You didn’t realize that you are dreaming until you wake up. Have you ever noticed that while you fall asleep, your brain creates a reality that differs completely from the outside world (reality)? But sometimes you become aware that you are dreaming in a dream…wouldn’t be it good if you able to control your dream?
It is actually possible with the lucid dreaming. But do you know how this lucid dream works? The idea of controlling the dreams sounds silly, but there are some people who agree to control their minds. Here are some amazing and lesser-known facts about the lucid dream that you might find interesting.
It is the ability to observe your dreams – where everything you hear, visualize or smell is as real in the real life. Generally, lucid dreaming is the time when you know that you are dreaming and you are able to acknowledge all the senses of your dreams.
One of the most surprising lucid dreaming facts is that the meditation is directly associated with lucid dreaming. According to the reports, meditation has the direct connection with lucid dreaming. Do you know focusing improves an individual’s ability to control and be aware of the present scenario? Thus meditation helps in keeping a watch on the dreams.
Your brain remains active and energetic during the REM stages of sleep. During the REM stage, your voluntary muscles gets paralyzed but eye functions and reacts to images (it may be a protective move so that you don’t react on your dreams). Many researchers have observed lucid dreaming by measuring movements of eyes and looked for a pattern among the dreamers. (18.1)
TBH, lucid dreaming doesn’t benefit you in any way. However, it is reported that it makes you creative like you can do anything you can dream of. Lucid dreaming can be cool and might be a weird talk, but experts warn not getting deep into the phenomenon. Why?
The study on lucid dreaming is totally based on the self-reported dreams so there’s no way out to know the real cause behind it. While some studies suggest that the prefrontal cortex is a part of the brain where lucid dreamers consist of more grey matter remains more active during sleep, and this dreaming occurs when prefrontal cortex becomes extremely active while you dream in a sleep. (1.2)
One study claims that people who play video games have greater chances of experiencing the lucid dream. It is because of gamers’ have good experience of figuring out the alternate realities.