Lucid dreaming unlocks a world where you control the narrative. But how does it work, and what impact does it have on mental health?
Where else can we soar through the skies, visit uncharted lands, and meet fantastical creatures—all without leaving our beds?
Only in our dreams.
When your subconscious mind awakens in sleep, it can paint images and scenes so strange and wonderful that all you want to do is explore and play.
So it’s a real shame that most of the time, we can’t control what we do in our dreams – we’re not even aware that we are dreaming. Even within our own mental territory, our will isn’t our own. Our imaginations are the puppeteers, and we’re simply passive actors being pulled along on strings.
However, if you’re lucky, there’ll be one night when, right in the middle of falling from a terribly high cliff, you realise that, hey, this is just a dream.
Finally, you’re the one in charge. You immediately fly to safety, armed with the knowledge that you can shape your internal reality with the slightest thought.
And that is the miraculous power of lucid dreaming.
What It Means to Lucid Dream
Humankind – in particular, philosophers – has been trying to unravel the secrets of lucid dreaming for hundreds of years.
With how much it has been studied up until now – and how often it’s publicised in popular culture – many of us already know that lucid dreams occur when we are aware that we are dreaming, thus allowing us to change the dream narrative.
Research suggests that roughly 50% of people have had it once. An even smaller group of people, perhaps 20%, are able to experience it monthly, with even fewer individuals being able to enjoy it weekly.
In terms of where this phenomenon occurs in the four stages of the sleep cycle, it is more likely to appear in the final one, also known as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. While the first three stages take us from light to deep sleep, the REM stage brings out our most evocative dreams.
“During REM sleep, the brain becomes highly active, with increased activity in areas responsible for processing emotions and memories as well as the visual cortex,” explained Dr Alla Demutska, the Clinical Director of Counselling and Psychotherapy at The School of Positive Psychology, in CNA.
As higher cortical activation has been linked to lucid dreaming, it may explain why we are able to achieve this in the REM phase, more so than in any other stage.
The Impact of Lucid Dreaming On Our Mental Wellbeing
Lucid dreaming does more than just serve as entry into a vibrant, fantastical domain in which we rule – it has some pretty interesting effects on our mental health too.
Benefits
✅ Supports Emotional Regulation
Lucid dreaming may have practical applications for emotional wellness, with research showing that participants who underwent Lucid Dream Therapy reported lower levels of anxiety and depression.
Another study even suggests that after experiencing a lucid dream, an individual may wake up in a more positive mood.
✅ Enhances Creativity
The impossible takes place in dreams, and this can be influential to your creativity and problem-solving skills. Being able to explore different scenarios and outcomes can lead you to developing new ideas, or gaining greater insight on an issue.
✅ Promotes Confidence
Being able to control your dreams can even make you more self-confident. This can lead to an improved sense of empowerment and autonomy in your waking life, potentially resulting in greater life satisfaction and self-esteem.
However, as exciting as all these can be, it does come with a few downsides.
Downside
⚠️ Lowers Sleep Quality
The vividness of lucid dreaming can interfere with your regular sleep processes, preventing you from slipping further into REM sleep. It might even wake you up too soon and make it harder to fall asleep again, resulting in sleep deprivation.
⚠️ Greater Confusion
Lucid dreaming can blur the lines between reality and fiction, especially for those with mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, causing delirium.
⚠️ Triggers Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis, a state in which you are conscious but unable to move your body, can happen with lucid dreaming. It can occur if you awaken from REM sleep too quickly, and, while temporary, can be quite a frightful experience.
Despite these risks, lucid dreaming still offers up magical moments for our minds and souls, if you’d like to have one.
How to Train Yourself To Lucid Dream
Despite being less common for many, the ability to lucid dream can be cultivated through certain techniques.
- Get Enough Sleep
Lucid dreaming is most likely to occur during the REM phase, which happens later in the sleep cycle. Ensuring you get sufficient rest – ideally 7-9 hours – gives you more time in REM sleep, increasing your chances of a lucid dream.
This technique involves regularly questioning whether you are dreaming throughout the day.
Try looking at a clock, reading text, or flipping a light switch – things that often behave strangely in dreams. The idea is that by making this questioning a habit, it will carry over into your dreams, helping you gain self-awareness.
Recording your dreams forces you to remember what occurs in them. This can help you recognise dream signs, which are details that help you realise whether you’re dreaming.
This is an induction technique that involves waking up five hours after bedtime, staying awake for a brief period, and then going back to bed with the intention of becoming aware in your dreams by going directly into REM sleep.
While these methods can increase your likelihood of a lucid dream, they’re not exactly a sure shot. But with mindfulness and practice, you can unlock a whole new world within your dreamscape.
Unlocking the Door to Your Dream World
Lucid dreaming is a rare and thrilling phenomenon that allows you to explore your subconscious mind like never before. While it has its downsides, it can also be an incredible tool for creativity, confidence, and emotional well-being.
So the next time you drift off to sleep, keep an open mind…You might just wake up inside your own dream.
External References
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