Have you ever had a dream about something you’ve always wanted to happen, like a crush finally liking you back, and you wake up disappointed that it’s over? Maybe you even tried going back to sleep so you could continue dreaming? Well, you’re in luck, because there’s a real way to control your dreams and create your own fantasies besides stumbling upon them by luck. It may seem impossible, but it certainly is not: meet lucid dreaming, an experience that will make your dreams come true — at least, while you’re dreaming.
Lucid dreams are a phenomenon in which the person sleeping is aware that they are dreaming, and is thus potentially able to exercise some control over their dream. Although this may seem like a crazy concept, the majority of adults have experienced a lucid dream at least once in their life. While not too much is known about how and why this happens, there are many studies developing research about this spectacular event and specifically how to induce it yourself. Here are a few tips and tricks to experience lucid dreaming and live the life you’ve always dreamed of!
Tip 1: Have a good sleeping environment and routine
Lucid dreaming is really only possible with a good night’s sleep. Lucid dreaming is most likely to occur during your REM cycle, the stage of sleeping where you are in the deepest sleep, thus inducing rapid eye movement (hence REM) and other bodily movement. Make sure you go to sleep on a consistent schedule and get enough hours of sleep to ensure you get in more hours of REM sleep. Additionally, the environment where you are sleeping is crucial. Make sure the temperature of your room is comfortable, and your room is as dark as possible — it helps to wear an eye mask or use blackout curtains. Having a solid bedtime routine as well as a consistent sleep schedule are good for you, so make sure you do this anyway!
Tip 2: Wake up after sleeping method
There is a certain seemingly effective technique that instructs waking up after five hours of sleeping, then actively reminding yourself to remember that you are dreaming, and then going back to sleep in order to induce lucid dreaming. Try setting an alarm and telling yourself this reminder before drifting back asleep, and it might just work! If this proves unsuccessful, another method states that it might help to wake up an hour earlier in the morning than you normally do, stay awake for 30 minutes, and then fall back to sleep. This method has (accidentally) worked for me on multiple occasions (although I stay awake for less than 30 minutes). When I wake up and want to continue my dream because I want a certain outcome, I am often able to gain control when I go back to sleep. This is definitely a trick to try out— play around with the different methods to find what works for you.
Tip 3: Set your intentions and keep a dream journal
If you want to control your dreams, it’s helpful to be able to recall them first. Before you go to sleep, remember that you not only want to recall what happens in your dreams, but that you also want to have control of them. Simply setting this intention can help you remember your dreams and start lucid dreaming. It’s all about mindset! Next, as soon as you wake up in the morning, jot down what you can remember from your dream in a journal. Be consistent and do this every morning. Having a routine with a journal will help you start to remember more of your dreams, which will ultimately help you drop your conscious mind into your dream in the long run.
Tip 4: Don’t give up
You might think you are incapable of lucid dreaming, but I promise that you are not. Keep up with these tips, read a book or watch a video on how to lucid dream, and most importantly, consciously and confidently remind yourself that you can and will lucid dream! Yes, manifestation is real. Best of luck!