Sleep Health

Published November 22, 2023

12 min

How to Lucid Dream in 5 ways- Meaning, Techniques & Benefits

Control your dreams with these proven methods

Nectar Editorial Team

Table of contents

What is lucid dreaming?How to Lucid Dream - Effective Lucid Dreaming TechniquesHow to Wake Up From a Lucid DreamBenefits of Lucid DreamingCautions Related to Lucid DreamingSumming It upFrequently Asked Questions

Has it ever happened to you that you are aware that you are dreaming? Do you have a hero moment where at the last minute, you find out that you’re just dreaming and can change the narration? If yes, then you have experienced lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming is the state of being aware of your dreams. Sounds interesting? You know, a lot of people do ask the question, how to lucid dream. After all, lucid dreaming is an art not everyone can master. Did you know, only 20% of people have mastered the art of lucid dreaming? You, too, can try how to lucid dream tonight with these tips. How? Just keep reading, and we’ll explore all about lucid dreaming. What is lucid dreaming, how to lucid dream easily, what are the benefits, techniques and how long does it take to lucid dreaming?

What is lucid dreaming?

Lucid dreaming is the state where you are aware that you are dreaming. Although it was discovered in the 1900s, the details are still unknown about this phenomenon. You get to control the narrative of your dream and explore your dreams with some sense of reality. Now, if you are intrigued to know when lucid dreams happen, then the answer would be during the 4th stage of the sleep cycle. Also called hybrid sleep awake state, the person dreaming controls the characters of the dream. It’s like you are the director of the play in the dream.Are you aware of the REM stage of sleep? Read our blog to know all about REM sleep .

How to Lucid Dream - Effective Lucid Dreaming Techniques

The lucid dreaming technique allows you to train your mind to stay aware during dreaming. This art can be mastered with the right technique, and mind you; it won’t be a piece of cake. Practice can tell you how long does it take to lucid dream. Let’s explore some techniques, shall we?

Make your room comfortable

The key to lucid dreaming or just dreaming is a comfortable room. Who can fall asleep in an uncomfortable environment? Ensure your room is clutter free, dark, there’s no disturbing noise. Keep it cool and toss away all your devices. Have a soothing and calm aroma and just calm down and sleep. These play a vital role in providing comfort. Temperature management would be a better option as it is a major contributing factor for sound sleep. Do you know what your sleep cycle is ? If not, then read our blog to know all about your sleep cycle.

Check your reality

It’s important to understand your reality, or you’ll end up in a situation like ‘inception’. Nobody likes to lose their mind over a dream. But when you lucid dream, you tend to mix your reality with dreams. In such cases, controlling your dreams might become a bit difficult as you won’t be able to tell the difference. In dreams, the philosophy of life is quite different from reality. Hence, you should try to do these things the next time you dream to confirm that you are dreaming. 1. In the dreamland, you won’t be able to do it as you would in reality. Try pressing your hand against the wall, check your reflection in the mirror and see if it is normal, try and hold any hard object. This sends signals to the brain that you are dreaming or awake. 2. Look at the time and then look away, then look at the time again. In dreams, time changes really quickly, while in reality, it doesn’t happen. 3. Try remembering where you came from. You might find yourself sitting in a beautiful beachside cafe but do you remember where you come from? In reality, you will remember the journey of traveling, but in dreams, you might not.

Maintain a sleep journal

What can lead you to a lucid dream is to write it down. Keep a dream journal and try filling it the moment you wake up. This way, you keep track of things and understand your dreams better. These details will help you recognize the dreams easily, which will help you trigger these dreams. Explore your natural phase of sleeping with a sleep calculator. Know how you can calculate your sleep. Read our blog to find out how many hours you sleep.

Use the MILD technique

MILD stands for Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams. This technique involves you waking up after a few hours of sleep, then developing the mindset that you’re dreaming and sleep after having said repeatedly ‘I will know when I’m dreaming’. This technique tells your brain to be aware when you dreaming.

The WBTB method

The WBTB lucid dreaming, also called as Wake Back to Bed, is a technique that anyone can master. Go to sleep and set an alarm after 4 to 5 hours of sleep. Try and stay awake for 30 minutes. Indulge in some quiet activities like reading or sitting quietly. And then go back to sleep. By doing this, you explore the state of learning how to lucid dream and increase your chances.

How to Wake Up From a Lucid Dream

Lucid dreaming while awake can give you chills. Your mind isn’t powerful enough to get you out of a dream instantly. Sometimes you might need some kind of method to wake up from the dream. In this way, your memory of lucid dreams remains with you. Let’s explore some cool techniques to wake up from a wild lucid dream, shall we?

Remind yourself that it’s time to wake up
Try to read something in the dream. This could help you wake up sooner.
Blink repeatedly. Performing such an action will trigger your mind to wake up.
Try to feel your index finger against your other palm.
Try to fall asleep in the dream. This would help you to wake up instantly.

Benefits of Lucid Dreaming

Now that you know most about lucid dreaming, you might have a question, is lucid dreaming dangerous? To be honest, it has more benefits than drawbacks. Let’s dive into the benefits of lucid dreaming.

Helps you to overcome fears

It’s great that your mind is aware that it is just a dream. The percentage of adults having a nightmare is between 50-85. Think about it, wouldn’t it be nice to know and control your dreams? This way, you can overcome your worst fears or issues like PTSD, depression, substance abuse, etc. After all, this is what we do in real life, understanding and then finding a way to get rid of the fears and nightmares.

Reliefs anxiety

Dreams can be weird, scary and can pump your heart rates pretty soon. It is nice to know that it is just a dream. This feeling can relax your mind and train it to control situations that increase your anxiety.

Improves motor skills

Lucid dreaming can enhance your motor skills for good. It improves the sports abilities easily. It helps in physical rehabilitation in physically disabled people thereby, enhancing their motor skills.

Enhances creativity

Lucid dreaming sharpens the mind and opens it for endless imagination. When you know how to control your dream, you can be creative about it. It can boost your visualization skills as they open the mind to imagine for more possibilities. If you are a regular at it, you should know how to stop lucid dreaming, the cautions to retaliate to it, and all the red flags before diving deep into it. You might develop some of these issues.

Sleep issues

Popularly called insomnia, if you practice lucid dreaming too much, then you might enter into a stage where you’ll struggle to fall asleep. Know the causes of sleep deprivation and ways to overcome it. Read our blog on sleep deprivation.

Depression

Too much of anything isn’t great. Using ludic techniques can become the cause of depression. It is advised to practice meditation to destress the mind.

Sleep paralysis

Lucid dreaming can be the cause of sleep paralysis as you only train your mind to be awake. Before things go wrong, you should know how to lucid dream without sleep paralysis. You can do this by not moving your body at all.

Summing It up

Although lucid dreaming is an art, you need to practice it to master it and be aware of the dangers of lucid dreaming. To become a lucid dreamer, you need to be careful while practicing. It will take some time, but you will get there. With these lucid dreaming tips, now you know how to lucid dream every night without any hesitation.This article is for informational purposes and should not replace advice from your doctor or other medical professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lucid dreaming real? Yes. These dreams might feel vivid, and it is a state where you are the controller of your dream. Your brain understands that you are dreaming. Are lucid dreams good or bad for you? Lucid dreaming can be good as it helps you to overcome your fears and reduces your anxiety. This could help you find the strength and possible solutions to your fears, thereby calming your mind. Is lucid dreaming rare? Not exactly, but not everyone can lucid dream. Yes, it is an art, but with the techniques shared above, you too can practice lucid dreaming. You just need to know how to dream about what you want. Can you control your dreams? Yes. Learning how to lucid dream can help you control your dreams too. You just need to practice it the right way, find out what works for you, and you’re all set. How to control your dreams? Once you learn how to be awake in your dreams, then you can practice controlling it. The secret ingredient here would be not to panic when you realize this is a dream. When you find yourself comfortable in your dream, then you can do whatever you want. How to train yourself to lucid dream? You can follow the WBTB, MILD techniques to allow yourself to lucid dream. These techniques are easy to practice and will help you find out what works for you and what doesn’t. How to lucid dream in 5 minutes? Very few people can have lucid dreams in minutes. You need a lot of practice for that. A regular lucid dreamer might be able to lucid dream within minutes. The best way would be to meditate and be aware of your mind’s state. You can see the ways to lucid dreams and see which one works the best for you. It will also help you to train your mind accordingly.

How to Lucid Dream in 5 ways- Meaning, Techniques & Benefits

What is lucid dreaming?

How to Lucid Dream - Effective Lucid Dreaming Techniques

How to Wake Up From a Lucid Dream

Benefits of Lucid Dreaming

Summing It up

Frequently Asked Questions

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