Have you ever had a dream in which you could control what was happening? Have you ever wondered why we sometimes become lucid in our dreams? Dreams have always been a great mystery to humanity. They have often been used as a tool for premonitions, or in stories where dreams are a kind of portal to another world.

The truth is that science does not explain 100% what dreams are, and for thousands of years, philosophers, psychoanalysts and now neuroscientists have tried to explain them from different perspectives. However, this characteristic of dreams, in which we become lucid, is already explainable, and we will talk about it in this text.

So why do we sometimes become lucid in dreams?

Lucid dreams occur in a state of consciousness in which the person is not awake, but is not in a state of deep sleep either. We are, in a way, in a kind of middle ground, which shows the complexity of the human mind.

Characteristics of lucid dreaming

In lucid dreams, we are able to realize that we are dreaming while the dream is happening. This way, we can have some awareness of what is happening and more vivid sensory experiences than usually occur in normal dreams.

For example, we can taste food, feel pain, cold or heat. And we can also decide to fly away and defy the laws of physics. However, we do not have total control over what is happening or over our body and we remain in a state halfway between consciousness and unconsciousness.

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Studies on lucid dreams

Studies on these types of dreams have shown that our brain functions differently compared to normal dreams, but also differently from the waking state, when we are awake. They indicate that, when we have lucid dreams, our brain presents mixed signals from both states.

Studies also show that lucid dreams usually occur in the state of sleep called “REM” (Rapid Eye Movement). REM is a time when our eyeballs make very rapid movements, which is precisely why it has this name.

Furthermore, they are related to greater activity in regions of the brain called the prefrontal cortex and precuneus. These areas are related to our consciousness and deliberate behaviors, which would explain why we feel greater agency within dreams.

Is it possible to train the ability to have lucid dreams?

This area of human knowledge is still very little explored, but there are some possible techniques to test. The first is called mnemonic induction, which means repeating some ideas to yourself before going to sleep.

You need to repeat to yourself, mentally, that you will remember what you are going to dream, or that you will have a lucid dream. In addition, you should remember a dream you had recently and imagine yourself consciously in it, as if you were walking and doing things in that dream.

Another technique is called “Reality Testing.” You should start by analyzing your reality, for example, looking at a clock twice in a row to confirm that it is working correctly. Or, rereading a short text and noticing that the words have not changed.

In dreams, this type of information is not constant. If we look at a clock twice, the time shown will probably change randomly. We also cannot read the same text twice. For example, we can read a sign and when we try to read the words again, it says something else, or it no longer exists.

This technique is originally used to help people know whether they are dreaming or awake. However, by performing the technique in reverse, checking your own reality, you are more likely to be able to do the same thing during a dream. This way, you can confirm that you are dreaming and then train your agency within the dream.

How to remember a dream

Many people have difficulty remembering their dreams, or they never remember what they dreamed about. To change this, get into the habit of writing down your dream as soon as you wake up, when the information is usually fresher and you may remember at least parts of it.

By training your dream recall, your dreams may become more vivid over time, until you experience a lucid dream.

Lucid dreaming app

Image: App Store

THE Lucid Dreamer promises to help us become lucid in our dreams. Its method is to work with sound stimuli to guide us towards a lucid dream. It is possible to combine the sound with a visual stimulus, such as the screen flashing a color during the sound effect.

To do this, you need to place your phone screen close to your viewing area and adjust the audio volume so that it is audible but does not wake you up. In addition, the app has a feature to write down your dream as soon as you wake up, thus training your dream memory.

Lucid Dreamer is available for free to Android.

Have you ever had a lucid dream?

Many people have experienced lucid dreaming at some point in their lives, which is a very high number. But there are those who have a lucid dream at least once a month, as well as those who have never had this experience.

These incredible experiences can also become quite realistic nightmares, as these are usually triggered by the same areas of the brain related to action and consciousness, to make the person wake up.

So, as much as the experience of having a lucid dream seems like something magical and incredible, it can be explained through science. Furthermore, it can also turn out to be quite unpleasant, so be careful what you wish for.