Remembering what you have dreamed may already be quite an achievement, but there are those who not only remember it, but are able to interact at will while dreaming.
It is about the lucid dreams, those in which the person manages to be conscious during a dream, or to put it another way, being able to realize that you are dreaming. Sometimes the mastery can be such that you can even control what happens in the dream. Yes, something like what DiCaprio and his team did in the movie Origin (2010), but perhaps with less grandeur.
It may seem like a crazy idea to you, but the truth is that it is more common than it may seem at first glance. It is estimated that 55% of people have had a lucid dream at some point in their lives. 23% have even experienced a lucid dream at least once a month.
Psychophysiologist Stephen LaBerge is one of the major specialists in the field of lucid dreaming. He holds a PhD from Stanford University and has conducted numerous investigations in this field for this institution for over 20 years.
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His studies have served both to learn more about How lucid dreams are created and controlled as well as to identify possible therapeutic benefits of these, including treating post-traumatic stress disorder, recurring nightmares or anxiety.
How lucid dreaming works
During non-lucid dreams, the sleeper may be aware of objects and what is happening within the dream state, but does not distinguish between being asleep and being awake. He is not aware that he is dreaming. I change lucid dreams do have that degree of consciousness thatIn some cases, they even allow us to exercise control over our environment.
Two key changes in the brain appear to be responsible for these lucid states.
As the American Dream Foundation explains, researchers point out that the prefrontal cortex of the brain (which controls advanced cognitive abilities and is inhibited during sleep) shows increased activity during lucid dreams, comparable to levels during wakefulness.
On the other hand, as an article in Quartz the studies too They have detected an increase in gamma waves during these states(pattern of neuronal activity), at a frequency also similar to that “involved when one is conscious.”
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The Lucid dreams tend to occur during rapid eye movement sleep or REM phase, which occurs between 70 and 90 minutes after falling asleep (after the previous stages in which the body relaxes and heart rate, breathing and brain activity decrease).
Are lucid dreams advisable?
Definitely achieve control over what you dream has a huge impact on entertainment and creativity.
Some studies have pointed out that Lucid dreaming can help overcome recurring nightmares, fears or anxiety.
However, from the Sleep and Environment Foundation Healthline They also warn of possible negative effects.
So, create dreams intentionally blurs the line between dream and realitywhich could havenegative implications for long-term mental health.
Furthermore, since lucid dreaming is linked to higher levels of brain activity, there is also the possibility that this may decrease sleep quality and what this means for health.
Tips to control your dreams
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Lucid dreaming can be a complex task. It requires practice and there is no guarantee that you will succeed.
If you want to try it, below we show you some of the most successful techniques to help you control your dreams.
Before putting them into practice, make sure that your bedroom encourages rest. Since These dreams appear in the REM phase, It all starts with getting adequate sleep.
Reality test
This technique is used to differentiate when you are dreaming and when you are awake.
Even if a dream shows a familiar environment or object, there will always be elements that make it different from reality. The goal, therefore, is to learn to detect it.
This is a mental training in which you check and verify reality from time to time to see if you are dreaming. Once you have a grasp of how things really are, it is easy to later detect when they belong to a dream.
To make it clearer, it is the the utility that Di Caprio’s spinning top had in OriginWhile in reality the object ended up falling, in the dream the spin never stopped, so the character knew which plane he was on.
Some common items people use for this technique include:
- Mirrors: Check your reflection to see if it looks normal.
- Heavy objects: Try pushing a wall or table to see if anything unexpected happens.
- Hands: Look at your hands and see if they change.
- Looking at a clock: If you are dreaming, the time on a clock will constantly change or go counter-clockwise.
Once you choose how you want to check reality, it’s about checking it frequently and then develop this ability by dreaming and inducing lucid dreaming.
Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreaming (MILD)
LaBerge developed this technique for inducing lucid dreamings based on the intention to remember something in the future.
To do this, use the memory of a previous dream and detect an anomaly within it, that is, something “strange” that would indicate that you were dreaming. Then visualize yourself in the dream, recognizing this anomaly and being aware that it only occurs in dreams.
While you do it Repeat the mantra: “The next time I’m dreaming, I want to remember to recognize that I’m dreaming.” The idea is that in the long run, when you detect that oddity in the dream, you remember it and realize that you are dreaming.
Research has shown that this technique It is very effective in increasing the frequency of playful dreams.
Use sensory stimulation, such as lights.
To induce a lucid dream You can also try programming a device to emit a light signal while you sleep.
This light will be incorporated into your dreams and with practice will allow you to identify that you are dreaming and be aware of your consciousness.
Start a dream journal
Writing down your dreams in detail every day will not only help you understand them.
It will also allow you identify “dream signs” or patterns that will make it easier for you to see that you are dreaming when they appear in your dreams.
Promotes waking times between dreams
To improve the results obtained with the above techniques you can try to put them into practice between periods of sleep. The increase in the duration of wakefulness seems better prepare the brain to become lucid during sleep.
Set your alarm clock two hours before your usual time and stay awake for a few minutes before falling back asleep. This methodology is known as Wake-Back-To-Bed (WBTB)and seeks to increase the activity of the brain’s prefrontal cortex during the following REM phase.
Although if you are going to put any of these techniques into practice be careful, although Nothing guarantees that you will be able to manage your dreams. It is very possible that along the way you will end up sleeping worse.and this takes its toll on your health or at least you’re in a foul mood that day.
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Tags: Dream, Curiosities