Have you ever really thought about your dreams? You go to sleep each night and maybe you dream, maybe you don’t, right? When you do dream (and remember it) those dreams seem so real sometimes don’t they? It’s like you were there in person, not in your head. The reason for this is that you may be having a lucid dream.
What is a Lucid Dream?
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According to Wikipedia, a lucid dream is a type of dream where the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming. During a lucid dream, the dreamer may gain some amount of control over the dream characters, narrative, or environment; however, this is not necessary for a dream to be described as lucid.
Lucid dreaming occurs during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. You can train your mind to notice your consciousness as well. When you do so, you are designing a way to regain or maintain consciousness as you enter REM sleep.
How can you remember your dreams?
A dream journal kept by your bed is a great way to keep track of your dreams for future reference. When you wake from a dream, take a few minutes to write down what you experienced. Use as many details as you can so you are clear when you re-read the passage in the future.
What happens in a lucid dream?
Surveys show that roughly 55% of adults have experienced at least one lucid dream during their lifetime and 23% of people experience lucid dreams at least once per month.
In studies that have allowed people to be researched during lucid dreams, the prefrontal cortex activity levels are comparable in a lucid dream to the levels when the person is awake. This is sometimes referred to as a hybrid sleep-wake state.
People have said that a way they test out if they are in a dream or not is by pushing their hand on a hard surface and seeing if it goes through the surface. If it does, they know they are in a dream state and not reality.
So why do people want to experience lucid dreams?
The most common reasons include wish fulfillment, overcoming fears, healing and even overcoming fear and distress associated with nightmares. For instance, in lucid dreams, you may voluntarily fly, and experience freedom from body weight, which may also have psychologically cleansing effects.
By helping your mind to go into a lucid dream state you can be in your dream and have some control over the outcomes that occur. That is the reason this state is so powerful in healing from trauma, helping you get past fears and even helping you manifest the things you wish for to become reality.
According to the International Journal of Dream Research, “Lucid dreams are often contrasted with ordinary non-lucid dreams assuming that these two types of dreaming are categorically distinct states of consciousness. On this view, non-lucid dreams can be described as a uniform state of cognitive deficiency, often also termed the single-mindedness of dreaming. In contrast, lucid dreams are often held to differ from non-lucid dreams not just because the dreamer realizes that she/he is currently dreaming, but also because of the high, wake-like level of cognitive and mnemonic functioning. The dissociation between two different dream states was found to be based on the difference between two brain states. Lucid dreams are characterized by a high gamma frequency of 40 Hz and higher activity of the frontal regions than in non-lucid dreamers.
How do you wake up from a lucid dream?
One of the questions you may have going into this experience is how to get out of it, especially if you are new to this.
Some ways people have woken from lucid dreams include going to sleep in the dream or reading a book in the dream. Both are ways to bring yourself back to the present.
This may be something you want to do more of as you are getting used to the experience so it is helpful to know that going in.
How can I use NeoRhythm for Lucid Dreaming?
Lucid dreaming most often occurs in the morning or while taking an afternoon nap.
It may sound a bit cumbersome or annoying, but the best way to stimulate lucid dreaming would be to use Omnipemf’s Quick Start Lucid Dreaming session one hour before you usually wake up (set at 60 minutes). If you would like to use the device during your afternoon nap, you should turn on Omnipemf’s Lucid Dreaming program for 30 or 60 minutes, just before resting.
References
- Noreika, Valdas. Windt, Jennifer M. 2010. New perspectives for the study of lucid dreaming: From brain stimulation to philosophical theories of self-consciousness. [online] www.academia.edu. Available at: LINK. [Accessed 26 Oct. 2021]
- Nunez, Kristen. 5 Techniques To Try For Lucid Dreaming. 2019. [online] www.healthline.com. Available at: LINK. [Accessed 26 Oct. 2021]
- Pacheco, Danielle. Lucid Dreams. 2020. [online] www.sleepfoundation.org. Available at: LINK. [Accessed 26 Oct. 2021]
Disclaimer
NeoRhythm has not been evaluated by the FDA. These products do not claim to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical conditions. Always consult your medical doctor regarding any health concerns.