Lucid dreams are dreams in which you know you are dreaming. You then

I_am_learning

Lucid dreams are dreams in which you know you are dreaming. You then can modify the dreams to your own like. For example, in one of my dreams, I suddenly realized that I was dreaming. Then taking advantage of it I boasted to my friends --"Look guys, I will show you something amazing". Then I amazed them by flying. (In lucid dream you can esily do what you like). Then I heard them saying jeleusly to each other --"This stupid is having lucid dreams and now he can fly. Poor us that we aren't dreaming"

Having lucid dream is like playing a full 3d full hd full quality highly real video game. So real that sometimes you even forget you are dreaming.

So, how many of you have had such experience

nismaratwork

I don't know how or why, but as a kid I lucid dreamed a LOT, then over time lost the knack. Given some practice I have it again, but it's more work than it ever was as a kid.

It's fun, an I find it's also an interesting way to power some creative writing and thinking, which works well for a guy like me who has a bit of a stick up his tush.

I like Serena

As a kid I dreamed a lot. I've had about 3 lucid dreams.
Nowadays it's rare for me to dream at all, let alone lucid.

nismaratwork

Hmmm... it does seem that lucid dreaming, where it occurs, is most commonly spontaneous in childhood.

I have no idea why, only so many guesses as to... have no idea why.

Still, you do dream, or you'd be raving now... not remembering having dreamed is quite normal however.

I like Serena

In my experience I dream when there is emotional stuff or new impressions I have to process.
With little emotional stuff and with few new impressions I do not dream much.

DR13

Most of the time when I realize that I am dreaming my body automatically wakes up pretty quickly. I wish I could stay asleep longer.

I like Serena

Yep, that's what I remember from my lucid dreams.
The time between realizing I was dreaming, influencing my dream, and waking up was too short!

I concluded that being able to realize I was dreaming, basically meant I was already almost awake.

ideasrule

When I was younger, I managed to get a few lucid dreams by deliberately trying to induce them. During the day, I would periodically hold my nose and see if I could still breathe, or count the number of fingers on my hands. I've no idea why, but these simple tests invariably failed during dreams.

JaredJames

Me too. I get a strange feeling, it clicks I'm dreaming and then I jolt awake.

nismaratwork

It's called reality testing, and it's just one of those things. It's hard to keep track of numbers, and you don't breath in dreams. A classic test is to look at your watch or a clock (it will often be nonsensicle) look away, and look back... it will usually change. Text on a page will usually be gibberish too, or not even words, or change upon loss of direct attention.

It's that attentional issue at the core of reality testing in dreasm, because lucid or not, you ARE asleep, and that imposes a new set of restrictions and freedoms in terms of your thinking. Dreams are far more fluid than we tend to recognize even in dreams, but it's not strange because... we're dreaming.

@ILS: I've expereinced the same around emotions, but also if I've been working on a problem, or even struggling with something like a videogame... I tend to go through it in some fashion.

This fits with the learning/maintenance/repair theories of sleep.

@DR13: It's no guarantee, but Serena is not far off; being aware without the knack or a lot of practice is tough, and often wakes you right up.

One old trick is to set your alarm for roughly 5 hours after you go to sleep. Wake up, but don't do anything, and rapidly try to go back to sleep while focusing on your awareness. sleep cycles come more rapidly, and last for less time the longer you've been sleeping, so you can jump back into REM pretty quickly, maintaining awareness all the while.

One thing... it can be disturbing, because on the way you WILL experience hypnogogic hallucination, but then it can be fun too. If you find yourself waking in the dream, try changing the scenary or just spinning about in a circle. I haven't the faintest as to why, but it often works.

thehacker3

There are many ways you can induce this kind of sleep - just search Google. I have a friend who says she can do it whenever she wants.

Personally, I've never taken an effort to TRY to lucid dream, but it happens every couple of months or so. The last one I had was last week; it was incredible.

nismaratwork

Abreaction... more common than not buddy, you just have to practice, fine tune, and practice. I've found it often takes months, but the payoff is HUGE.

JaredJames

When your dreams usually revolve around the films you watch (generally something relating to zombies, war etc), I can't think of a better reaction than to wake up.

nismaratwork

Meditation is a great way to perfect lucid dreaming, and get to sleep as you will it, but it's easier to master lucid dreaming than it is to go the entire route of some meditative form.

Still, I came to the latter through the former later in life, so... I would recommned it. Besides, it has proven health benefits in stress reduction, and real-world applications in anxious, frightening, or otherwise difficult times requiring calm and a clear head.

I like Serena

I had that too at first.
Then I tried to train myself not to respond too sudden to any feeling that something was wrong, but to remain relaxed at all times and see what I could do.
It worked a couple of times.
I think I learned never to panic.

nismaratwork

I agree... scare me in a dream and it's not going to be lucid, it's going to be unpleasant. Still... I don't know about you, but I tend not to have nightmares. I watch something like Zombieland, or play a videogame for longer than is healthy, and I tend to loosely associate and relive pieces of it... which can be disturbing, but not that "nightmare" quality.

Do you know what I mean?...

JaredJames

Oh I have nightmares all the time, but they're the best dreams you can have. I hate all the 'normal' stuff, give me a good nightmare and I'm happy.