What is plain dreams?

Being able to control our own dreams sounds incredibly exciting. But can we really dream while fully conscious, even though our bodies remain asleep? Here we explain what lucid dreaming is all about and whether we can learn to control our dreams.

Table of contents:

1. What is a lucid dream?
2. How does a lucid dream occur?
3. What are the benefits of lucid dreaming?
4. Learning to lucid dream
   1. Dream-Initiated Method (DILD)
   2. Awake-initiated method (WILD)
5. Conclusion

1. What is a lucid dream?

A lucid dream, also known as a lucid dream, is a dream in which the sleeper is fully aware that they are dreaming and can actively control the dream plot. During a lucid dream, one is mentally "awake" and aware that one's body is asleep and that the experience is being dreamed. One is not only able to perceive the dream as such, but can even control and influence the dream events. According to studies, one in two people has experienced a lucid dream at some point in their life.

Lucid dreams are often experienced more intensely and are perceived as similar to real events. However, because the dream remains fictional and we are not bound by rules or physical laws, unrealistic situations can also be experienced in a lucid dream, such as flying or teleporting to another location. The dream situation cannot usually be influenced at the beginning of the dream, so nightmares can also occur during lucid dreaming and be perceived even more vividly.

Why we dream at all, you will learn in this article.

2. How does a lucid dream occur?

Lucid dreams typically occur during REM sleep. Dreams generally occur in all Sleep phases They occur during REM sleep, but are more frequent and experienced with particular intensity. During this phase, our nervous system is highly active, and our muscles are blocked by natural sleep paralysis. Lucid dreamers then become conscious in a kind of intermediate state between wakefulness and dreaming, which can occur completely by chance or be induced intentionally.

Some studies have observed that certain brain areas are significantly more active during lucid dreams, and that the transport and processing of information in the brain increases. This is likely related to the unusual conscious processes and the ability to shape the dream experience. Since lucid dreams often last no longer than about 10 minutes, sleep itself, and especially the restorative effect of sleep, is generally not affected.

3. What are the benefits of lucid dreaming?

Lucid dreams can have many benefits and positively influence our mood throughout the day. They give us the feeling of being able to freely shape an experience and experience situations that cannot occur in the real world. Wishes or daydreams can become reality, for example, the desire to fly, breathe underwater, or meet a person who is unattainable in reality. These experiences usually leave us with feelings of joy, freedom, or euphoria.

Lucid dreaming can also promote self-reflection, creativity, and performance. It can also be helpful in treating nightmares or psychological disorders, as lucid dreamers learn to actively influence negative dream content and transform it into a positive situation.

4. Learn to lucid dream

Inducing lucid dreams yourself is possible with some practice.In sleep science, various methods have been established in which lucid dreaming is either initiated from the waking state or consciousness is awakened during a normal dream.

Dream-Initiated Method (DILD)

The goal of this method is to "awaken" from sleep during a normal dream, transforming it into a lucid dream experience. The following techniques can help.

Keep a dream diary

A dream journal can help increase your awareness of dreaming and, through intensive engagement with your dreams, increase the likelihood of lucid dreaming. To do this, write down all the dream content you can remember each morning.

Conduct reality checks

Lucid dreams can seem very realistic. Therefore, it is important to learn to distinguish between dreams and reality – for example, with the help of so-called reality checks. This involves asking yourself repeatedly every day whether you are awake or dreaming, with the goal of making this question routine, arising even during dreams and leading to waking up. Also helpful are small reality checks, for example by covering your nose and mouth and trying to breathe. Of course, this is not possible in reality, but it is not a problem in dreams. This heightens your awareness of dream signs and makes it more likely that you will recognize a dream as such and "wake up."

Meditation and autosuggestion (MILD)

Here, you decide to experience a lucid dream before going to sleep and use various autosuggestions during the day, both in reality and in the dream itself, to trigger the lucid dream or influence the dream events. Before going to sleep, phrases like "I recognize when I'm dreaming" or "I'm going to have a lucid dream" are useful. In the lucid dream itself, you can direct events through autosuggestion, for example, by saying "I'm on an island" and suddenly finding yourself on an island.

Awake-initiated method (WILD)

When using a wake-initiated method, you practice slipping directly from the waking state into a lucid dream without falling asleep first. This means you train your body to fall asleep while keeping your consciousness awake. This is considered more difficult than dream-initiated lucid dreaming. Because in order to fall asleep and return to the natural state, Sleep paralysis To glide, you have to lie still and immobile for an extended period of time. The onset of sleep paralysis is also associated with unpleasant sensations and can be accompanied by tingling, itching, or tension, as well as so-called hypnagogic imagery. These are visual, auditory, or physical hallucinations that can occur during the transition to sleep.

5. Dangers and risks of lucid dreaming

During REM sleep, in which most lucid dreams occur, the body is in sleep paralysis, meaning the muscles are completely relaxed and we are unable to move. Despite the intense dreaming, there is therefore no danger of physical harm. However, on a psychological level, there is a risk that the positive experiences of lucid dreaming may lead to a kind of addiction, a reluctance to wake up, and increasing alienation from reality, escaping into the dream world.

6. Conclusion

• Lucid dreams are dreams in which the sleeper is aware that he is dreaming and can influence the dream events.

• Lucid dreaming can be learned and practiced through various methods.A distinction is made between dream-initiated and waking-initiated lucid dreaming.

• Lucid dreams can improve your mood during the day, your ability to reflect on yourself, and your creativity.

Best wishes and see you soon!