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Scientists call them “lucid dreamers” – people who consciously experience what happens to them in their sleep. Lucid dreamers not only dream, they also know that they are dreaming. And: they can control their nightly experiences and shape their storylines like an interactive movie. This ability is not a medical condition or a hereditary disorder. Anyone can learn to dream lucidly.
Lucid dreams in sleep research
Aristotle already knew that we can consciously experience images in our sleep. But his knowledge was forgotten for a long time; many even doubted that lucid dreaming was even possible. It was only in the last century that researchers began to study lucid dreaming more intensively again. In 1980, psychologists Stephen LaBerge and Keith Hearne succeeded in scientifically proving the existence of lucid dreams using EEG recordings.
Today, we know that lucid dreaming takes place in the so-called REM phase, where “rapid eye movement” occurs. During this time, we sleep soundly, the body seems almost frozen, only the eyes move rapidly back and forth. However, the brain is extremely active during this phase of sleep. A study by the University of Bonn shows that it is possible to experience this stage of sleep consciously: In the sleep laboratory, researchers were able to observe how lucid dreamers performed a prearranged eye movement, although they were fast asleep.
We can explore fantastic worlds in our sleep
But how do we teach ourselves to experience our dreams consciously? Even though intensive research has been done in this field, no universal method has been found. First of all, targeted, continuous exercises are important in order to be able to remember dreams at all. We usually forget them just a few moments after waking up. If we write down our dreams in a dream diary first thing in the morning, we can stimulate our brain to store our dreams.
There are two ways to achieve a different state of consciousness while dreaming. Some people try to transfer the knowledge that they are about to dream from their waking state to their sleeping state. Others become aware that they are dreaming while they are asleep. A paper card that says, “Am I dreaming?” can be helpful. If we keep looking at the card for several days, it will eventually appear in our dreams – the lucid dream can begin.
