Types of Lucid Dreams

There are several types of lucid dreaming.  For some one or the other comes more naturally, where for others hard work and persistence can lead to success with any of them.  The way we break down the types of lucid dreams is as follows:

Types of Lucid Dreaming: Passive vs. Active

Lucid Dreaming vs. Dream Control

This is a subtle difference.  In fact, dream control is actually a subset of lucid dreaming.  With lucid dreaming you are aware that you are in a dream and realize the difference between that state and regular dreaming.  Dream control adds another layer, and suggests that you can actually control what is going on around you.  This difference is one that for some people is significant.  Some have more luck with passive lucid dreams where they do not take control but merely enjoy and learn from what the dream brings.  The other terms we use, then, for this type of lucid dreaming are “passive” and “active”.

Passive vs. active lucid dreaming techniques

Depending on whether you are going to take an active or passive approach during your lucid dreams you may choose different techniques.  For example, you may find that dream-induced techniques (see below) are a little more challenging if your goal is passive lucid dreaming since you may already be quite active in the dream when you notice your dream signs.  On the other hand, using wake-induced techniques you may be able to more gently slide into the dream state and remain passive.

Using music or supplements

Depending on whether you intend to be active or passive, you may or may not decide to using lucid dreaming supplements or lucid dreaming music.  There may not be a general rule, but you may find, for example, that when you use certain supplements your dreams are much more vivid and fast-moving and it is therefore harder to take a passive approach.  On the other hand you may find that certain music actually creates calmer more soothing dreams, allowing for that passive approach.

Types of Lucid Dreaming: Wake and Dream Induced

Wake induced types of lucid dreams

Wake induced techniques (WILD) are those where you go directly from an awake state into the lucid dream.  Wake induced techniques are popular with those who will be using nap time to try dream lucidity.  It is also the favored techniques by those who will wake themselves up at the time of night when they are in rapid eye movement sleep. Some people find that wake induced techniques are easier at the beginning because they allow for a gradual entry and create at least some short but meaningful experiences of dream control.  Others find that wake-induced techniques are not optimal because they never fully achieve full dream immersion.

Dream induced types of lucid dreaming

Dream induced techniques (DILD) are those that use dream signs and other triggers to alert you that you are dreaming while you are already sleeping.  These are probably a little more popular because they occur during natural REM sleep when you may be a little less likely to wake up.  Dreams may be more vivid during these times.  In addition, for those who do not like naps, or for whom naps interrupt nighttime sleep, dream induced techniques are much preferred.

Many people ask which types of lucid dreaming is “best” or “easiest”.  This is often hard to answer.  As far as whether DILD or WILD lucid dreaming is easier, it is often just individual differences that guide that.  Some people have an easier time using wake induced techniques during a nap for example, while others find that dream signs are their trigger during dream-induced experiences.

Specific Types of Lucid Dreams

Repeating, scary, rehearsing, fantasy, time travel, exposure: This is a different way to look at the types of lucid dreams, having more to do with content than with techniques.  You can choose the content of your lucid dreams in order to help with something in your waking life, live out a fantasy, or get some sort of insight.  Here is more detail about these types of lucid dreams:

• Repeating lucid dreams are those where either a scene, some characters, or a unique action is repeated.  Repeated experiences can be interesting if you are hoping to draw meaning from your experiences – the themes of the scene, personalities of the characters, or the specifics of what you can do can point to your hopes, fears, or just generally what is on your mind at a subconscious level
• Scary dreams can also give insight into your fears and anxieties, and can certainly give you an opportunity to try to face them and overcome them.  Scary lucid dreams can also occur as your subconscious becomes uncomfortable with the idea that you can control your dreams.
• Rehearsing during dream control provides a way to face a fear, practice for an important event, or learn a new skill.  Rehearsing is hard to do for the beginner because it takes a longer dream that is sustained in a lucid state.
• Fantasy and time travel can be an exciting way to do things and see things that you would not otherwise do or see.  You can do things in your dreams that you could not otherwise do.  This is one major reason that people undertake this craft in the first place.
• Exposure provides a way to face a feared object or person.  For example, if you are afraid of spiders you can pick up a spider in your dream – it cannot really bite!  Or if you are afraid of public speaking you can face a crowd in your dream.

There is other excellent information out there on other sites such as best-lucid-dreaming-techniques.com about general types of dreams and at dreammoods.com about the meaning of dreams.

You may have decided to pursue lucid dreaming to have one specific type of lucid dream, or you may be excited by several of the possibilities.  There may even be ideas that you have not thought of, and visiting various lucid dreaming forums, talking to other lucid dreamers, or going about this with a partner may help you discover them.  When starting out we suggest that you choose the methods that create the most success, and then when you build confidence you can move on to others.

Please check out our other posts including What is lucid dreaming like and How to have lucid dreams fast

Types of Lucid Dreaming Techniques

Above you read about the two major types of lucid dreaming techniques, WILD and DILD.  But there are also more subtle types of lucid dreaming techniques that it are worth mentioning, as follows:

Types of Lucid Dreams Using Symbols

The major way that we induce lucidity is through using signs and symbols that we are not awake.  In other words, there are certain perceptions that change or are different when we are in a dream state.  By looking for these signs and symbols in our waking life, and therefore making that a habit that follows us into the sleep state, we can trigger many types of lucid dreams.  Some examples of these signs and symbols include reflections that change or are distorted, extra fingers of toes, the inability to come down after jumping, and the faces of others changing.

Types of Lucid Dreams Using Questions

Types of lucid dreaming techniques that involve questions you ask during the day, such as “am I dreaming” or “is this a dream”.  These cornerstone questions are designed to make their way into your dream state, just like other repetitive and memorable things that happen during your day tend to do.  These techniques are very common and easy, and can be combined with the above quite easily.

Types of Lucid Dreaming Techniques Using External Stimuli

If you use a lucid dream mask you can produce external stimuli in your dreams, including sounds and lights that show up in the dream.  These masks are able to sense when your eyes are moving (rapid eye movement or REM) and that triggers them to flash or make a sound.  Many have reported that these aids do provide a trigger that can help you know that you are dreaming.  We suggest that you learn different types of lucid dreaming techniques before you use a mask so you don’t come to depend on it.

Types of Lucid Dreams Summary

As you can see there are several types of lucid dreaming and differences in how they are achieved. You should learn all about the different types of lucid dreams, types of lucid dreaming techniques, and the major methods to induce lucid dreams.  If you are a beginner you should try each idea and stick with it for a little while, and if you are more advanced try something new and see how it works.

You may want to experiment with different lucid dreaming techniques in order to find out which types of lucid dreams are easiest for you to achieve.  Let us know which types of lucid dreams you tend to have, and share any information about the types of lucid dreaming that worked best for you.

The post Types of Lucid Dreaming and Types of Lucid Dreams first appeared on Lucid Dreaming Guide.

DILD Lucid Dreaming Techniques

DILD Lucid Dreaming, as opposed to WILD lucid dreaming, involves using techniques that bring you directly from the dream state to lucidity.  In other words, the dream starts first and then you realize that you are dreaming, as opposed to WILD lucid dreaming where you maintain lucidity from a wake state to a dream state.  Whether you try wake induced lucid dream techniques or dream induced lucid dream techniques is a matter or preference – one is not somehow better than the other overall, but some people find it easier to do one or the other.  In this post we cover DILD lucid dreaming in detail, including techniques, positives and challenges, and tips.

DILD Lucid dream techniques

DILD lucid dreaming techniques often revolve around the simple question “Am I dreaming”.  Since you have not gone directly from being awake to realizing you are dreaming you need a trigger to help you see that what is happening is a dream.  Practicing asking yourself “am I dreaming” so much during the day that you can’t help but also find yourself asking that in a dream works for many. You need to look around and concentrate on the question as you ask yourself whether you are dreaming.  Fully wonder as you look around and notice whether it seems you are dreaming or not.  Even though you may feel quite sure that you are definitely awake, this habit must be deeper than just asking the question and moving on.  The process of truly considering the question, even for 5 seconds or so, gives you the depth that will make it a real part of your life that can carry into your dreams.

DILD Lucid Dream Signs

Pairing the above question with knowing about dream signs is a cornerstone way to practice DILD lucid dreaming techniques.  Dream signs allow you to notice distortions and unreal events and images in your dreams.  These dream signs become a trigger also and practicing looking for them while awake can carry over to the dream when suddenly you realize that something is not how it should be and you must be dreaming.  Some examples of dream signs include seeing a distorted reflection in a mirror, having the wrong number of body parts (especially fingers), jumping too high when you try to jump, and seeing people and other perceptions change and distort if you look at them for too long.  Just by looking around as we suggested in the last paragraph and knowing a few specific dream signs to look for you may at some point find that you realize you are dreaming!

DILD lucid dreaming techniques are simple but they require a lot of repetition and practice.  You’ve probably noticed that things that occur with frequency in your waking life often get carried into your dreams, and in the case of DILD lucid dreaming you want to be sure that that happens.  You may even want to formalize things by counting how many times you look for a dream sign or ask yourself “am I dreaming” and make sure the number is quite high.

DILD Lucid Dreaming advantages and disadvantages

As compared to wake-induced lucid dreaming, dream induced lucid dreaming or DILD have some clear advantages and disadvantages.  The advantages of DILD is that you get as many tries as you have dreams that you can remember the next day.  In other words, you may not be prompted in your first dream of the night to look at a dream sign or ask yourself “am I dreaming?”, but with DILD lucid dreaming techniques you still have a chance with subsequent dreams.  That is not true of WILD techniques where your best and sometimes only chance is with your first dream of the night where you transition from a wake state to the dream.  The other main advantage is that some people find that dreams that are well within REM spell last longer and are more dream-like, while dreams that happen first thing or even after you wake yourself up in the middle of the night sometimes are not truly deep dreams and it is easier to wake up from them.

The disadvantages of DILD lucid dreaming techniques when compared to WILD techniques are often related to a matter of preference and results.  Some people have a much easier time with techniques that take them directly from a waking state to the dream, and this may be particularly true of lucid dream pursuits during naps.  In other words, despite the advantages listed above, some people feel that WILD lucid dream techniques are easier to use.

The bottom line when it comes to the advantages and disadvantages of DILD lucid dreaming techniques is that it is often a matter of preference as far as the techniques themselves and how much success each one brings.  Keep in mind that you can certainly try both types of lucid dream techniques ast the same time anyway!

DILD Lucid Dreaming Tips

Here are some further tips that may help you pursue successful DILD lucid dreaming techniques:

1. It is perfectly okay to be trying some WILD lucid dreaming techniques and DILD lucid dreaming techniques at the same time.  The only caveat is that some ways of pursuing WILD techniques, such as waking yourself up in the middle of the night or trying these techniques during naps, may interfere with your normal sleep and therefore your chances at using DILD lucid dreaming techniques successfully.  That said, there is no reason why you should not try.
2. Make sure that you are truly considering your surroundings when asking yourself “am I dreaming”, and one way to do this is to concentrate on one or two lucid dream signs only.  For example, every time you have an opportunity to look at your reflection, whether in water, glass, or a mirror, take the time to really look at yourself while asking “am I dreaming”.  Or deliberately look at your hands many times while considering whether they look right and stay looking the way they should.
3. As always, make sure you are doing everything you can to remember your dreams.  Unlike WILD induced dreams which may be easier to remember, DILD lucid dreaming can happen at any time of night.
4. Lucid Dreaming Supplements may be more effective with DILD lucid dreaming techniques than WILD lucid dreaming techniques since they sometimes take a little while to be effective.  Of course we suggest you try to have at least a few initial successes with lucid dreams before you try supplements, but after that you may find that ingredients like Calea Z and Galantamine can help with DILD lucid dreaming techniques
5. Lucid Dreaming Aids such as binaural beats and isochronic tones are not helpful for DILD lucid dreaming given that you are already asleep, but other aids such as lucid dreaming masks can be quite helpful. These masks are designed to detect when the wearer is in REM sleep and at that point they send a signal in the form of a light or a sound. As with supplements we suggest that you have some initial success before you try a lucid dreaming mask so that you don’t feel dependent on it.
6. DILD lucid dreaming techniques are best used when you can truly get a good night’s sleep. While we have mentioned before that you can certainly be practicing both WILD and DILD lucid dreaming techniques at the same time, you may find that if you are doing WILD by using naps that your nighttime sleep is disrupted. While you can use DILD every night, they may be most successful when your sleep is deep and you can sleep through the night. This sets up regular REM cycles which are vital to these techniques.
7. Our last two tips have to do with what to do if you find yourself lucid after using DILD lucid dreaming techniques. First, make sure you relax and at least while you are learning be calm and passive as you watch what is around you. DILD lucid dreaming is more sudden and perhaps more exciting than WILD lucid dreaming, so you need to be sure your excitement does not wake you up. Second, notice and remember the trigger – what exactly promoted you to know you were dreaming? Use that exact trigger the next few days because that could be your main sign.

DILD Lucid Dreaming Summary

DILD lucid dreaming may seem a little harder than WILD, but in fact it is likely a matter of fit. Some people find that these techniques just seem to work better, or that their experiences are deeper and more vivid with these techniques. The good news is that you do not have to make a choice and can certainly be trying WILD and DILD lucid dreaming at the same time. In fact, you may find that once you are successful at one the confidence and experience you gain makes the other more successful too.

As always please use our comments section to describe your own experiences. This can be quite motivating to other readers. And if you have other tips please share them. Also, we will try to answer any questions that come up, and explore new ideas related to DILD lucid dreaming that people submit.

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WILD Lucid Dreaming: The Wake Induced Lucid Dream

WILD lucid dreaming may sound like a description of what might happen in the dream, crazy and fanciful things.  That might be true, but that is not what this term points to.  The wake induced lucid dream is something quite different.  As you may know by now, one of the most common and perhaps most effective lucid dreaming techniques remains asking yourself if you are dreaming during your day as many times as possible.  This plants the seed and then when you ask yourself the same question when you are asleep, you suddenly realize that you are actually learning how to WILD lucid dream.  And in many cases you fall asleep asking yourself that question as thoughts and images enter your mind.  This is the essence of wild lucid dreaming or having a wake-induced lucid dream.

We do not favor or focus on one of the other type of lucid dreaming on this website – whether you find that dream-induced or wake-induced lucid dream techniques are for you you’ve come to the right place.  But we did decide that we should set aside one full-page to dedicate to wake-induced lucid dreaming techniques because they can be quite different and unique from their DILD cousins.  If you are someone who feels that wake-induced techniques are more likely to work for you, you’ve been trying dream induced techniques but they haven’t worked well enough, or you want to be able to be successful at both dream- and wake- initiated lucid dreaming, you’ve come to the right place.

How to WILD Lucid Dream

The following steps provide a wild lucid dreaming guide that you can follow in order to have success with wake induced lucid dream  techniques.

Step One: Setting the Stage for WILD Lucid Dreaming

Of course the most important part about WILD lucid dreaming is timing.  You want to make sure you are set up so that you are practicing your lucid dreaming techniques at exactly the right time.  You want to be right near the time in your REM cycle when dreaming will occur.  Thus you either want to do wake induced lucid dream initiation techniques as part of nap-time lucidity or after you’ve slept for to five hours at night.  Trying WILD lucid dreaming techniques right when you go to bed is unlikely to lead to anything.  Some people are able to wake up that many hours later by using their internal clock, but you may have to set an alarm at first.  One way or another you have to set things up so that your body is ready for lucid dream entry and timing will be quite important.  Many people find that they are able to dream right away when they nap, though you may also find that these dreams are lighter and more fleeting.

Another important part about setting the stage for WILD lucid dreaming is practicing pre-techniques that are a good match for this approach.  So as you visualize having lucid dreams make sure that includes sliding from awake to asleep, and asking yourself “am I dreaming” along the way.  Think of what it will be like when you realize that you are aware but not awake.  And think about what you will do first to check things out – what dream signs will you use to test the fact that you are actually aware but dreaming.  This type of preparation can be an important piece of making sure that you wake up in the dream itself, or more accurately in this case that you slide into the dream maintaining awareness.

Any wild lucid dreaming tutorial will styart with this step, and now we move on to the preparation that you will need.

Step Two: Wake induced lucid dream prep

Now you awake and your body is ready to enter REM sleep fairly quickly.  You need to be sure to quickly re-relax yourself after the wake-up.  Use deep breathing and relax your muscles – you might use progressive relaxation where you move up or down your body relaxing your muscles, or just concentrate on those areas where you seem to be having trouble relaxing.  Release all tension and feel yourself getting heavy and more relaxed.  Use self talk to say “I am falling asleep and will enter a dream” or something like that.  Stay focused on your quest without being so excited that you stay awake.  Soon you may find yourself seeing brief bits of color or patterns, or you may even see images.  Beware of getting to excited by these images – excitement can snap you out of this relaxed state and back awake.  A trick to WILD lucid dreaming techniques is staying relaxed.  Quietly and passively enjoy these first perceptions and you are on your way in learning how to wild lucid dream.

While all of this is happening, continually ask yourself if you are dreaming?  As the images and colors pass by, wonder if they will come together and become a dream.  Feel yourself falling into sleep.  If you find that you keep snapping out of falling asleep as you anxiously wait for the dream state, that is okay.  Eventually you will fall asleep, so just keep at it and continue to relax and wonder whether you are dreaming.  Keep in mind that being relaxed is a nice state anyway, whether or not you are sleeping or dreaming, so try to enjoy your relaxation instead of getting impatient.

Our lucid dreaming tutorial now moves on to the step of actually entering the wake induced lucid dream, and then we go over how to stay in the dream state.

Step Three: Wake Induced Lucid Dream Entry

Soon you will realize that you are actually close to sleep.  The images may become more focused and dream like.  Congratulations, you have successfully done WILD lucid dreaming techniques and now you might be entering your dream world.  You may realize you are in dream state merely because it is obvious – things are just too weird or impossible and you just realize things are too different.  This is actually quite possible.  You may notice dream signs if you’ve used wild lucid dreaming techniques and have successfully entered a wake induced lucid dream.  You may have decided to look out for  “Dream Signs”, those actions or perceptions that are only possible in a  dream.  In other words, while you were just awake asking yourself “am I dreaming”, you now find yourself aware but in a dream state – you are learning how to wild lucid dream!

Some examples of dream signs that you can look for when using wild lucid dreaming techniques:

Look for dream signs like flying!

• Your hand will always look distorted in a dream, with extra fingers, not enough fingers, or a general distortion in your perception.
• You will not see a reflection in your dream, or if you do it will not be you or will be very distorted or different
• Colors will either be non-existent or very strange during your dream state
• You realize you are doing something unreal, like flying
• Other people will not be “stable” – they may change either their identity or their appearance often

These are just a few of the more common dream signs that can be used to signal that you have been successful with your wild lucid dreaming techniques.  Our suggestion is to continually look for these signs in your waking life, even if it sometimes feels repetitive and silly.  Look at your reflection in everything you can and every chance you get.  Look down at your hands many time.  Notice normal colors in your environment.

Wikihow does a nice job of summarizing a simple wild lucid dreaming method

The next step in our wild lucid dreaming tutorial involves maintaining your place in the dream.

How to Wild lucid dream Step Four: Stay in the Dream

Now that you are lucid in your dream you need to be careful not to get too excited or move too fast or you might wake up.  Remember, with WILD lucid dreaming you have just fallen asleep, so you are close to a waking state (this is true of all dreams of course, since dreaming takes place in a shallow sleep period, but it may be particularly true when you enter the dream from a waking state.)  At first, and particularly if this is one of your first experiences of lucidity, move slowly and be relatively passive.  Notice your surroundings and enjoy the feeling of being lucid.  Move slowly and instead of trying to take a lot of control let the dream control things at first.  Look for the dream signs listed above.  If you are able to stay lucid and prolong the dream that is great, but even if the experience is fleeting enjoy the fact that you were successful.

After you wake up there are other steps you need to take to learn from the experience.  Make sure you keep a journal that documents your success.  Write down aspects of your WILD lucid dreaming experience from the length of the dream (if dream time was real-time), the vividness, what dream signs you used, what time of day or night you were successful, and what you did.  This type of information can be helpful as you refine our WILD lucid dreaming approach in order to get better at it.  There may be patterns that can help you be more successful, and it is possible that you may even learn how non-WILD lucid dreaming techniques can be more successful as well.

WILD Lucid Dreaming Overview

There is conflicting advice out there about whether a good way to induce lucid dreaming is through daytime naps or daydreams.  This is often called daytime wake-induced lucid dreaming.  Some say that these times present a better opportunity to quickly enter REM sleep and therefore quickly transition to the wake induced lucid dream and that these times present a good opportunity to enter a semi-dream state to practice lucidity.  Others feel that these times are limited in both the duration and number of dreams.

We don’t disagree with either opinion.  Almost everyone would agree that the deepest and most prolonged lucid dreams are likely to occur at night, during the regular sleep schedule.  The problem with naps is that they often interfere with nighttime sleep rhythms, particularly when they are not “needed”.  Thus, our advice is to try to lucid dream at night for a while, and only if it proves difficult and you want to use naps to generate you first lucid dreaming experiences, they may provide a jump-start.

Dream Induced Lucid Dream (DILD) techniques are probably best for the novice lucid dreamer, and then daytime wake induced lucid dream techniques may be good as an adjunctive approach once you are beginning to see results and want to expand the number of techniques you use and types of dreams you have.

It can be helpful to try both dream-induced and wake-induced lucid dream techniques.  If you follow the above, with an emphasis on continually asking yourself if you are dreaming as you are falling asleep, you will eventually realize that you have learned how to wild lucid dream and have successfully used WILD lucid dreaming techniques.

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Is lucid dreaming dangerous in any way?  Can it lead to problems in your waking life somehow?  These are common questions that people ask, and that makes sense.  Lucidity does not seem natural or normal at first.  It feels like you should leave your subconscious alone and allow for “normal” dreaming.  Some people say that dreaming provides a way for your mind to think things through, or exhaust the thoughts and feelings of the day before so you can move on into the next day.  There are also theories that say that dreaming allows us to find new solutions or insights that can be helpful.  If dream control interrupts any of these processes, does that make it somehow dangerous?

Is lucid dreaming dangerous – in short, no

The short answer is that there is no evidence that lucid dreaming is dangerous, and by now there are an incredibly wide variety of reports about lucidity and practitioners that share their experiences on forums and other online groups.  Of course as with much of this field, more research would be helpful to see if there are any negative or of course positive effects of dream control.  The following is our best guess as far as a more detailed answer to the question “is lucid dreaming dangerous?”

Is Lucid Dreaming Dangerous: Can you get hurt

Can you get hurt during your lucid dreams?  The answer to this question is actually quite simple.  When you are dreaming your body goes into a frozen state.  This is a healthy and natural occurrence which protects you from actually moving around like you are in your dreams and possibly hurting yourself.  So a very basic answer is that you do not have to worry about taking control of your dreams and then causing yourself harm as you move around in the dream state.  Of course you will also not carry forward any problems encountered in the dream.  If you bruise your elbow or cut your lip in your dream, that will go away by the time you wake up!

There is one exception to the above and that is when you experience movement that occurs both in the dream and in your bed because you have not fully transitioned into a sleeping state.  During this time, called the hypnagogic state, you can move a little even though you are dreaming.  You might kick, brace yourself if you are falling in the dream, or even talk.  Of course this type of movement will be most likely to occur if you are using wake-induced techniques.  So is lucid dreaming dangerous if you do use those techniques given that you might move a little?  It’s quite unlikely, and as you get better at your techniques and know to take things easy as you first slip into the dream you may be able to avoid this problem.

Is Lucid Dreaming Dangerous: Are there physical effects?

Another reason why people ask “is lucid dreaming dangerous?” is because they are wondering whether a lack of normal and natural sleep can be a problem.  The short answer is that lucid dreaming does not cause any problems related to a lack of sleep or a disruption in sleep cycles.  You are still dreaming during REM sleep and your body is still enjoying the benefits of normal sleep.  You should feel as rejuvenated as usual even if you have the most active dreams.

There are some exceptions, however, and they have to do with any lucid dream aids you choose and/or any wake-induced approaches you use.  For example, any lucid dreaming supplement you use could have an effect on the depth, quality, of cycle of your sleep.  If you are using wake-induced techniques and this involves waking yourself up in the middle of the night, that may have an effect.  And finally, methods such as using a mask may end up causing you to wake up more frequently over the course of the night.

So, Is Lucid Dreaming Dangerous?

As you can see, the short answer to the question “is lucid dreaming dangerous?” is no.  You cannot hurt yourself due to actual movements while you are sleeping, and you will not disrupt your sleep if you are careful about what techniques you use.  But as you can see from the above, there are some potential mild issues that you might face when practicing dream control, and it is worth mentioning ways you can lessen their potential impact.

When is lucid dreaming dangerous?

• If you are someone who routinely kicks or otherwise moves when you are passing from a waking state to natural sleep, you may want to concentrate on dream induced techniques, at least at first, where that kind of movement will be less likely.
• While it may sound obvious, and may not be common, you should not practice wake-induced techniques if you are sleeping on a top bunk bed, your bed is quite high, or you sleep particularly close to someone.  The kicking and other movement could be just enough to push you out of bed or cause you to kick your partner.
• If you really need a good night’s sleep or have had trouble sleeping, you may want to be careful about techniques that require you to wake up in the middle of the night or that require naps that could throw off your nighttime sleep.
• Similar to the above, do not use lucid dreaming supplements that cause changes in your sleep patterns if you need to be sure to get a good night’s sleep.  In general do not use supplements that you may either be allergic to or have a bad reaction to.
• While not technically dangerous, your lucid dream, like any other dream,, could turn into a nightmare.  There are many causes of lucid nightmares which we will devote a post to in the future, but for now suffice to say there are scary lucid dreaming stories out there that suggest that this can be a caution.

Also see our post called “Is lucid dreaming real”, and an external one at New Health Advisor about potential dangers of lucid dreaming.

The tips above will help lower the chances that you will have any of the mild lucid dreaming issues listed above.  But the bottom line is that because we are asking about the word “dangerous”, we are really answering about more significant dangers than those.  Perhaps people wonder whether certain lucid dreaming content can be dangerous, such as characters that pop up in your dream, or places you decide to go and things you decide to do.  There is no research that would suggest this, and little on forums that your indicate any of this is a problem.  So the answer is no to “is lucid dreaming dangerous?”.

The post Is Lucid Dreaming Dangerous? first appeared on Lucid Dreaming Guide.

Despite how simple it may seem, how we define lucid dreams may depend on some context and may differ depending on why a person might ask for a definition.  In this post we go over some varieties of lucid dreams definitions that can fit many different inquiries.

Lucid Dreams Definition: Meanings

Perhaps the person asking us to define lucid dreams is looking for something a little deeper than the simple explanation we provided above.  Maybe we need to provide a lucid dream definition that incorporates aspects of the experience and goes deeper into the meaning of these experiences.  In this case we might define lucid dreams as:

• “A state where almost anything is possible given the vastness of your imagination”
• “A place where you can do anything you want and control your environment in ways that would be impossible while awake”
• “A wonderful experience where you are awake yet your are not limited by the bounds of what is possible while not dreaming”

These are the types of definitions of lucid dreams that can be quite motivating to others and capture the deeper meaning a potential of this craft.

Lucid Dream Definition: Practical

Of course some people ask us to define lucid dreams because they are looking for a practical definition.  For these purposes the simple definition of lucid dreams we used in the first paragraph may be enough.  Yet there are some details we can add, such as:

• Lucid dreams are a state where you are asleep and in REM sleep, but you are able to know that you are dreaming and therefore interact with the dream world purposefully.
• Lucid dreams are dreams that occur while you are fully asleep yet your conscious mind functions as it normally does while you are awake
• Lucid dreams involve knowing you are dreaming and being able to control some aspects of the dream.

Detailed Lucid Dream Definition

Some would argue that any practical definition should include several important components without which we would not call the experience true lucid dreaming.  In this case the definition would state that you need all of the following in a fully lucid dream:

1. You are aware that you are dreaming as opposed to being aware but thinking that everything around you is real.  The latter, of course, is typical of many normal dreams.
2. You know you can make purposeful decisions about what you will do in the dream.  You may choose to be a passive observer of course, but as long as you know you could take action then you meet this criteria.
3. You know you are you.  In other words, you are aware that you are dreaming, you are in the dream, and the thoughts and feeling belong to you
4. You retain the knowledge of the difference between your current state and your waking state

You may be able to arrive at your own definition by looking at our other information such as steps to lucid dreaming and how to have lucid dreams.

You can also look externally as well, perhaps breaking this down into its component parts.  Foe example Yahoo Answers has a nice thread answering the question “What Does The Word Lucid Mean?”

Pre-Lucid Dreams Definition

There is another definition of lucid dreams that should be mentioned here, and that is the “pre-lucid dream”.  In these instances you are not sure whether you are dreaming or not, and before the debate ends with a conclusion that you are aware and dreaming you either wake up or go back to normal dreaming.  These pre-lucid dream experiences are common and many would say are precursors to successful lucidity.

Wake-Induced vs. Dream Induced Definition

One of the first decisions you may need to make when using lucid dreaming supplements is whether you will pursue wake induced or dream induced lucid dreams.  You can try both, but most likely one will work better for you than the other.  The choice may guide exactly which supplement to take and when to take it.

Wake induced lucid dreams are those that you fall into from a waking state – as your body is falling asleep you maintain consciousness until the dream state initiates.  Most people find wake-induced lucid dreaming the easiest, but it has been reported that wake induced lucid dreams are often shorter and maybe even less vivid than sleep induced dreams.  In addition, obviously, using a wake induced only method limits you to having lucid dreams shortly after falling asleep.  Wake induced dreams require you to take a supplement that works quickly, and it often means you need to take the supplement well before bed (or before a nap if that’s when you will try to have dream control)

Dream induced lucid dreams take more preparation and can be more difficult at the beginning.  These are lucid dreams that are entered during all times of the night.  Many have reported that, in the long run, this is the way to go for the reasons given above.  For these you need to make sure that the lucid dreaming supplement will l;ast long enough to have its effect later at night when you will be dreaming, so these techniques often require you to take the supplement close to bedtime.

One way to pursue lucid dreams is to try both techniques, even at once.  However, do not give up too early on sleep induced lucid dreaming or you may be selling yourself short.  One way or another it is helpful to plan your lucid dreaming supplement routine around your choice of wake induced or dream induced lucid dreaming and dream control.

All of the definitions of lucid dreams may prove helpful as you talk to others about this art, and as you journal your own experiences.  Please feel free to use the comments section if you have other ideas and suggestions regarding a lucid dreams definition.

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Lucid Dreaming Books for Beginners

The following lucid dream books are perfect for those just starting out, though they can also be good refreshers for those who have had some success with lucidity.  This is not a complete list, but it is a group of the best lucid dreaming books.

• Lucid Dreaming for Beginners by Mark McElroy is a great place to start.  This lucid dreaming book is particularly good for those who want to have an organized approach, since it provides a 90 day plan.  Even if you do not want to stick with the 90 day program, the tips and techniques contained in the book can be very helpful.  The lucid dreaming stories that are in the book provide ongoing motivation.
• Lucid Dreaming: A Beginner’s Guide to Becoming Conscious in your dreams by Charlie Morley is also a great read for those just starting out.  This book contains an abundance of helpful tips and techniques and many stories that can be motivating.  It also has information and advice provided by more advanced lucid dreamers.
• Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen Laberge may be the best known book on this topic and it is a great place to start for beginners.  We could really list this book in several categories given its broad reach and how packed it is with material.

Advanced Lucid Dreaming Books

The above are lucid dreaming books that are specifically written for beginners.  But for those who have already started to have success with lucidity the following are some of the best books on lucid dreaming that can help you have even more success, including more frequent lucid dreams and longer periods of lucidity.

• How to Master Lucid Dreaming: Your Practical Guide to Unleashing the Power of Lucid Dreaming by Sean Kelly goes over both simple and more advanced techniques that can be used to attain lucidity.  It explores new ways to accomplish lucid dreaming techniques, and how to tweak them to make them most effective.
• Lucid Dreaming, Plain and Simple: Tips and Techniques for Insight, Creativity, and Personal Growth by Robert Waggoner gives advanced tips to using the art of lucidity for personal growth and transformation.  This lucid dreaming book is good for both beginners and more advanced lucid dreamers, and is great for those who want to hear more about the science.
  
• Lucid Dream On Command – Advanced Techniques For Multiple Lucid Dreams Per Week by Jamie Alexander is a great book for those who have been able to have lucid dreams but now want to have more of them and longer lucidity.  This is a great book for those who want specific instructions that can improve their experience and make it more frequent.
  

The Best Lucid Dreaming Books

The choices above are just a few of the many excellent lucid dreaming books available.  They are all good but there are plenty of others which are also good.  So how can you choose among all the choices and pick out the best books of lucid dreaming for you?  There are three steps that we suggest, as follows:

Books on lucid dreaming and your progress

First, think about where you are in your progress toward mastery of lucidity.  Are you a beginner who has not purposely had lucid dreams?  Are you someone who has had a little success but would like to be able to achieve lucidity more often or for longer periods of time?  Are you an expert who wants new ideas about what you can accomplish while in your dreams?  And then there are subsets of these categories: Perhaps you are a little stuck and would like to hear the stories of others which can be motivating, or maybe you have mastered one way to lucid dream like wake-induced techniques and now you want to master dream-induced techniques.  All of these questions may help you narrow down your choices to the best lucid dreaming books for you.

Lucid dreaming books reviews

Second, look for online reviews at large websites.  Make sure you find a website that appears to publish all reasonable reviews, even the negative ones.  Find the lucid dreaming books that not only have a high overall rating but perhaps also a lot of reviews.  This is a sign that the book is both popular and well liked.  You might also turn to forums to get suggestions about the best lucid dreaming books.  Use the search feature to find threads that cover the topic, and then look for suggestions made by people who have been members of the site for a long time and seem reputable.  Be a little wary of affiliate links – links to a specific book that a member seems to be promoting and perhaps making money from clicks or purchases.  These are not always a bad choice, but they often do warrant further investigation.  The affiliate links on this website, for example, do not reflect higher prices.  The stores are willing to pay a commission, but that commission is given out of the normal price for the item – you do not pay more.

Lucid dream books that “fit”

Finally, look for lucid dreaming books that fit your style.  Do you like a book that uses bullets, lists, and charts so it is clear and well-organized, or would you rather read a longer passage to get additional detail and depth.  Do you like a workbook style book?  Would you rather a book that reads scientifically, or one that is more elegant?  In many cases websites will allow you a short preview of the book and you should take advantage of that to see whether the presentation style fits your preferences.

We hope this post will help you choose the best books on lucid dreaming for your hopes and goals.  We invite you to use our comments section below to let us and other readers know of any lucid dreaming books you have used and like.

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What is a lucid dream?

Let’s take a step back.  In fact, let’s take a few steps back.  What is a lucid dream?  Those of you who are new to lucid dreaming or those who have had experiences that seem close to but not quite lucid may wonder what an accurate description of lucidity is.  We would be remiss if we did not take this step back and explore this question a little.

The question “what is a lucid dream” seems fairly simple to most – they are dreams that you have some degree of control over and realize that you are dreaming.  But if we dig deeper the question “what are lucid dreams” can be quite complicated, because it may be difficult to determine exactly when a dream becomes and stays lucid.

What is a lucid dream: Types

1. In many cases the  experience of lucidity is fluid, and may come and go within one dream.  While we may decide that that is still a lucid dreaming experience, we may also decide that there needs to be some sort of sustained experience before we can call it fully lucid.  The best example of this is when you are using wake-induced techniques and you are lucid at the very beginning when the dream started as you drifted to sleep.  When was it actually a dream and when was it more a daydream as you were drifting off to sleep?
2. Sometimes you may have one but not the other criteria.  In other words, you may have a dream where you are afforded the ability to control what is happening, but you are not aware that you are dreaming – in the dream you think it’s the real world and you are amazed at your own abilities.  Or perhaps you may have the realization that you are dreaming without being able to control what is happening (this often happens toward the end of dream experiences.  My suggestion for the answer to “what are lucid dreams?” in this case is that awareness is more key – awareness without control is an experience of lucidity, while control without awareness is not.

Defining what are lucid dreams

Does this clear things up as far as our question “what are lucid dreams?“?  Usually it does, but there may be other instances that muddy the waters a little, for example:

1. What if you have a dream about lucidity, but you’re not quite fully aware.  In other words, you contemplate lucid dreaming in the dream but you are actually not fully aware that you are dreaming?  Is there a fine line behind which this type of experience can be classified as lucidity because the dream has all the aspects except for your clear awareness?
2. How about if you experience lucidity during your hypnagogic state before you truly enter a full dream state?  It’s not always easy to measure exactly when you’ve gone from deeply relaxed and experiencing imagery and when you are truly dreaming.
3. How about the dream that alternates between you being aware and not?  Does your answer to “what are lucid dreams” suggests that even a few seconds of lucidity qualifies the experience, or do you require some degree of sustained awareness?

So the simple answer to our question is that the ideal lucid dream offers both control and awareness, and we still suggest that the central key is merely the awareness end – if you know you are dreaming then you are lucid.  But this still leaves some details to be answered, such as how full that awareness needs to be, how long does it need to last, and when exactly are you in a full dream state.

Bottom Line: What are lucid dreams?

Given all of the above, and the potential complications you might have in answering the question “what are lucid dreams?” in a clear and concise way, we offer the following three definitions.  These three definitions are all interrelated, and it may often make sense to give all three when only one has been asked for:

1. What are lucid dreams: Lucid dreams occur when you are fully asleep yet also fully aware during your dream cycles.  You know you are you, and you realize you are, in fact, dreaming.  Whether this feeling lasts for the full dream or just for a small part does not matter.
2. What is dream control: When you are not only lucid but also at least partially in control of what you do, or what your surroundings look like, or who appears in the dream that is dream control.  Lucid dreams can happen with or without dream control, but dream control is the key to knowing how to dream what you want.
3. What is lucidity: In order to fully have a lucid dream you have to reach a state of lucidity.  This means that there is no question to you that you are as aware as you are while in your non-sleep state, and feel completely like yourself.  Dreaming about lucid dreaming may or may not include lucidity.

These three definitions show the breadth of the possible answer to the original question, and allow you to give a well-rounded answer that gives even more information to those who ask.  These definitions may also prevent the need to answer follow-up questions!

Wikipedia is  great place to get a definition and overview of lucid dreams.

What are lucid dreams conclusions

All of this said, experiencing lucidity may be something you do by feel and without the need for a definition.  As you get more experienced and expert at your techniques perhaps you will more fully experience the answer to the question “What are lucid dreams?”

The post What are Lucid Dreams first appeared on Lucid Dreaming Guide.

But what about a more detailed answer, perhaps the person asking what is lucid dreaming like wants details or wants to understand the experience from a feeling perspective.  In this post we cover those types of answers.

World of lucid dreaming has a great description of what lucid dreaming feels like and Quora has a nice Q&A where people thoughtfully answered about their feelings while lucid dreaming.

You can also see our related post “Is Lucid Dreaming Real?”

What is Lucid Dreaming Like: Details

To answer “what is lucid dreaming like” objectively you will give details about your experience.  You may describe how fanciful your surrounding were, how things changed in ways that would be impossible in your waking life, and the distortions that often happen in dreams.  You might refer back to your own dream signs and describe how you could not make out your reflection, or how people kept changing into different people.  Perhaps you will describe how scenes would come and go, and how you were able to do superhuman things like jumping very high or flying.  You could even get into more detail and talk about themes that popped up repeatedly.

Many people enjoy describing the benefits of lucid dreaming and that could also lead to answers to the question “what is lucid dreaming like?”.  You might describe how you overcame a fear, or how you were able to talk about something you have trouble talking about.  On the other hand, some people will want to hear about things that may be scary or off-putting, so you could describe any negative characters you have encountered, or challenges you’ve faced.  One way or another the answer to the question might include a list of details of the experience that helps the person understand what the experience might be like.

What is Lucid Dreaming Like: Feelings

Perhaps what the person really means is “What does lucid dreaming feel like?” and in that case the answer might be a little different.  They may want to know what the experience is from an emotional point of view, or a physical sensation perspective.  If so you could describe how you felt when you realized you were lucid in your dreams, and the emotions that followed as you progressed during the period of lucidity.  You could probably describe everything from scared feelings when dreams went that way, to excited feelings when you did something that would be impossible in your awake life.  You could talk about how you challenged your fears or helped yourself feel better about something by controlling your dreams.

You might also describe how your body felt during the dream – did you feel lighter or heavier, and did you feel more flexible and free?  You could describe each sensation and how it felt – how your vision and hearing were different perhaps.  Describing not only the details within the dream but your own sensations and feelings rounds out the answer to the question “What is lucid dreaming like?”.

What is Lucid Dreaming Planning Like

Once you have begun to see what lucidity is like you will find yourself thinking more and more about your next potential experience, what you can do to more effectively induce lucidity and stay within your dreams for longer, and how you might interest others in this art.  In other words, thinking about lucid dreaming brings on lucidity, and that in turn makes people think even more about lucidity.  This all becomes a positive cycle leading to more and more dream experiences.  In fact, excitement about lucid dreaming provides a lot of motivation and then the fact that it can directly lead to even more experiences is an added bonus.  This is one reason why we often suggest that people find lucid dream partners in their waking lives.

What is lucid dreaming like as an interest

Many people find themselves longing for sleep and the potential to have lucid dreams as they go about their day, though in many cases this is tempered by the fact that it can be exciting and thought-provoking to wonder about the experiences and take the day times to think about how to make it better.  You might also use the days to practice new techniques, go on forums and other sites where you can share you own lucid dreaming stories and hear others, and research whether here or elsewhere new possibilities.  When people ask “what is lucid dreaming like?” they are likely expecting an answer that has to do with the nighttime experience, but you might also want to describe how this art affected your days as well!

Why your answer to “what is lucid dreaming like” is important

Of course the main reason your answer to the question “what is lucid dreaming like” is that it can motivate you to learn new techniques and find new companions that will join you in your lucid journeys.  It is a great question to ask yourself as you consider switching from wake-induced to dream-induced techniques, for example.  It is also a great question to ask if you have started your adventure with a parter or group, or you belong to an online forum.

All in all, your answer may help motivate people who are just starting out and trying lucid dreaming techniques.  They may also motivate new people to try them in the first place.  And finally, for those who are a little more experienced these conversations can be a great way to compare notes and perhaps learn a few things.  So prepare your answer, should anyone ask, to the question “What is lucid dreaming like?”

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History of Lucid Dreaming Reports

There are many pieces of evidence that early civilizations were aware of lucidity and dreaming.  Thus if we use the definition of “history of lucid dreaming” that is not about the science behind the quest for lucidity, and just focus on reports of lucid dreams, we can go back quite far.  For example, we see evidence in paintings that have withstood time from around 5000 years ago of pictures of people seemingly having lucid dream experiences, mostly of an out-of-body type experience that is akin to lucidity.  At that time they likely were seeing this as more of a spiritual journey of some type, but there is still a link to what we now called lucid dreams.

History of lucid dreaming attempts

We also see more direct evidence in more recent history of groups of people experimenting with lucid dreams.  Our real evidence in the history of lucid dreaming of a culture looking for specific lucid dreaming techniques is found in several places, including the fact that around 100 years ago Tibetan monks did a combination of meditation and yoga that was designed to promote periods of lucidity during dreams.  This was not the only evidence in the lucid dreaming history of a group pursuing techniques.

The actual term “lucid dreaming” got its start when a writer and scientists Frederik van Eeden used the term in his 1913 book A Study of Dreams.  Not surprisingly the book was not popular at first and certainly not accepted by the scientific community.  Surprisingly, even though many people at the time had likely had spontaneous experiences of lucidity, the possibility of having purposeful lucid dreams was mostly dismissed.  It really wasn’t until 60 years later in the history of lucid dreaming that the field achieved some degree of scientific acceptance.

History of Lucid Dreaming Science

The history of people pursuing lucid dreaming science through scientific research is more recent.  There are several major pioneers in this area:

In 1968 the first book about the potential of lucid dreams was published, Celia Green’s “Lucid Dreams”.  But the first real scientific studies came in the 1980s, with initial studies working to confirm that the lucid dreaming experience is possible. The idea that a brain scan can be used to verify that something different was going on when someone had achieved lucidity was the main idea during this important time in the history of lucid dreaming.  At the same time, researchers we able to see that people experiencing lucid dreams were fully aware that they were dreaming.

The real pioneer in the recent scientific history of lucid dreaming is Stephen LaBerge who started at Stanford University and went on to be a major figure in the field, leading substantial research into lucidity along with his partner Dr. Lynn Nagel.  LaBerge was ale to use certain eye signals to confirm that the person knew they were dreaming.  He soon formed the The Lucidity Institute which became (and still is) a cornerstone center for the study of lucid dreams.

Soon there were new studies and new products, and in the history of lucid dreaming the last 20 years have seen an explosion in devices that can help you achieve lucidity, research, supplements, and new techniques.

History of Lucid Dreaming: Modern Times

In the history of lucid dreaming the current period is all about science and technology.  While in the past great efforts were made to define and in some ways prove the concepts behind lucidity, right now the goals involve getting a better understanding of what causes lucidity and how it can be enhanced.  We are also in an age when lucid dreaming aids are being used and perfected, everything from certain kinds of beats to dream masks which can signal a dreamers when she r he is dreaming.

Some of the scientific history of lucid dreaming has included:

• The Neurological Laboratory in Frankfurt Germany investigated brainwaves of lucid dreamers during REM sleep and found that they appeared to be fully conscious given the closeness of their brainwave activity to that of people who are awake.
• The Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich found that actions performed by lucid dreamers while in the dream state were recorded by the brain in a very similar way to those actions while awake.  In other words in appeared that  the brain does not distinguish between activities the body is actually performing while awake from those performed in dream states
• In the Journal Consciousness and Cognition a meta-review of the current research into lucid dreaming provided some excellent guidance about techniques, supplements, aids and the results were interesting an informative.

There have also been recent studies on lucid dreaming aids including masks that flash a light or make a tone when the dreamer is in REM sleep, an increase in the effectiveness of technologies such as binaural beats and isochronic tones, and better supplements that might create lucidity.

History of lucid dreaming: Next steps

What will the next chapters be in the history of lucid dreaming?  Will we get to a point where technology allows for people to have frequent and long experiences of lucidity?  Will we find new techniques that work even better than the ones we commonly use now?  The history of lucid dreaming to this point has suggested that we are in a period of rapid improvement in our understanding of lucidity and our ability to induce lucid dreams.

DreamStudies has a nice lucid dreaming timeline, and Altered States presents a good history of lucidity as well.

We hope this history of lucid dreaming proves helpful as you pursue this art, showing how far the field has come and how it is currently accepted within many corners of he scientific community.  Please use our contact form if you know of other key parts of the history of lucid dreaming.

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Lucid Dreaming Facts Overview

What follows are two presentations of lucid dreaming facts.  The first covers 10 interesting facts about lucid dreaming that you may not know, and then the second section covers scientific facts about lucid dreaming that may be interesting.

Lucid Dreaming Facts Top Ten

Here are 10 core lucid dreaming facts that summarize the wonder of this pursuit, and might give you conversation starters when talking with those who may not have heard of, or at least have never thought of trying, lucid dreaming techniques:

1. Lucid dreaming is natural.  Many people have spontaneous lucid dreams without trying.  So using lucid dreaming techniques just allows you to increase your chances of having an experience that might have happened naturally anyway.  This is one of the lucid dreaming facts that many may not be aware of

2. You can have lucid dreams at night and also when napping.  This is an important fact because there may be somewhat different techniques that work best for each type of lucid dream.  In fact, while you can pursue both types of lucid dreams at the same time, many people find that they do better with one or the other.

3. There are supplements that can help set the stage for lucid dreaming.  Some of these supplements are things you may have heard of, such as Choline and for some people Vitamin B.  Some you have probably not heard of such as Calea Z and Galantamine.  These supplements cannot directly induce lucidity, but they can help set the stage by making dreams longer, more vivid, or more frequent.

4. There are certain beats and frequencies that you can play to increase your chances at lucidity.  Often categorized as “Lucid Dreaming Music”, Bianaural Beats and Isochronic Tones may be ways for you to put your mind in the perfect state for lucid dreaming.  These two techniques work a little differently and one or the other may work better for you.

5. There are many others trying to reach lucidity just like you.  many forums and other online resources have been dedicated to bringing together lucid dreamers, and connecting with them can be fun, motivating, and educational.

6. There are actually devices that can help you achieve lucidity by giving you a signal either visually or with noise when you are in REM sleep and dreaming.  These devices, often called masks or goggles, have been reported to be successful for some.

7. Any list of lucid dreaming facts must include the fact that techniques are central to your pursuit of lucidity.  You may use supplements, music, or a mask to help you, but the bottom line is that solid techniques are what will lead you to success.

8. There are certain dream signs that can help you notice that you are dreaming.  Many visual perceptions that are intricate and detailed are distorted or constantly change when you are in a dream.  Looking for these signs while awake can trigger you to look for them when you are asleep, and that can trigger lucidity.

9. Passive lucid dreaming means that you are aware but you let things unfold without trying to take control.  This method can help you learn about yourself and your subconscious, and can be quite exciting.  You can even split a dream between passive and active.

10. You can practice for an upcoming event by tapping into lucidity.  Maybe you have a speech t give, or you have to camp out but are afraid of spiders, or you want to ask a girl or boy for a date.  You can practice and gain confidence while dreaming.

These 10 facts about lucid dreaming are helpful to keep in mind as you are learning the art, and at some point you will have your own facts to add.  There are so many possibilities and paths you can follow as you learn how to lucid dream.  See also our lucid dreaming stories for more personal facts from others.

“I love lucid dreaming” has seven interesting and thought provoking facts related to lucid dreams.

Lucid Dreaming Facts: The Science

Here are a few facts related to the science behind lucidity.  These lucid dreaming facts are sometimes motivating – knowing that there is solid science behind the art of lucid dreaming can show that your techniques can truly pay off.

1. EEG readings have been used to prove that during periods of lucid dreaming there are brain wave patterns that suggest consciousness, coming as close as possible to proving the existence of lucidity during dreams.

2. Lucid dreaming can even be traced to certain parts of the brain. It has been theorized that when we become lucid in our dreams the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for self-awareness, becomes activated. This only happens during lucid dreams, not normal REM sleep.

3, Certain chemicals can enhance the lucid dreaming experience. For example, eating a food high in Vitamin B6 has been known to increase the vividness of dreams.  You can also take supplements that have B6, but you should consult with your doctor before taking high doses.

4. We are programmed to keep a small connection to our waking world while dreaming – it’s one of our survival mechanisms.  That is why lucid dreaming aids such as masks that flash light or play a sound to signal that we are dreaming can work well for some people.

If you are looking for something more general, LifeHacks provides information about sleep and dream facts.

These lucid dreaming facts summarize the art of lucidity, but of course there are many other interesting and facts that we could list as well.  We hope you find them both motivating and interesting.  Best of luck as you try to achieve lucidity tonight or during your next nap.  Please use the comments section if you want to add to this list of lucid dreaming facts.

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