What is Lucid Dreaming?

Lucid dreaming is the awakening of your mind while you are sleeping. You are aware that you are dreaming, and may or may not have control of your dream. With practice, it’s possible to take over your dreams completely, letting you live creatively beyond the rules of reality.

How long will it take to have my first Lucid Dream?

The length of time before your first induced lucid dream can take days to months, depending on several factors including how diligently you practice, which techniques you use, and your quality of sleep. Some people will have a lucid dream the first night they attempt, while others can take much longer. After having your first lucid dream, it shouldn’t take nearly as long for your second.

Why should I Lucid Dream at all?

So why should you put effort into trying to have a lucid dream? Other than the “extra” time you gain, lucid dreaming opens up unlimited doors for you to explore. Explore and change your personality with scenarios that you generate, practice for speeches and sport events, have encounters with your favorite celebrities – the possibilities are endless.

In addition, there are many advanced techniques that build upon lucid dreaming such as shared dreaming, also known as collective dreaming, where two or more people are able to interact together in the dream world. I have never been able to achieve this, so I cannot verify whether it is possible, but many people insist it is.

Can anyone have Lucid Dreams?

Most anyone can develop the ability to lucid dream, as the greatest determining factor will be how much practice you put into it. Those who have difficulty sleeping at all, particularly insomniacs, will find much more difficulty in using lucid dreaming techniques.

Do I really have to keep a dream journal?

The short answer to this is yes, keeping a dream journal is very important. Most people beginning to lucid dream want to skip this step because it is tedious to keep and maintain a log of all the dreams you have, but it is vital in speeding up the process. You’ll find that having a dream journal will help improve your dream recall and identify your personal dream signs.

How can I prevent myself from waking up right after becoming lucid (premature awakening)?

Many beginners will find themselves waking up after become lucid in a dream. It can be frustrating to work toward achieving lucidity only to have it taken away right before you can benefit.

Stephen LaBerge experienced similar problems when doing experiments with lucid dreaming, and so developed the “spinning technique.” When you find your dream about to end, spin your dream body around in order to stimulate your sense of balance. This action will deter your brain from awakening.

How do I get out of a Lucid Dream?

In the case that you are in a nightmare and want to escape, the key to waking yourself up is to focus your eyes on one thing within the dream. This will break the rapid eye movement needed for dreaming, and you should find yourself awake and safe.

Pinching yourself generally does not work because your dream body will simply simulate the feeling of pain – leaving you trapped and in pain.

Do Lucid Dreaming induction devices really work?

The short answer is yes, induction devices can help you gain lucidity within a dream, however they can’t simply make you have a lucid dream. There must be effort on your part to recognize signals given and realize you are dreaming.

One of the best known devices is the NovaDreamer, which uses light and sound cues that act as a dreamsign during sleep to help you gain lucidity. To find out more about the NovaDreamer and other products, click here.

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