What is lucid dreaming and Why does it happen
The problem with Lucid dreams is that it will be felt so real that it makes us sometimes wake up with sweaty hands and racing heart- all shaken up. Understand more about this kind of dream.
Why do we see Lucid dreams?
When we sleep, our brain cycles through rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. During non-REM, our brain waves, heartbeat, and eye movements gradually slow down. Whereas in REM sleep, our brain would continue to stay active. Lucid dreaming usually happens during REM sleep.
In a lucid dream, we know that we are dreaming. We are aware of our dream state. The lucid dream can take us to a feeling of sight, motion, happiness, and also to the world of fear, sadness, and pain.
Is there anything bad about Lucid dreams
A too close to reality dreams can also wake you up from sleep. Getting back to sleep again would be difficult as the mind would keep pondering about the dream you just saw. This will affect sleep quality. This can behave like a feedback loop – Poor sleep quality leads to more nightmarish dreams, and in turn, these dreams lead to poor sleep. If dreams are not positive, they may even keep you from falling asleep at night.
How is Lucid dreaming triggered
Lucid dreaming happens in two ways. In one case, you are dreaming and suddenly because of something happening in the dream you realize that you are, in fact, dreaming. In the other case, you have just awoken from a dream and then immediately go back to sleep without making any conscious break.
Are Lucid dreamers smarter
People who have lucid dreams may generally be more insightful than other people said study researchers Patrick Bourke and Hannah Shaw, of the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom. Researchers looked at 68 psychology students between the ages of 18 and 25. The participants were asked how often they experienced lucid dreaming and were asked to solve puzzles. The results showed that, on average, participants who were frequent lucid dreamers solved 25 percent more of the puzzles than people who had never experienced lucid dreaming.
How long do Lucid dream last
A Lucid dream can last up to 15-20 minutes, on average.
How to get out of Lucid dreaming, incase it’s troubling you
- Getting good sleep can help in keeping lucid dreams under control.
- Go to bed and wake up at consistent times,
- Say no to caffeine and alcohol at night
- Follow a regular exercise routine
It’s advisable not to dictate lucid dreams, it may be more restful to simply let them happen. But, if those dreams are creating a stressful sleep experience, contact your doctor.
What are the best resources for learning more about lucid dreaming?
Lucidity Institute offers lucid dreaming training through several modalities. To start with you can read Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (EWLD) by LaBerge and Rheingold (Ballantine, 1990).
