Sleep Analysis Featured

How to Have Lucid Dreams

A lucid dream is when you realize you’re dreaming while still in the dream, often allowing you some control over the dream’s events, with experiences feeling vivid and lifelike.

Mrs Berk

11 Aug 2025 • 3 min read

Photo by Jr Korpa / Unsplash

Ever wish you could fly like Superman, chat with a dinosaur, or ace that test while you’re still asleep? Say hello to lucid dreaming—when you know you’re dreaming and can sometimes control what happens in that wild dream world. Lucid dreaming isn’t just a movie plot; it’s real, fascinating, and actually pretty doable for most people with a little practice! (PMC)

What’s Happening in Your Brain?

When you’re asleep, your brain flips through movie scenes (dreams) in the REM sleep stage. Usually, you’re just along for the ride. But during a lucid dream, a part of your brain responsible for self-awareness—your prefrontal cortex—lights up a bit, like someone turning on a desk lamp in a dark room (PMC). Suddenly, you realize, “Wait, I’m dreaming!” It’s a little piece of science magic: You’re both the actor and the director.

Why Do People Want Lucid Dreams?

Pure fun: Who doesn’t want to have a superhero moment or go on an epic adventure—no rules, no risks?
Practice tough stuff: Athletes and musicians use lucid dreams to rehearse skills mentally, boosting confidence and maybe even performance in real life.
Work on worries: Scared of public speaking? You can practice confidently in a lucid dream, building mental strength for waking life (ScienceDirect).
Creative spark: Some inventions and artsy ideas actually came from dreams. Imagine waking up with a solution to a problem!

So, How Can You Start Having Lucid Dreams?

Here’s the real-life magic (no potions required!):

Reality Checks: Every day, ask yourself, “Am I dreaming?” Try pushing your finger through your palm or reading a sign twice (words usually squiggle in dreams). Build this habit, and one day you might do it in a dream—bam!—realization dawns.
Dream Journal: Keep a notebook by your bed and scribble down dreams the moment you wake up. This classic technique boosts dream recall and helps you spot patterns (Frontiers in Psychology).
Set Intentions (MILD Technique): Before bed, repeat to yourself, “Next time I’m dreaming, I’ll remember I’m dreaming.” Visualize yourself becoming aware in a dream. Science finds this “Mnemonic Induction” to be a top technique (Journal Sleep Research).
Wake Back to Bed (WBTB): Wake up after 4–6 hours of sleep, stay awake for 20 minutes (maybe read about dreams), then go back to bed. Your brain will be primed for lucidity.
Optimize Your Sleep: Lucid dreams mostly happen during the later stages of REM sleep, so get plenty of restful sleep for maximum dream action (PMC).

Fun Facts for Dreamers

Every culture from ancient Greeks to Buddhist monks has explored lucid dreaming—the fascination stretches back centuries (Nature).
Some people claim they can taste, smell, or even feel pain in their lucid dreams. Imagine biting into a dream éclair with zero calories!
Your brain waves during a lucid dream resemble those when you’re awake—proving that the line between dreamworld and reality can be surprisingly thin (PMC).

Real Talk: Is Lucid Dreaming for Everyone?

Most folks can do it—eventually. For some, it takes weeks of practice. For others, it’s a once-in-a-blue-moon surprise. Don’t stress if it takes time; just have fun exploring your own mind.

And a gentle nudge from psychology: If you have sleep or mental health issues, or if dreaming gets too intense, check in with a professional before diving deep (PMC, ScienceDirect).

Dream big, sleep deep, and remember: Tonight might just be your ticket to a world where you call the shots!

References

Aspy, D. J., et al. (2020). Findings from the International Lucid Dream Induction Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1746. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01746

Aspy, D. J., & Arend, I. (2023). A systematic review of new empirical data on lucid dream induction techniques. Journal of Sleep Research, 32(1), e13786. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13786

Aspy, D. J., Delfabbro, P., Proeve, M., & Mohr, P. (2023). A systematic review of new empirical data on lucid dream induction techniques. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 69, 101918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101918

Barrett, D. (n.d.). Lucid dream. In Wikipedia. Retrieved July 28, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream

Dresler, M., & Pace-Schott, E. F. (2019). The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming. Nature and Science of Sleep, 11, 101–113. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S155235

Filevich, E., Dresler, M., Brick, T. R., & Kühn, S. (2018). Frequent lucid dreaming associated with increased functional connectivity between frontopolar cortex and temporoparietal association areas. Scientific Reports, 8, Article 17798. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36190-w

Soffer-Dudek, N. (2025). The clinical neuroscience of lucid dreaming. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 103, 59–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.009

Voss, U., Holzmann, R., Tuin, I., & Hobson, J. A. (2009). Lucid dreaming: A state of consciousness with features of both waking and non-lucid dreaming. Sleep, 32(9), 1191–1200. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2737577/