Lucid Dreaming

What Is Lucid Dreaming?

Lucid dreaming is a phenomenon in which a sleeper becomes aware that they’re dreaming while they’re still asleep. About 55% of people have experienced lucid dreaming Trusted Source Journal of Clinical MedicineView Source . And in about one third of lucid dreams, the sleeper can influence or control what happens during the dream Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source .

Lucid dreams are distinct from vivid dreams, which are dreams that a person can remember in great detail upon waking Trusted Source UpToDateMore than 2 million healthcare providers around the world choose UpToDate to help make appropriate care decisions and drive better health outcomes. UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights.View Source . While lucid dreams may be vivid, not all vivid dreams involve in-the-moment awareness that you’re dreaming. 

Research indicates that lucid dreaming generally takes place during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep — the sleep stage in which most dreaming occurs. REM sleep takes place in increasingly long stretches over the course of a night, which means that lucid dreams are more likely to occur in the second half of a sleep Trusted Source StatPearlsView Source .

“Vivid and lucid dreaming are distinct phenomena. While research is ongoing, the potential of lucid dreaming as a mental health intervention is intriguing, but it should be approached with professional guidance.”

Abhinav Singh, MD, MPH, FAASM

Board-Certified Sleep Medicine Physician

Lucid Dreaming vs. Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis is another dream state connected to REM sleep that’s characterized by high awareness. However, it has several key differences from lucid dreaming. 

During sleep paralysis, the sleeper is awake and aware of their surroundings but is unable to move. This state is sometimes accompanied by hallucinations. As with lucid dreams, the sleeper often remembers the experience in vivid detail afterwards. 

That said, while lucid dreaming is an active experience that allows the dreamer to interact with or guide the dream, sleep paralysis is largely passive. Also, while most people associate lucid dreaming with positive feelings, an estimated 80 to 90% of people who experience sleep paralysis associate it with fear.

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How to Have a Lucid Dream

Researchers have found multiple techniques that may help some people induce lucid dreaming.

“Lucid dreaming techniques hold promise, yet they may also lead to sleep deprivation. It’s essential to consult a sleep specialist to understand the benefits and risks before trying these methods.”

Abhinav Singh, MD, MPH, FAASM

Board-Certified Sleep Medicine Physician

Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)

Mnemonic induction of lucid dreams, also known as the MILD technique, appears to be one of the most effective methods for bringing on a lucid dream Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . The MILD technique involves creating an intention to recognize when you’re dreaming and carrying that intention into the dream state. 

To use the MILD technique, follow these steps:

1. Upon waking up in the middle of the night, try to recall what you’ve been dreaming about or the details of a previous dream you’d like to reenter.
2. Identify signs from the dream that will help you recognize you’re dreaming if you fall back asleep and successfully reenter the dream.
3. Repeat these words (or your own version of them): “When I begin dreaming, I will remember that I’m dreaming.”
4. Continue recalling dream content and repeating that phrase until you fall asleep.

Even though the MILD technique tends to be more effective than many others, it leads to a lucid dream in fewer than one in five cases. Evidence suggests that the more quickly you fall back asleep after waking, the more likely you’ll be to have a lucid dream when using this technique.

Senses Initiated Lucid Dreams (SSILD)

The Senses Initiated Lucid Dream (SSILD) technique appears to have similar success rates to the MILD technique, although it’s newer and less studied. This method involves focusing on your senses, which could make you more likely to notice the transition into the dream world or might prime your mind and body for a lucid dream.

To practice the SSILD technique, cycle through the following steps multiple times. First, go through each step quickly for a few cycles. Then, cycle through while spending a few seconds on each step. Finally, do up to six slow cycles in which you spend 20 seconds in each step and, ideally, fall asleep.

1. Vision: With your eyes closed, relaxed, and still, focus on what you see. It might be total darkness or colors, shapes, or images. The goal isn’t to see anything in particular but simply to notice what’s there.
2. Hearing: Shift your focus to what you can hear. You might hear sounds made by your body, such as your heartbeat or breaths, or you might hear external sounds, such as crickets chirping or traffic noises. Listen without judging.
3. Body sensations: Direct your attention to what your body is feeling. You might notice internal sensations, such as muscle fatigue or air traveling into your lungs. Or, you might notice external sensations, such as the warmth and weight of your bedding. 

Wake Back to Bed (WBTB)

Wake Back to Bed (WBTB) is often used in combination with other techniques intended to induce lucid dreaming Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . In its most basic form, WBTB involves purposely waking up during the night, staying awake for a period of time, then returning to sleep Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . Ideally, the sleeper disrupts and later returns to REM sleep, setting the stage for a lucid dream Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . 

To practice WBTB:

1. Set an alarm for a point in the night in which you’re likely to be dreaming but will also have the capacity to fall back asleep. Aim to wake at least five hours after going to bed or longer.
2. Stay awake for between 30 minutes and two hours. To boost your chances of having a lucid dream, use this time to practice other techniques, such as the MILD technique, the SSILD technique, or dream journaling.
3. Go back to sleep. Some research suggests that an hour is the optimal time to wait before returning to sleep, while other research indicates you’re more likely to have a lucid dream if you fall asleep as soon as possible after completing a technique like MILD. Experiment with timing to figure out what works for you.

Reality Tests

Many studies have investigated whether or not the practice of regularly conducting “reality tests,” also called “reality checks,” can induce lucid dreams or increase their frequency. This approach is intended to help a person build a habit of assessing whether they’re awake or dreaming, thereby improving the likelihood that they’ll become aware of a dream state. However, there’s little evidence to support the efficacy of this technique, and users have complained that it can be difficult and burdensome.

Still, studies haven’t ruled out the possibility that reality tests might enhance other techniques, and it’s possible that studies haven’t required participants to use reality tests for long enough to make a difference. If you would like to try this technique, select one or more of the following reality tests to perform at least 10 times a day while you’re awake, as well as while you’re dreaming, if possible:

• Ask yourself “Am I dreaming?”
• Assess your surroundings for signs that you might be dreaming.
• Try breathing through your mouth with your lips pressed together. You’ll only be able to do so if you’re dreaming.
• Attempt to push your index finger through the palm of the opposite hand. If you can, you are dreaming.

Dream Journal

Some people who have lucid dreams swear by the technique of keeping a dream journal, which involves writing down your dreams in as much detail as possible as soon as you wake up. Some lucid dreamers say that keeping a dream journal trains them to recall their dreams, helps them notice “dream signs,” and facilitates reality checks.

While there’s little scientific evidence that dream journals help induce lucid dreams, dream journals do appear to improve dream recall, which may be useful if you practice the MILD technique. Studies have also found that some people have lucid dreams after using dream journals in combination with other techniques.

External Stimulation

A number of devices (like lucid dream masks) are marketed as being able to induce lucid dreams by providing various kinds of external stimulation Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . Many of these devices are designed to identify or predict when a sleeper has transitioned into REM sleep, often by monitoring brain waves or eye movement. When this happens, the devices administer sounds, vibrations, or blinking lights that are intended to serve as cues to dreamers, helping them realize they’re dreaming.

Some devices also provide transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), delivering electric currents through the scalp to the frontal cortex of the brain. This is intended to generate gamma activity in the brain, which studies have linked to lucid dreaming Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source .

Limited evidence suggests that light cues, combined light and sound cues, and tACS may increase the likelihood of having a lucid dream Trusted Source American Psychological Association (APA)APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 121,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as its members.View Source . More research is needed to verify that external stimulation devices live up to their marketing claims.

Dietary Supplements

A number of studies indicate that a plant-derived drug called galantamine can effectively induce lucid dreams. In its prescription form, galantamine is used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, but it’s also available as a dietary supplement intended to boost memory and promote lucid dreams Trusted Source CNS SpectrumsView Source . Research also indicates that a supplement called Alpha-GPC, a form of the nutrient choline, may enhance the effectiveness of galantamine.

Talk to your doctor before taking any dietary supplements. Galantamine may pose risks for people with certain health conditions, including heart, kidney, or liver disease; asthma or any other lung disease; ulcers; seizures; or irregular heartbeat Trusted Source Medline PlusMedlinePlus is an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends.View Source . Also, dietary supplements aren’t regulated like prescription drugs, and their contents may not always align with what’s written on their packaging.

Combine Techniques

A recent study found using a combination of techniques produced lucid dreams on 42% of the nights during the study period, which is the best rate of lucid dream induction on record. Based on these findings, some experts propose the following steps as the most effective way to induce a lucid dream:

1. Take vitamin B6 before going to bed to boost your body’s choline levels.
2. Set an alarm to wake you 5 hours after going to sleep.
3. After you wake to your alarm, take a combination of galantamine and Alpha-GPC.
4. Practice the MILD technique or the SSILD technique.
5. Put on a device that provides light stimulation.
6. Return to sleep as soon as possible.

Benefits of Lucid Dreaming

While research is still preliminary, some evidence suggests that lucid dreaming has benefits that last beyond one night of sleep.

• Reducing nightmares: Early evidence suggests that lucid dreaming may help to reduce recurring nightmares since the awareness offers the dreamer a chance to either confront the threat or guide the dream away from it Trusted Source Neuroscience & Biobehavioral ReviewsView Source .
• Managing anxiety and depression: While there’s some research indicating that therapeutic induced lucid dreaming can help treat anxiety and depression, the evidence is somewhat mixed, and this method hasn’t been found more effective than other types of therapy.
• Improving mood: While further research is needed, initial research shows a correlation between lucid dreaming and a positive waking mood .
• Facilitating problem solving and learning: Research has shown that people who were prompted to think about solving puzzles before normal sleep, without induced lucid dreaming, showed significant improvement when finding solutions Trusted Source Psychological ScienceView Source . The same researchers suggest that two-way communication during lucid dreaming could help people find solutions to problems and learn skills even faster Trusted Source National Science FoundationView Source .

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Is Lucid Dreaming Dangerous?

While many people view lucid dreams as pleasant and desirable, they can be negative experiences for some people. On occasion, they may even pose risks to physical and mental health.

• Sleep loss: Many methods of inducing lucid dreams require a person to wake in the night, which disrupts sleep Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . Additionally, some people report difficulty falling back asleep or poor sleep quality after failed attempts to induce lucid dreams. Sleep loss can have serious implications for a person’s health and wellbeing.
• Altered sleep architecture: Because the brain behaves differently during lucid dreaming than it does during non-lucid REM sleep, some experts have expressed concern that lucid dreaming might disrupt important processes that ordinarily occur during REM sleep.
• Sleep paralysis: Some people who induce lucid dreams experience sleep paralysis, an intrusion of REM sleep into waking that temporarily prevents a person from moving or speaking.
• Dysphoric dreams: Sometimes, failed attempts to induce a lucid dream can lead to nightmares. Moreover, while lucid dreams are usually positive experiences, people have reported lucid nightmares in which they’re aware they are dreaming but unable to escape terrifying or horrific dream content.
• Reality confusion: Some people experience “false awakenings” during lucid dreams that lead to confusion about whether they’re awake or asleep.
• Dissociative states: For some people, deliberately inducing lucid dreams can lead to mental states in which they have trouble integrating or controlling their emotions, sense of self, understanding of reality, and connection to their bodies Trusted Source National Library of Medicine, Biotech InformationThe National Center for Biotechnology Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and genomic information.View Source . People with certain mental illnesses may be especially vulnerable to this effect.

Before attempting to induce a lucid dream, it’s important to consider these risks. If you have any concerns or you plan to use dietary supplements, make sure to discuss your plans with a doctor or mental health professional.

“While the study of dreams continues to captivate researchers and the general population, conducting large-scale, objective scientific studies remains challenging and is currently limited.”

Abhinav Singh, MD, MPH, FAASM

Board-Certified Sleep Medicine Physician

How to Wake Up From a Lucid Dream

Lucid dreams typically end on their own, but if you want to wake up from them intentionally, there are a few techniques that lucid dreamers commonly use. The most common is to consciously stop all engagement with the dream and wait for it to fade. Blinking rapidly in the dream, or shifting your attention to your physical body can help. 

Be aware that waking from a lucid dream can sometimes lead to a “false awakening,” where you believe you have woken up but are, in fact, still in a dream.

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