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  Ever since Leo Di Caprio and his merry band of mind hackers controlled & manipulated the thoughts & minds of others in the movie “Inception”, I’ve been curious about the idea of Lucid Dreaming 

A lucid dream is when sleepers are aware of their dreams.   There’s still a lot to learn about lucid dreaming, but in simple terms, it is when an alert mind gains control over dreams during sleep.

  Lucid dreams happen during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep; the last stage of the sleep cycle when your brain is active, triggering dreams.

Adults typically experience four to six such sleep cycles, including the REM and NREM (non-Rapid Eye Movement) stages through the night, and each sleep cycle is concluded by the REM stage.  The last REM stage at the end of the last sleep cycle is typically the longest when people are more likely to experience longer dreams or longer lucid dreams.

What is the advantage of lucid dreaming?

Lucid dreams are known to help with anxiety, nightmares, dispelling phobias, boosting creativity, and improving motor skills.

Since lucid dreams hover between reality and dreams, people can use lucid dreaming to play out real-life situations. 

For instance, if you are anxious about an upcoming job interview, you can run it through your mind numerous times before going to bed. Your brain gets accustomed to the scenario and chances are high of the scene playing out in your dreams, where you will have control over your actions.

  How to Lucid Dream 

Perform A Reality Check

  Performing a reality check constantly challenges your brain to differentiate a sleep state from reality. Do this ‘reality check' several times in a day to enhance your ability to lucid dream at night:

• Push the index finger of one hand against the palm of the other hand

When you are awake, your index finger will feel the resistance of your palm, but in your dreams, it is likely to pass through.

• Look at the clock to check the time and look away, then look again

In reality, the time won’t change, but in your dreams, the time will likely jump forward or backward.

Invite Dreams into a Comfortable Bedroom

A night of peaceful sleep is a pathway to dreaming. Make your sleep a priority by having a cool, dark bedroom with a comfortable mattress.

Maintain a Dream Journal

This is the first step to syncing up with your dreams. Get into the habit of writing down every detail of your dream immediately as you wake, and make it a habit. It helps you to understand your dreams better —understanding your dreams and thoughts are steps that will lead you to lucid dreams.

Use the MILD (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams) Technique

The MILD technique helps in reinforcing facts to your brain. Before falling asleep, tell yourself every night something like “I will know when I dream.” This is referred to as Mnemonic Induction, which helps in asserting facts and tells your brain to be aware and conscious of your dream, increasing your chances of a lucid dream.

  Dream on!

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