What are lucid dreams and how to experience them?
Have you ever experienced being aware that you are dreaming while you slept? If yes, that is what they call lucid dreaming. According to psychology, it happens when you are asleep. However, you remain fully aware that you are dreaming. In lucid dreams, you can somehow take control of the narrative of your dream and anticipate its direction.
Dreaming is truly a mystery to unravel. We always think that dreams often control us and are often surreal and challenging to make sense of. However, having a sense of awareness while dreaming sounds fascinating.
Based on research, lucid dream and metacognition share similar neural systems. Reaching an awareness state of dreams has something to do with metacognition—which entails understanding and awareness of a thinking process. Metacognition allows you to have the ability to monitor your thoughts; as a result, a likelihood to experience lucid dreams.
By following some strategies, you will get your chances of experiencing lucid dreams.
Have a dream journal
Try to recall your dreams and jot down everything you can remember—the people involved, the setting, objects you saw, emotions you felt, or sounds your heard. Keeping a journal will increase your chances of experiencing lucid dreams. Moreover, it may help you become more aware of the experience you dreamt about.
Do auto-suggestion
This is the moment when you convince yourself that you will experience lucid dreaming before falling asleep. During this state, make a statement or suggestions about achieving a lucid dream and what kind of dreams you want. The higher your expectations, the higher its likelihood to occur. Auto-suggestion can be used to induce that you can achieve it.
Practice reality check
Practicing a reality check is when you determine whether you are in a dream or awake. Perform a simple reality check by looking in the mirror, observing your surrounding, and moving your hands while awake in bed. This increases your ability to recognize the difference between real life and dreams. Consequently, it will be easier to be aware quickly if you are asleep and achieve lucidity.
Wake back to bed
This strategy involves waking up in the middle of the night and remain to stay awake for about thirty minutes to two hours before returning to sleep. The wake-back-to-bed technique will allow your conscious mind to stay active as you re-enter REM sleep. It is entirely up to you if you want to sacrifice your sleep to induce lucid dreaming. However, such a technique may negatively affect your sleeping pattern.
