What's Lucid Dreaming Like? An Intro to Lucid Dreaming For Beginners
What does it feel like? How do you know when you've really achieved a state of lucid dreaming? Is lucid dreaming really like the movie Inception, or is that just a Hollywood myth?
This intro to lucid dreaming will explain, based on anecdotal evidence, what it feels like to lucid dream. Check out our post about using your favorite songs for lucid dreaming for additional tips.
Lucid Dreaming for Beginners: What is Lucid Dreaming?
Lucid dreaming is a unique dream state where you are aware you're dreaming and have the ability to control what's happening in your dream.
If you didn't know any better (which you may not until you wake up), you may think you're experiencing real life. That's because the conscious part of your brain wakes up while you're dreaming— you're self-aware even though you’re still asleep.
In non-lucid dreams, the conscious part of your brain is shut down. That's why dreams feel like a blur when you wake up, because you weren’t fully aware of what was going on.
In fact, the greatest difference between a lucid and non-lucid dream is having a degree of control over that dream's outcome. A regular dream is like watching a movie play out in front of you. A lucid dream is like being an active participant in that movie.
For people who experience lucid dreaming, the goal is being able to do whatever you want to do and be whoever you want to be within a lucid dream. That's why achieving a state of lucid dreaming is so highly sought after.
What Does Lucid Dreaming Feel Like?
Lucid dreaming feels like manipulating real life— but from within the construct of your own mind! You can travel anywhere in an instant, defy the laws of physics, change your identity, wish for something and make it happen. The world is essentially yours to do with as you please.
In a lucid dream your senses are heightened. Sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch are all more extreme than what you would experience in real life.
Emotional feelings may also be intensified. You'll feel a greater sense of happiness and pleasure from engaging in enjoyable activities. Likewise, negative feelings like fear and pain are also amplified— but as you become better at controlling your dreams you can avoid such feelings.
Is it Like the Movie 'Inception'?
Many people associate lucid dreaming with the movie Inception starring Leonardo DiCaprio, (view the trailer here). It's an apt comparison— one that's created clarity and confusion on the subject.
Is lucid dreaming like Inception? In some ways, yes. In most ways, absolutely not. Director and screenwriter Christopher Nolan took the concept of lucid dreaming and created something unique out of his own imagination.
In this movie, characters consciously enter the dream world and have the ability to manipulate it in ways they wouldn't be able to in real life. But that's where the similarities end.
The movie's plot revolves around the main character (DiCaprio) being able to consciously enter other people's dreams and steal their secrets. The ability to enter other people's dreams is simply not possible in real life. And Leo's character SHARES dreams with others— another as-yet-impossible scenario.
Lucid dreaming is a singular experience. While you may interact with others in a lucid dream, even people you know, it's still just your dream and yours alone.
Inception is loosely based on lucid dreaming but, like many things in Hollywood, the majority of it is make-believe. Though it is mind-blowing.
Inducing Lucid Dreams
Lucid dreaming requires you to find certain triggers, moments or cues within your actual sleep cycle that allow your unconscious self to literally realize that it is currently dreaming. Sleep music, and a number of lucid dreaming applications, can help make those activating moments more attainable.
A great place to start for understanding how to induce lucid dreaming would be to read the first part to this series on lucid dreaming for beginners: how to use music for lucid dreaming.
Sleep music for lucid dreaming can be virtually anything you want. What's equally important important is the audio equipment you use before embarking on this journey. And it's how we became interested in the topic in the first place.
SleepPhones® can help maximize the potential of entering a state of lucid dreaming because they're the most comfortable headphones to wear to bed, and offer several benefits over using an external audio device.
Benefits of using SleepPhones® to listen to music for lucid dreaming:
- Sound Isolation: Focus on just the music and block out other sounds around you.
- Sound Quality: Hear the intricacies of the music better than if you were using external speakers.
- No Disturbance: Wearing SleepPhones® to listen to sleep music for lucid dreaming will not disturb your partner.
WHY NOT GIVE LUCID DREAMING A TRY? Explore the limitless world of lucid dreaming with SleepPhones® by your side. If you have any questions about lucid dreaming, head over to SleepPhone's Facebook or Twitter to continue the conversation on one of our social media channels.
