What Makes Us Dream Article
Tips For Lucid Dreaming
At night while we are sleeping, we dream. Most of the time we are not aware of the dreams and many times we don't even remember them upon awakening. However, there is a different and unique type of dreaming which is known as lucid dreaming. With lucid dreaming, you are aware that you are dreaming and can possibly even control the dream. Some people spontaneously lucid dream, but most people need to learn how to do it. Below are a few tips to help you set the stage for a lucid dream.
Get a Good Night's Sleep
One key to dreaming well and learning to lucid dream is to sleep well and for at least eight hours. It is thought that the longest and most intense dreams come after about eight hours of sleep. Of course you can and will dream at intervals throughout the night also, but the better you sleep, the easier it will be for you to see results because you are not being awakened at all hours.
Develop Your Dream Recall Ability
The ability to recall your dreams is very important as it will help you to learn your own personal dreamscape. Learning to recognize when you are sleeping is a vital step in lucid dreaming. One way for you to recall your dreams is to keep a dram journal. Jot down the high points of your dreams as soon as you awaken. It helps if you keep the journal right by your bed and grab it while the dream is still fresh before it floats from memory. It isn't necessary to keep detailed notes, but rather just write down the high points. Soon you will begin to identify patterns and recurring dreamscapes. Additionally, as you are falling asleep, reinforce to yourself that you will remember your dream upon awakening. Before long, your dream recall will vastly improve.
Learn to Recognize Your Dreamscape
By recalling your dreams, you will soon notice details which are consistent in your dreams which can be used to signal your unconscious that you are dreaming. The whole point of this is so that when you slip into a dream, it triggers your subconscious to alert you on some level that you are dreaming. Once you are in this state, you can then consciously direct your dreams while you are still asleep. You may wonder why one would want to learn such a technique. Some people want to learn to lucid dream simply for the sake of being able to do so. Others use lucid dreaming to help them solve problems that are going on their waking world. Learning to lucid dream takes time and is not necessarily easy and takes a good deal of patience and practice.
