it is known to be difficult and requires training. Less than 100,000 people in the United States are estimated to have this ability.
True research into lucid dreaming began taking place in 1959 at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University. In 1989 Paul Tholey wrote a paper about a technique he used to induce lucid dreams called the reflection technique. Current dream researchers have expanded on this technique, which they call reality testing. It involves practice at recognizing odd occurrences or "dream signs" that are indicators of being in a dream. Another current technique for inducing lucid dreams is called the MILD (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams) technique. If you want to know more about this technique check this website out. http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/mnemonic-induction-of-lucid-dreams.html
The most interesting part about lucid dreaming is that it can have real world applications. For example, lucid dreaming can help people in overcoming nightmares, increasing self-confidence, improving mental health, and more. Lucid dreaming is basically a simulation of the real world so the possibilities for the future of this practice are endless.
I find the idea of lucid dreams to be quite interesting. A number of years ago I had a conversation with my classmates about what exactly a lucid dream was and a few tricks to guide yourself into experiencing one. I haven't been able to definitively experience one but every once and a while I try. This blog served as a good resource for me to continue my efforts.
This is a very interesting topic. I remember I read an article some time ago that went into depth about lucid dreaming and the importance they serve to people. Like you said, I read that they can help people become more confident with real world situations. Do you think in the future they will discover a way in which people can experience lucid dreams more often? That would be cool to see how that develops.
I curious to know if/how lucid dreams affects your sleep. I know I've had lucid dreams before, suddenly coming into realization in the middle of a dream "Hey, this is a dream, I can make this go however I want". While I was reading through the article you posted one line that stood out to me was "Your body has fallen asleep but your mind - so captivated by the imagined dreamscape - remained conscious." When I have lucid dreams I tend to wake up feeling less rested and a little frazzled. If you're consciously awake during a lucid dream I wonder how this affects REM and the different phases of sleep.
As I read this article, I simply could not register the fact that lucid dreaming is, in fact, a real, practiced idea. I can never envision a dream in which I would have been able to detect any "dream signs" mentioned in the MILD and reflection techniques. Typically, I wake up from a dream and immediately experience a moment in time where I have no idea why I have woken up where I am and feel I should still be in the "reality" of my dream. I followed the link that was provided to read further about the MILD technique. I found one fact in particular interesting. According to the webpage,using this technique involves creating affirmations in a dream and programming the next dream to contain "triggers" that activate lucidity within a dream. I was especially intrigued by the use of meditation and mindfulness techniques that can be employed to create these cues in the subconscious mind, being an individual who practices these techniques myself.
Madison I feel the same way...at times I feel like I can wake up and go back into the same dream. I'm not sure if I fully am awake or just unconsciously get up to use the bathroom at night, but yet I remember doing this in the morning. Maybe I trigger myself back into the lucid dream like carda017 states.
I'm intrigued by the fact that so many people seem to be able to recognize when they are in the middle of a dream. Personally, I can't remember a single time when I have been consciously aware that I'm not experiencing reality. It seems to me though, that this isn't necessarily a bad thing, because if you are actively participating in the dream, you may not be getting as much rest as a person who is simply experiencing the world that their mind creates. While I'm not particularly interested in waking up exhausted every morning after an eventful night in dreamland, I won't deny that it would be an interesting experience to partake in on occasion.
I'm intrigued by the fact that so many people seem to be able to recognize when they are in the middle of a dream. Personally, I can't remember a single time when I have been consciously aware that I'm not experiencing reality. It seems to me though, that this isn't necessarily a bad thing, because if you are actively participating in the dream, you may not be getting as much rest as a person who is simply experiencing the world that their mind creates. While I'm not particularly interested in waking up exhausted every morning after an eventful night in dreamland, I won't deny that it would be an interesting experience to partake in on occasion.
Lucid dreaming is a phenomenon that I find quite interesting. I cannot fathom how someone, in the middle of sleep, could realize that they are dreaming and somehow control the outcome. My cousin is attempting to control her dreams and is starting by writing her dreams down immediately after she wakes up. No progress has been made, but she is set on achieving lucid dreaming. I have no interest in learning to control my dreams; however, I do understand why people are trying to do it. Realizing that you are dreaming can open up a new world of learning and experiencing as if you are in a different realm.
I think lucid dreaming is a very interesting topic, because I continually am thinking about my dreams and what is causing them. I always thought that what you dreamt were just what you thought of before you went to bed, but it is more than that. I also thought it was very absurd that someone could just control their own dreams, but it makes sense, when you are awake you control your own thoughts, if you are thinking about what you want to do that day and want to change something on the schedule or the outcome it is done easily, which is done in our brains while sleeping. Or those who encounter 'lucid dreaming'.
Lucid dreaming sounds like a very complicated process. Personally, I would not want to control my dreams. I think when we dream we run with our imaginations and have a stream of thoughts flowing through our mind. Dreaming is a stage where we're conscious yet unconscious at the same time. We're not concentrating and thinking like we do when we take a test. Which is why I think that attempting to control one's thoughts would inhibit this age-old process.
Great job of describing lucid dreaming! One of my good friends says he can control his dreams and he wakes up every morning with a smile on his face due to the crazy and exciting things he was able to do in his dreams. That seems to make lucid dreaming an advantage, but I also know of people who wake up disappointed because he or she thought that his or her dream was actually real. Just the concept of dreaming is interesting to me in the fact that we are unconscious yet we are simulating real life events or possibilities.
I was very interested when I began to read this blog post. It entrapped me to think that this is actually possible to learn. Though for myself it looks very bleak. I have a hard enough time remembering my dream much less controlling my dream. I had one lucid dream before where I was able to fly but once I realized I was dreaming the rules of life applied to my dream and I ended up not being able to fly no matter how hard I tried to recreate what happened before realizing I was dreaming. At the end of your post you posted positive effects on lucid dreaming are there any negative effects that could happen? Does attempting to overcome a nightmare cause the body more stress or increase heart rate? This just seems like a very fun topic to learn about.
I find lucid dreaming to be a fascinating phenomenon. I remember when I was younger I was actually able to recognize I was in a dream a couple of different times. I don't know how I was able to do it, but it just hit me that I was dreaming. I also think it's very interesting that people are able to use lucid dreaming to help with self-confidence and mental health.