How to control dreams, in 9 psychological keys
It is very likely that, at least once, you have realized that you were dreaming, even that you could control the content of that dream. In such a case, you may want to repeat: being conscious in a dream is a unique experience.
In this article we will explain how to realize that you are in a dream and control it . We will describe 9 very useful techniques to keep the mind in a state of consciousness, to manipulate the dream world and, not least, to remember dreams after awakening.
- Related article: "10 basic principles for good sleep hygiene"
What are lucid dreams?
Lucid dreams are simply those in which we are aware that we dream . Sometimes this allows us to control the dream to some degree, modify the contents of the nightmares and even explore our mental life and use our imagination at will.
Human beings have applied this practice since antiquity for various purposes. Some Buddhist and Hindu disciplines have used lucid dreams as a type of meditation, while many artists try to be aware of their dreams and control them for inspiration.
Scientific research has found that lucidity begins during REM phases ("Rapid eye movements"), during which dreams are more vivid and narrative. It is believed that the main difference between typical and lucid dreams is that in the latter there is activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is related to working memory.
The maintenance of consciousness is manifested in the greater presence of beta waves in the brain during lucid dreams that during the rest. This type of waves represent an intense brain activation and are characteristic of wakefulness and to a lesser extent of the REM phase.
- Related article: Types of brain waves: Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta and Gamma "
How to control dreams
Some people are spontaneously aware that they are dreaming every time they do it, while others learn to control their dream world in a natural way; However, for most people this practice requires effort and dedication.
These keys to control dreams They will be useful if you want to become an onironaut, but keep in mind that for this you must have patience: at first it is very complicated and the results may be unsatisfactory. For example, it is common to get control of a dream but lose consciousness soon after, or not remember anything when you wake up.
1. Register your dreams
Before starting to have lucid dreams, it is convenient that you learn to remember them as vividly as you can. If you find it hard to remember what you have dreamed of after waking up, it will be especially important that you apply this first step, since if you manage to control a dream but you forget immediately afterwards, your effort will have been in vain.
Carry a "dream diary" It is very effective to remember what you have dreamed. Leave a notebook and a pen, or a voice recorder, on the bedside table; so you can register your dreams right after waking up. It may be useful to spend a few minutes concentrating on recovering the content of the dream before doing so.
Read them again or listen to them later, since the mind is not fully active during the minutes after awakening and you are likely to forget what you have dreamed of, but the review will help you to practice the evocation of dreams.
2. Test reality
The reality tests consist of check if we are awake during everyday life . It is necessary to repeat this practice frequently in the waking state so that it becomes a habit and repeats spontaneously during dreams, allowing the onironaut to realize that he is sleeping.
A large number of behaviors are likely to be used as reality tests, since the internal logic of dreams is very different from that of real life. Basically it's about detect perceptual inconsistencies that would not happen if we were awake.
These tests consist of asking yourself if you are dreaming and then doing something to prove it, like examining a text or a watch carefully; If we do not detect anything strange, like letters or numbers move, we're probably awake. Even so it is better to do more than one test each time in case the first does not work.
Doing reality tests right after awakening will help detect the false awakenings , usual side effects of lucid dreams that consist of a false sense of having awakened.
Below we list some reality tests that the onironaut community considers especially effective. However, reality tests that work very well for most people can fail others, so it is best that you try all or most.
- Read a text , look away and read it again; repeat twice
- Look at a clock and check that the numbers are stable and coherent
- Try to breathe with a stuffy nose
- Look and touch your hands to detect abnormalities (eg, extra fingers)
- Examine the environment to see if the vision is perfect (only in people with vision deficits, even if they are light)
- Try to "cast a spell" , how to move objects with the mind or fly
- Turn a switch on and off to check if the light changes
- Look in the mirror and see if the reflection is normal
3. Incuba dreams
To incubate a dream you have to concentrate on mentally repeat a phrase or to visualize an image just before falling asleep. This technique is usually used to facilitate the appearance of specific dreams, such as traveling to distant or fantastic places.
In the case of lucid dreams, visualizing a scenario repeatedly helps us to realize that we are dreaming if we appear there, and to repeat messages like "When I dream I will realize" can be even more effective.
4. Do not let your mind fall asleep
It is possible to enter directly into a lucid dream at the moment of falling asleep. For this it is necessary to get the body to fall asleep but the mind does not , at least not completely; It is useful to do muscle relaxation exercises, pay attention to physical sensations and concentrate on the hypnagogic images until you "enter" into one.
This technique is known as "induction from wakefulness". It is a very reliable way to achieve lucid dreams, although it often causes sleep paralysis - which can be used, however, as an intermediate step to achieve lucidity. It is much more effective in conjunction with the trick we will describe in the next section.
5. Wake up and go back to sleep
To apply this technique you have to sleep approximately 6 hours, wake up (the simplest is to use an alarm), do a quiet activity but keep us awake, such as reading about lucid dreams or playing a video game, for 20-40 minutes and then back to sleep.
In this way we will achieve go directly to the REM phase , in which dreams are more vivid; Something similar happens with naps, especially if we have stood up a few hours ago. Combining this technique with the rest we have mentioned, especially induction from wakefulness, is probably the best way to achieve lucid dreams.
6. Remind yourself that you are dreaming
Naturally we tend to lose consciousness progressively during lucid dreams, especially in situations of great physical or cognitive activation. Try to be calm and focused is essential.
Repeat mentally "I'm dreaming" Once we have reached clarity, we will be able to remain conscious for a longer time, especially if we combine this message with a hand rub, which also helps us to be aware of the distinction between the physical body and the dream body.
7. Create a new scenario
Even if we manage to be conscious and stay in this state, it is sometimes difficult to control sleep. An important first step, especially for beginner onironauts, is to generate a new dream scenario and move there.
There are several techniques that can be useful to achieve this goal: create a "portal" in the air with the mind (you can help with your fingers); close your eyes, visualize a scenario and teleport; spin around in circles with your eyes closed ...
8. Make a wish or view an image
If you have followed the previous steps successfully, congratulations: the moment you've been waiting for has arrived. Once your mind is conscious and you have enough control over the dream environment, you can do whatever you want; the only limitation is your expectations .
Just remember that in dreams everything is possible, from becoming a dinosaur to talking to a loved one who died or even a part of yourself.
There are two main ways to control dreams directly: desire something and visualize it. Say what you want to happen out loud (p. e. "I am flying over the ocean") will make the wish come true.
9. Prepare your next lucid dream
The technique known as "lucid induction of lucid dreams" allows us to use a lucid dream to incubate later ones. There are many ways to do this, although you probably need to make several attempts; You will need creativity and patience to make this type of induction work.
For example, It can be very useful to "invoke" a dream guide in your first lucid dream and ask him to warn you the next time you're dreaming. You can also create a room that functions as a hallway to the world of dreams and visualize it every time you go to sleep.
