Dream Big
Lucid dreaming may seem intimidating, with some people still arguing if it's real or not. Well, scientifically speaking, it has been proven, and many are capable of even taking control of their dreams. You can do this too, just with a little knowledge and practice.
1. Dream Recall
Before you can begin controlling your dreams, it's important to remember your dreams. After all, what’s the point of going on crazy adventures if you forget them the second you wake up? Improving dream recall is like improving memory and stems from intention.
2. Dream Journal
One way to boost dream recall is by keeping a dream journal next to your bed. The moment you wake up, quickly write down everything you dreamt – it’s okay if you can’t remember it all. Do this every night, and with time, you’ll remember more and more.
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3. Intentions
Intentions are a pretty powerful part of lucid dreaming, as your subconscious tends to take control. That’s why saying things like “I will remember my dreams” or “I will lucid dream tonight” are powerful ways to trick your subconscious into doing exactly that.
4. Time Check
To lucid dream, you have to essentially realize you’re dreaming and then take control. To focus on the first step of identifying you're dreaming, you can use the time check technique. Check the clock every hour or so while you’re awake—eventually, the habit will carry into your dreams, and you’ll notice the clocks are blurry or off in your dreams, revealing that you’re in fact asleep!
5. Pinch Check
If the clock check is inconvenient, you can simply pinch yourself or snap a rubber band on your wrist every hour or so. After you pinch yourself, take a look around and ask yourself if you’re dreaming. This too will carry into your dreams if you do it enough.
6. Look at Mirrors
For some reason, mirrors also appear strangely in dreams, which is why checking mirrors every hour or so is another habit you want to carry into dreams. When you check the mirrors in dreams, you’ll find them to be blurry or wavy, indicating that you’re asleep.
7. Repeat Phrases
Returning to the power of intentions, you can also use mnemonics, which are a way to set lucid intentions. Simply tell yourself every night before going to sleep, “I will realize I’m dreaming.” This is a way of programming your mind and will certainly take a few attempts before working.
8. Set Alarms
Some people find it’s easier to lucid dream if they wake up briefly and go back to sleep. Set an alarm for 4 to 6 hours after you fall asleep, and then stay awake for 10 minutes when it goes off. Think about lucid dreaming as you slip back to sleep, and after a few attempts, it could work.
9. Tap Finger
Some people find success in tapping their fingers as they fall asleep. They specifically recommend tapping as if you’re playing a piano. This helps your mind stay aware as you slip into sleep, boosting chances of lucidity.
10. Melatonin
Of course, to increase your chances, you can also take optional supplements. Many people report melatonin helps regulate sleep cycles, and you can easily find some in almonds.
11. Vitamin B6
Another reliable supplement is vitamin B6, which enhances both dream recall and vividness. It’s naturally found in chickpeas, fish, bananas, and poultry!
12. Keep Calm
With all the above techniques, you’ll eventually be able to remember your dreams and realize when you’re in them. But the second step is to control them. The first time you lucid dream, you might get too excited and accidentally wake up, so it's important to stay calm!
13. Sip a Drink
Using psychological tricks is a great way to help you stay lucid and stop yourself from waking up. Some people like to manifest a drink in their dreams and sip on it, as it helps ground them, keep them calm, and keep them connected to the dream.
Mineragua Sparkling Water on Unsplash
14. Rub Your Hands
Others recommend rubbing your hands together once you’re in the dream, which helps to stabilize it. Stabilizing a dream sounds weird, but once you go lucid, you’ll realize how the dream tends to lose its visual quality and becomes almost hazy as you fight the urge to wake up.
15. Entering and Exiting
Eventually, you can get so good at lucid dreaming that you can slip out of dreams and enter back just as easily. To do this, it's important to stay very still when you wake from a dream. Consciously will yourself back into the dream as you sleep.
16. Be Patient
Lucid dreaming isn’t something you can do in a matter of days, as it takes weeks, months, and sometimes years to hone this skill. Don’t give up too fast and be patient with yourself.
17. Stay Consistent
It’s also important to stay consistent. If you decide to do the pinch method, stick with it. Don’t do it for a week, then forget about it and pick it up a month later. Keep at it, and it will eventually happen.
18. Practice Makes Perfect
Like most skills, you need to practice to hone your talents! Don’t get discouraged if you can’t have grandiose dreams right away.
19. Write it Down
Keeping the scientific method in mind, you can use your dream journal to record your successes and failures and figure out what technique works best for you. Don’t be scared to make your own methods too.
20. Dream Big
At the end of the day, enjoy the skill for what it is, and dream big! Even the simple want and hope to lucid dream can be enough to subconsciously slip into lucidity.
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