In lucid dreams, the dreamer is aware of a dream but will not awaken from it. These phenomena may also be defined as dreams that allow the dreamer to control aspects of their environment. However, certain people are more predisposed to "lucid dream control" than others, but this is not always the case.
According to surveys, approximately 55% of adults have had a lucid dream at least once, and 23% of people have a lucid dream every month or more. Research indicates that lucid dreaming could be beneficial in treating nightmares, for instance. However, other studies argue that lucid dreams cause sleep disruption and blur the lines between reality and fantasy, which can adversely affect mental health.
What Is the Process of Lucid Dreaming?
The phenomenon of lucid dreaming has been extensively studied, but much remains unknown. According to some researchers, lucid dreams are related to brain activity in the prefrontal cortex. While people are aware of objects and events within the dream state, they aren't aware of the dream itself and cannot differentiate between sleeping and waking. Low levels of cortical activity have been attributed to this.
Unlike common dreams, lucid dreams occur when the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming and can sometimes control where the dream takes place. Some studies say these characteristics may be associated with the elevated cortical activity. Lucid dreaming research has shown that the prefrontal cortex of sleepers is equally active when they are asleep and awake. This is why lucid dreaming is called a "hybrid state of sleep and wake."
Research has shown lucid dreams occur most frequently during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. However, normal dreams can occur during different stages of sleep. REM sleep is the fourth and final stage in a normal sleep cycle. NREM sleep consists of the first three stages. In general, researchers today agree that lucid dreams occur during the REM sleep stage from non-lucid dreams. Dream lucidity can be triggered in different ways, so it can be considered a particular aspect of dreams.
What Are The Methods For Studying Lucid Dreams?
A spontaneous lucid dream is rare and hard to foresee. Researchers use various methods to induce lucid dreams to study these phenomena. Following are a few common techniques:
Testing the reality: Participants perform sleep and wake tests throughout the day as part of this technique. In non-lucid dreams, recognizing yourself is impossible, so asking yourself if you are dreaming proves that you are awake. The concept behind reality testing is that repeated testing eventually seeps into participants' dreams. As a result, they will be able to distinguish between sleep and waking states and become lucid.
MILD (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams): In this method, one trains oneself to distinguish dreams from reality while sleeping. Researchers will induce lucid dreams by waking up subjects after five hours of sleep and having them repeat the phrase: "Next time I'm asleep, I'll remember I'm dreaming."
WBTB (wake back to bed): Some people have induced lucid dreams by sleeping for a certain period after waking up in the middle of the night. A combination of WBTB and MILD is often used. Combined with these two methods, 30 to 120 minutes seems to be the most effective time between waking up and returning to sleep.
External stimuli involve activating flashing lights and other stimuli during REM sleep to enhance the subject's experience. This method aims to trigger lucidity in dreams by incorporating this stimulus into them.
An electroencephalogram (EEG), during which metal discs are attached to the subject's scalp, measures activity levels in the prefrontal cortex and other brain areas once the subject falls asleep. Using an electrooculogram (EOG), you can also determine when someone is entering REM sleep by monitoring their eye movements. Certain eye movements are used in some studies to signal that subjects have lucid dreams. For detecting these movements, EOGs are particularly useful.
Health Effects of Lucid Dreaming
In recent years, self-induced lucid dreams have become increasingly popular. Inducing lucid dreams to fulfil wishes, overcome fears, and heal is the most common reason for doing so. Some studies say lucid dreams may also help you overcome nightmare-related fear and distress.
The benefits and harms of lucid dreaming are debated, however. According to some researchers, lucid dreams blur the boundaries between dreams and reality to the point that this can negatively affect one's mental health in the long term. Posttraumatic stress disorder sufferers, for instance, have shown little benefit from lucid dream therapy.
Some researchers have also discovered the potential disruption of sleep caused by lucid dreams. There is evidence that lucid dreams can reduce sleep quality and negatively impact sleep hygiene since they are associated with increased brain activity.
Additionally, narcoleptics are more likely to experience frequent lucid dreams due to their excessive daytime sleepiness.
There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding lucid dreams, and their study is quite new. Lucid dreams are complex and require further research to understand and determine why some people have them more often and intensely.
How To Lucid Dream
The right methods can trigger lucid dreams relatively easily. The following techniques may be used by those with no previous experience with these phenomena to induce lucid dreams:
Make your bedroom sleep-friendly: Besides ensuring a healthy sleep-wake cycle, good sleep hygiene can help ensure lucid dreams (which may occur during REM sleep). Temperatures between 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 18.3 degrees Celsius are generally considered optimal for sleeping. Darkness and relatively quietness should also be maintained in the room. Earplugs and sound machines can be used to block disruptive outside noises, as can blackout curtains, sleeping masks, and other accessories.
Evaluate your reality: Check your environment throughout the day to confirm whether you're asleep or awake by practising "reality testing." You might recognize the surroundings in a dream, but they'll be inconsistent and distorted. The ability to test your reality during dreams may be acquired by performing several daily reality checks.
MILD and WBTB methods: To induce lucid dreams by mnemonic induction, wake up after sleeping for five hours and tell yourself you're dreaming. Some studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the MILD method. Awakening after five hours of sleep is also required for the wake-back-to-bed technique. Before settling down to bed, you should stay awake for 30 to 120 minutes.
Dream journals: Keep a journal every morning to record all your dreams. If you prefer, you can record your dream memories on a voice recording device. Once you've fallen asleep, detailed dreams records will make it easier for you to recognize lucid dreams.
Suggestions have power: People who convince themselves that they will have lucid dreams after falling asleep can successfully induce them.
Take a lucid dreaming device: Many portable devices are available today to induce lucid dreams. It is possible to use these devices, which often come in the form of a sleep mask or a headband, to provide auditory stimulation as well as visual, tactile, or both by producing sounds, flashing lights, vibrations, or other cues that can trigger sensory stimulation. The cost of one of these devices is expected to be at least $200.
Gaming experiment: The frequency and control of lucid dreams have been linked to playing video games. Interactive video games are especially prone to this.
Lucid dreams can also be induced using other techniques. Certain types of medications, as well as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), apply electrical currents painlessly to different brain areas. These methods have not been scientifically proven to be effective. Unless under the supervision of a doctor or other credentialed medical or psychological professional, you should never attempt these techniques on your own unless they are done in a controlled laboratory environment.