The Dangers of Lucid Dreaming

Have you ever had a dream that disturbed you? Where you see something unsettling, and you are unable to do anything! But just a minute. What if there was a way to control the narration of your dreams? The answer is lucid dreaming. Now, if you have seen movies like Inception or Behind Her Eyes, you have already been exposed to the concept of lucid dreaming. 

Lucid dreaming is a phenomenon of realising you are dreaming amidst a dream. Today, scientists are associating lucid dreaming with mental health. But is it truly a healthy way to take care of your psyche? Are there any dangers of lucid dreaming? We bring you all the information below! 

What Are Lucid Dreams?

Lucid dreams are when you know that you are dreaming when you are fast asleep. Then, despite the vivid images flashing through your brain, you realize it’s not true. In fact, lucid dreaming also allows you to control the narration of your dreams. Almost like you are creating your movie in your mind. 

When Do Lucid Dreams Happen?

Lucid dreaming occurs during the REM sleep stage. R stage or REM starts about 90 minutes after falling asleep and lasts for about 10 minutes. Each REM stage lasts longer than the previous one.

Risks of Lucid Dreaming

Some of the dangers of lucid dreaming are;

Decrease in Sleep Quality 

When you experience vivid dreams and wake up, it can make it difficult to go back to sleep. And sometimes, when you concentrate too much on lucid dreaming, it can get you excited, making it difficult to go back to sleep. 

Confusion and Hallucinations 

Sometimes, it is possible that lucid dreaming can diminish the lines between reality and dreams, especially for people who are suffering from health disorders. It can be one of the harmful effects of lucid dreaming. 

Benefits of Lucid Dreams

Less anxiety

One of the main benefits of lucid dreaming is that it can be helpful to combat anxiety. Sometimes, nightmares can make it difficult for you to fall asleep. However, with the help of lucid dreaming, you can shape your dreams how you want to, making you feel empowered. 

Better motor skills

A few studies show that lucid dreaming can improve your motor skills. For instance, if you practice tapping your hands faster during your lucid period and do the same motion when you are awake, it can activate the same part of your brain. These are some of the beneficial effects of lucid dreaming on the brain. 

Improved problem-solving

Research shows that with the help of lucid dreaming, your creativity, and logical thinking improve, and you gain better problem-solving skills.

More Creativity

A lucid dream enhances creativity in participants, and they could also come up with new ideas or insights.  

How to Lucid Dream

Now that you are well aware of what are the dangers of lucid dreaming and its advantages let’s take a look at the techniques that can help you lucid dream. 

Reality testing

This technique helps you get in the groove of lucid dreaming. Here, you stop at different times of the day and check if you are dreaming or if it is reality. But first, you must do something like trying to push your finger through your hands. 

Dream diary

People who want to experience lucid dreams can keep an entry of all their dreams. Writing them as soon as you wake up can help you focus more on them.

Wake-back-to-bed

It is a technique where you sleep for 5 hours, wake up for 30 to 60 minutes, and then go back to sleep. 

Mnemonic induction of lucid dreams (MILD) 

Just like the wake-back-to-bed technique, here, you wake up after 5 hours, and before going back to bed, you repeat several times that the next time you dream, you will have a lucid dream.

Drugs

Some medicinal plants and supplements can help induce lucid dreams. However, you must consult your doctor before you proceed.

Devices

Some masks and headbands can be used for lucid dreaming. These devices also play messages, such as the ones you use in the MILD technique.

Conclusion

When practised in therapy, lucid dreams can be beneficial for you and can help treat conditions such as severe nightmares and PTSD. However, if you want to try lucid dreaming, you can try the above techniques carefully. 

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