Lucid Dreaming is a mystery we’re starting to crack

[Eldorado]

Have you ever been aware you’re dreaming? Perhaps even controlled what happened in your dreams? If so, you may be a lucid dreamer.

In part 6 of our neuroscience expert series with Ben Rein, a neuroscientist at Stanford University and a social media science communicator, we learned about these lucid dreamers.

Rein tells Pop Mech video producer Ken Kawada that early research on them has revealed some compelling data.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a41954144/lucid-dreaming/

[Buzz_Light_Year]

11 minutes ago, Eldorado said:

Have you ever been aware you’re dreaming? Perhaps even controlled what happened in your dreams? If so, you may be a lucid dreamer.

I always thought that everyone dreamed that way to a certain extent. I've always dreamed that way and I find it weird that others don't.

[Bed of chaos]

Is it "impairing the lucid dreamers quality of sleep". I'd say that depends on the induction method (how you induce  lucid dreams). There's many methods. One method (wake initiated lucid dream) left me in a weird uncomfortable trance for hours. Though most lucid dreamers are in agreement certain things can increase ur odds (keeping a dream journal).

In regards to, ask yourself "am I dreaming" technique (usually called reality checks) I think its overrated. I tried for months and it didn't improve the frequency of lucid dreams. Also the "control everything" aspect is debatable. You can be lucid but doesn't mean every wish (like flying) is granted. Anyway, if you can practice & pull it off multiple times, it's an insane experience.

Edited November 19, 2022 by Bed of chaos

[Alchopwn]

Perhaps someone can help me here.  I find that when I start to lucid dream of late that I tend to just wake up.  I want my infantile wish fulfilment back . 

Any hints or suggestions as to how to remedy my unfortunate situation?

[+Hammerclaw]

Four shots of brandy.

[Alchopwn]

On 11/21/2022 at 7:55 AM, Hammerclaw said:

Four shots of brandy.

Nah, tried that.

[darkmoonlady]

I've been a lucid dreamer my entire life. Call it a side effect from being taught visualization by my Mom for pain as a very little child. I have had chronic pain from a birth defect and had seen kids desperate for their next shot or pill, and offered barbiturates at a young age as the only treatment. My Mom taught me to visualizefor pain relief, if you've ever seen the movie Mask, same thing Rocky's Mom used. From that I became a lucid dreamer and learned to hone it so I can change details, create new dreams while I sleep, start dreaming immediately as I fall asleep. As a kid I would start a story in my head before I fell asleep and then kept the story going once I was asleep. As an adult my usual dream prompt is "Where do I want to go" and set my intention as I drift off. Only time I don't lucid dream is when I'm on hospital drugs after a procedure or surgery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by darkmoonlady

[Bed of chaos]

On 11/20/2022 at 2:56 AM, Alchopwn said:

Perhaps someone can help me here.  I find that when I start to lucid dream of late that I tend to just wake up.  I want my infantile wish fulfilment back . 

Any hints or suggestions as to how to remedy my unfortunate situation?

You could practice (inducing lucid dreams) more often. Many times, it's usually short. Your memory easily plays tricks on you. I've had numerous (lucid) dreams, the moment I realize it, cops or mysterious people drag me away (wherever I am) and claim I'm not supposed to be there. I've seen the term "dream police" on dream forums numerous times. So it's not just me. I'm NOT saying it's something paranormal but definitely strange.

Anyway to have a prolonged lucid experience isn't easy. It's a juggling act to stay lucid, like being in between two worlds. I'd constantly remind myself (sometimes it seemed like 30 minutes) I'm definitely dreaming. If you get too excited or distracted you may forget about it. I'd visit different lucid dream sites for more info (it's out there). Good luck.

Edited November 26, 2022 by Bed of chaos

[Alchopwn]

15 hours ago, Bed of chaos said:

You could practice (inducing lucid dreams) more often. Many times, it's usually short. Your memory easily plays tricks on you. I've had numerous (lucid) dreams, the moment I realize it, cops or mysterious people drag me away (wherever I am) and claim I'm not supposed to be there. I've seen the term "dream police" on dream forums numerous times. So it's not just me. I'm NOT saying it's something paranormal but definitely strange.

Anyway to have a prolonged lucid experience isn't easy. It's a juggling act to stay lucid, like being in between two worlds. I'd constantly remind myself (sometimes it seemed like 30 minutes) I'm definitely dreaming. If you get too excited or distracted you may forget about it. I'd visit different lucid dream sites for more info (it's out there). Good luck.

My problem is that I achieve lucidity for a little while then I just bounce awake.  It's a recent thing.  Annoying too.

[Bed of chaos]

On 11/27/2022 at 5:25 AM, Alchopwn said:

My problem is that I achieve lucidity for a little while then I just bounce awake.  It's a recent thing.  Annoying too.

This happens to many people. After you wake up, you could try setting an alarm for 2-3 hrs then induce another lucid dream (look up techniques on dream sites). Its called wake back to bed. Basically increase ur probability it happens. Over and over again. That's all we really know. Be persistent and increase ur odds. I'd guess more than once a month.

When you become lucid, you never know what strange, spontaneous situation may happen.. May sound vague but you have to remain calm. It's a juggling act. You simultaneously can't get too excited (many wake up) or slip back into fantasy land (forget ur lucid). No one said it was easy.

Edited December 2, 2022 by Bed of chaos

[the13bats]

Hum, seldom do i not both know im dreaming and in control of said dream although amount of control varies, i thought this was a side effect of my nervious anxiety type mental issues.

Lets say im working on some hobby interest in real life and hit a hurdle if i think about solutions while drifting off i will many times keep right on thinking about it asleep dreaming and figure out a solution.

However sometimes when im sick or getting sick i have a weird endless loop dream they differ but basically the repeative part where i have to complete a task that cant be completed only makes sense while asleep so i quickly forget most of it when i wake. Those type leave me exhausted i can still in a limited way control them.

 

[Resume]

On 12/7/2022 at 4:50 AM, the13bats said:

Hum, seldom do i not both know im dreaming and in control of said dream although amount of control varies, i thought this was a side effect of my nervious anxiety type mental issues.

Lets say im working on some hobby interest in real life and hit a hurdle if i think about solutions while drifting off i will many times keep right on thinking about it asleep dreaming and figure out a solution.

However sometimes when im sick or getting sick i have a weird endless loop dream they differ but basically the repeative part where i have to complete a task that cant be completed only makes sense while asleep so i quickly forget most of it when i wake. Those type leave me exhausted i can still in a limited way control them.

 

I've controlled (for lack of a better term) several times, most notably once a sex dream.  Decorum suggests I not elaborate.  I know I'm dreaming when sometimes I see dead people in them, and then almost always I wake up.  They're never disturbing or troubling, so I just shrug and go back to sleep.

[+and-then]

I recall knowing I was dreaming once.  I was about 4 years old and I dreamed I had a little bear chasing me down.  I remember telling myself to wake up that I was only dreaming.  That was the only time I recall doing that.

[the13bats]

14 minutes ago, and-then said:

I recall knowing I was dreaming once.  I was about 4 years old and I dreamed I had a little bear chasing me down.  I remember telling myself to wake up that I was only dreaming.  That was the only time I recall doing that.

4 yo? Thats pretty cool.

I have a pretty good time marker of my young childhood, my folks divorced when i was 5 and mom moved me to orlando so i have memories of stuff under 5 in jacksonville, in fact my step mother was a bit surprised when dad would confirm a memory i had.

While i do recall lots of dreams i really dont know when i had them you know 10 yo or 5 yo in fact i dont think i do recall dreams younger tham maybe my 20s, ill have to think on that a bit.

[Unusual Tournament]

On 11/27/2022 at 8:25 PM, Alchopwn said:

My problem is that I achieve lucidity for a little while then I just bounce awake.  It's a recent thing.  Annoying too.

Lucid Dreaming for me is a process. I remind myself all day that I'm going to lucid dream at night. I set the alarm clock to wake 4 hours into my sleep. When i wake, i quietly wait a couple of minutes and then go back to sleep. It tires me out but its fun every now and then   

[Cirice]

I've had some extraordinary lucid-ish dreams where I either start to realise I'm dreaming shortly before waking up, or I think "Is this a dream? No, it's definitely really happening" only to wake up and realise it was a dream. I've also had that happen, woken up and then started questioning whether I'm still dreaming, and then actually woken up and found I was. It's discombobulating. One thing that often tips me off that I'm dreaming is that I'm trying to use my phone and for whatever reason it won't work, or I keep mistyping or dropping it etc. Not quite as neat a tell as DiCaprio's spinning top in Inception but it's weirdly consistent! 

Edited January 10, 2023 by Cirice

[Chauncy]

About 20 years ago I used to smoke cigarettes. To quit I started taking a smoking cessation drug called Chantix. It worked perfectly as described and I quit permanently.

Now let me tell you about the lucid dreams I had while on that stuff!!! My goodness people it was a trip!!

At first I would call them nightmares because the feeling of panic was so intense that I would wake up in terror and it would take me a few seconds to a minute until I could ground myself enough to know that I wasn't dreaming anymore. Over time though I began to realize that there was nothing scary happening in my dreams. The panic and sense of terror came from not being familiar with the feeling of being conscious that I was unconscious. Similar to a sleep paralysis.

I actually became more comfortable with the feeling and started to look forward to going to sleep so I could experience the lucid dreams more fully. The best way to describe it would be that when we have normal dreams we are more or less a witness to the dream. With a lucid dream you are a participant!

The chemical responsible for these lucid dreams in Chantix is called varenicline tartrate.

https://www.dailychemist.com/smoking-blogs/can-champix-cause-psychedelic-dreams-are-they-harmful/3839130/

[TrumanB]

I am often aware of dreaming but I am not in control. I read about some techniques, maybe I should start practicing them.

Edited January 16, 2023 by TrumanB

[Bed of chaos]

On 1/10/2023 at 8:40 AM, Cirice said:

I've had some extraordinary lucid-ish dreams where I either start to realise I'm dreaming shortly before waking up, or I think "Is this a dream? No, it's definitely really happening" only to wake up and realise it was a dream. I've also had that happen, woken up and then started questioning whether I'm still dreaming, and then actually woken up and found I was. It's discombobulating. One thing that often tips me off that I'm dreaming is that I'm trying to use my phone and for whatever reason it won't work, or I keep mistyping or dropping it etc. Not quite as neat a tell as DiCaprio's spinning top in Inception but it's 

Many dream sites use the same terminology for these things. The spinning top (basically ask yourself if ur dreaming) is usually called a reality check. When you think your awake, but still dreaming, a false awakening. Anyway, I find it strange Inception borrowed all these concepts but never mentioned the term, lucid dreaming once (unless I missed it). Or maybe the term confuses people.

[CuriousEye]

On 11/19/2022 at 3:33 PM, Buzz_Light_Year said:

I always thought that everyone dreamed that way to a certain extent. I've always dreamed that way and I find it weird that others don't.

A lot of people don't. You are into the global minority. 

[Shadowsfall]

On 11/22/2022 at 7:27 PM, Alchopwn said:

Nah, tried that.

8 shots of brandy….

[Portre]

I was shocked await once upon realizing in my dream I had made a conscious choice.