Lucid Dreaming FAQ:
How to Lucid Dream and More

Welcome to the Lucid Dreaming FAQ. I aim to cover all the most common questions about lucid dreams and then delve into other areas of dreamwork. Click on one of the questions below to jump straight to it.

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FAQ#1 --> What is lucid dreaming?
FAQ#2 --> How do I know when I'm lucid?
FAQ#3 --> What should I do when I become lucid?
FAQ#4 --> How can I stay lucid for longer?
FAQ#5 --> How can I change the scenery?
FAQ#6 --> How can I have flying dreams?
FAQ#7 --> Are lucid dreams tiring?
FAQ#8 --> Is lucid dreaming dangerous?
FAQ#9 --> Can I get stuck in a lucid dream?
FAQ#10 --> Can I talk to my subconscious in a lucid dream?
FAQ#11 --> If I die in a dream, will I die in real life?
FAQ#12 --> What are false awakenings?
FAQ#13 --> What are reality checks?
FAQ#14 --> What is the MILD technique?
FAQ#15 --> What is the WILD technique?
FAQ#16 --> Do lucid dream machines work?
FAQ#17 --> Do dream herbs work?
FAQ#18 --> What is mutual dreaming?
FAQ#19 --> What are precognitive dreams?
FAQ#20 --> Can lucid dreams be used to induce OBEs?
FAQ#21 --> What are the best lucid dreaming CDs?

FAQ #1 - What is lucid dreaming?

A lucid dream is when you consciously "wake up" inside a dream. It can happen spontaneously when you realize you are dreaming. Most people will have one or two conscious dreams in their lifetime by accident. But with practice, you can learn how to have lucid dreams almost every night and act out your greatest fantasies. All it takes is practicing easy lucid dreaming techniques - and persevering.

People rave about dream control because it sets them free. Once you learn to induce lucid dreams, you can control your awareness in dreams, and often manipulate the scenery, dream characters and dream plot at will. Explore places that mankind has never been to, like the depths of the oceans or the edge of the universe. You can travel forward in time, fly to the moon, or run like a cheetah. There are no limits in the world of lucid dreaming.

FAQ #2 - How do I know when I'm lucid?

"Are you really sure that a floor can't also be a ceiling?"

M.C. Escher

If you use the popular MILD lucid dreaming technique, there will be a moment when you realize you're dreaming inside a normal dream. It is a sudden realization, often accompanied by a new mental clarity. Hence the term "lucid" - which means clear perception or understanding. Although it may be short (especially in the early days), you will just know when you have had a lucid dream.

A lucid dream involves your conscious brain. So it will look and feel a lot like waking life, where the conscious brain is in charge. The more you practice lucid dreaming techniques, the better you will be at observing and controlling your dream awareness. You can focus on distant landscapes, feel the texture of the grass underfoot, and taste any food you can imagine.

Remember that features of conscious dreams can spontaneously change just like a normal dream. For instance, you may manifest a group of bear cubs which later change into a pile of boxes. Of course, you can easily call the bear cubs back again. But don't be surprised if you notice these things happening which seem beyond your control. This is the subconscious brain still working with the dream. If you are able to think clearly and remember that you're dreaming, or if you can control the dream with willpower - then you are still lucid dreaming.

FAQ #3 - What should I do when I become lucid?

Before going off on your adventures, you should try to increase your awareness to stay lucid. This will help prolong the lucid dream and keep you "tuned in" to the details. There are tricks that can help bring your consciousness to the surface. Try some of the following:

rub your hands together
spin around
say "clarity now!"
recall what day it is
work out a sum
recall your dream intention

FAQ #4 - How can I stay lucid for longer?

If your lucid dream is coming to an end, you will notice your senses fading away - starting with vision and finishing with touch. It can happen within seconds so you need to act fast to stay lucid.

In his lucid dreaming FAQ, lucidity expert Stephen LaBerge recommends spinning around, falling backwards, or rubbing your hands together. This physical stimulation gives the conscious brain a "hook" for staying in the dream, and directs attention away from the sleeping body. It also causes new dream scenes to emerge. Another easy lucid dreaming technique is to repeat phrases like "I am dreaming" or "this is a lucid dream" to maintain awareness of the dreamscape.

FAQ #5 - How can I change the scenery?

Making a dream scene morph in front of your eyes is difficult - mainly because you simply don't expect it to happen.

Instead, the best way to change the scene is to walk through a door and find new scenery on the other side. Or try changing the channel on a TV, then jumping into the screen. Another idea is to imagine the new scene behind you, then simply turn around.

The most important thing in dream control is to really believe that it will happen. Otherwise you end up in a battle of logic with your conscious brain!

FAQ #6 - How can I have flying dreams?

I haven't seen this one in any other lucid dreaming FAQ. And yet it's something we all want to master first. Basically, it's not normal for people to fly in real life. So when we have flying dreams, the brain can have trouble believing it. You might find that you can only get so high - or you convince yourself you will fall. This is not a physical problem, but a mental one.

Think of the movie The Matrix, when Morpheus asks Neo how he beat him in a virtual reality fight. Was it because he was stronger, faster, or fitter in this simulated world? No! It was because he truly believed he was better. It's the same concept.

To nurture this belief and have awesome flying dreams, start by hopping or bouncing along the dreamscape, gradually allowing yourself to get higher. Really believe that you can do it, and try to release any fear of falling. Remember that it's a dream and you can't get hurt. With practice, you will soon be soaring above the clouds and flying over cities like Superman.

FAQ #7 - Are lucid dreams tiring?

The average person dreams for a total of 100 minutes every night, broken down into a number of sessions which grow in length towards the morning. (Which is why you're MUCH more likely to lucid dream between 5-7am than 11pm at night.) While the lucid brain is more active than the non-lucid brain, both are still active, and I have never noticed feeling tired - even after an hour of lucid dreaming.

In fact, since dream control is so exciting, it starts my morning off on a real high note. After exploring my dream world consciously, I feel happy and inspired. This can give me even more physical energy for the day ahead. Compare this to the after-effects of normal dreams or nightmares and you can see why lucid dreaming has a distinct advantage.

At the very worst, if you do find lucid dreaming mentally draining, it would only become an issue if ALL your dreams were lucid (which is very, very rare). Even then you would only be lucid dreaming for a maximum of 2 hours per night. Many lucid dreaming products boldly claim "you are wasting 8 hours of sleep every night!" but of course most of this is deep, non-REM sleep, which we need to keep our bodies healthy. You can never dedicate 8 hours per night to lucid dreaming, no matter what anyone else tells you.

FAQ #8 - Is lucid dreaming dangerous?

Studies have shown that REM sleep is vital to us all. People who are deprived of it experience hallucinations and paranoia within a matter of days. They also try to "micro sleep", lapsing in and out of consciousness for seconds at a time.

Like normal dreaming, lucid dreaming is a product of REM sleep. The fact that you are conscious in the dream makes no difference. You still get the same amount of REM sleep. So conscious dreams are a completely safe form of REM sleep.

The point to remember is that lucid dreaming and normal dreaming are interchangeable when it comes to REM sleep. You are not putting yourself at any risk by learning the art of dream control.

(On the topic of sleep deprivation, there is a tragic disease known as Fatal Familial Insomnia. Sufferers of this rare genetic condition start to have trouble sleeping once they are middle aged, until one day they can no longer sleep at all. There is no cure, and sleeping pills only cause the symptoms to get worse. The loss of REM sleep inevitably ends in a slow and cruel death.)

FAQ #9 - Can I get stuck in a lucid dream?

I wish!! Often the opposite is true - people wake up from their conscious dreams long before they are ready. You can't get stuck in a lucid dream any more than you can in a normal dream. In fact, in a lucid dream you can wake yourself up at any moment. I used to use this technique to stop nightmares. Either shout "WAKE UP!" or just tightly close and open your eyes (this triggers your real eyes to open). However, I think you'd be mad to end a lucid dream on purpose.

FAQ #10 - Can I talk to my subconscious in a lucid dream?

In dreams, we have easy access to our subconscious mind. It is right there - setting up the imagery and guiding the plot. Once you become lucid, the simplest way to communicate with your subconscious is to personify it. Create a dream character that you are happy to talk to, and then start asking open and honest questions. You may be surprised by some of the answers you get.

FAQ #11 - If I die in a dream will I die in reality?

No, this is a myth. I've died a few times in dreams - and I'm still here.

I once died in a dream of epic proportions. Without ever becoming lucid, I was standing on the roof of one of the Twin Towers in New York. I watched in the distance as a tsunami wave headed towards the city. I was soon immersed in water, knocked off the building and drowned as I fell.

Interestingly, I then "woke up" in the dream to find myself on an alien planet, being watched by a group of my alien peers. They had the usual big heads and slender limbs, and waited for me while my memory of them returned. Apparently my whole time on Earth was just part of a larger lifecycle...

That dream was definitely a keeper :)

FAQ #12 - What are false awakenings?

In false awakenings, you believe you have woken up but are in fact still asleep. It's a very vivid dream and to some extent you have control of it. Some people get up, get dressed, have breakfast and leave the house in a false awakening. However, it's more like being on auto-pilot than a genuine conscious experience.

The bizarre thing is, when a false awakening ends, you can wake up in bed and realize it was all a dream. So you get up, get dressed, have breakfast and leave the house all over again... then BAM! It was another false awakening.

One person reported seven false awakenings in one long stream of alternate realities. The outcome can be very confusing, where you end up grasping for some sense of what's real. This phenomenon has inspired many books and movies, the most famous of which is probably Groundhog Day.

False awakenings may be more common when you practice lucid dreaming techniques. Trust me - that is a good thing! They are perfect opportunities to initiate a lucid dreams. Simply make it a habit to perform reality checks every morning when you wake up. Try pushing your hand through the wall, or floating above your bed. Hey presto - instant conscious dreams!

FAQ #13 - What are reality checks?

Reality checks are a great way to initiate dream control. They involve testing your reality throughout the waking day. When the cue naturally arises in a dream, you have the perfect opportunity to realize you are dreaming and become lucid. Read more about reality checks.

FAQ #14 - What is the MILD technique?

Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD) is one of the most popular lucid dreaming techniques, developed by Dr Stephen LaBerge. It involves performing reality checks and setting the intention to have lucid dreams.

FAQ #15 - What is the WILD technique?

Wake Induced Lucid Dreams (WILDs) involve falling asleep consciously, through the hypnagogic state, straight into a lucid dream. It is more closely connected with astral projection and OBEs.

FAQ #16 - Do lucid dream machines work?

Lucid dream machines like the NovaDreamer or DreamMask provide lucidity triggers which are incorporated into your dream. It is up to you to recognize the cue and in doing so, realize that you are dreaming.

Lucid dream machines also play sounds such as "this is a dream" to help you become conscious in the dream world. The drawback is that they may be uncomfortable to wear all night, and the lights or sounds may wake you up altogether. Read my reviews of popular lucid dream machines.

FAQ #21 - Do lucid dreaming CDs work?

I value lucid dreaming CDs and MP3s over lucid dream masks any day. They are considerably cheaper and help you to enter altered states of consciousness on demand. They train your brain to become lucid naturally and achieve deep states of meditation for communicating with your inner self.

You'll see them mentioned a lot on this website - my favorite is the Lucid Dreaming MP3 by Unexplainable Store. Not to be missed!

FAQ #17 - Do dream herbs work?

Natural dream herbs are great for inducing vivid, meaningful dreams. As a result you are much more likely to become lucid. Read my reviews of various dream herbs, including the famous Calea Z and African Dream Root. These herbs are just as safe as any other nutritional supplement and can be swallowed, smoked, or drunk in tea. The are legal almost everywhere around the world.

FAQ #18 - What is mutual dreaming?

Mutual dreaming occurs when two or more people share the same dream. They often begin as lucid dreams, because there is an organized intention to meet up in the dream world. This is the basis of the 1984 movie, Dreamscape, starring Dennis Quaid, as well as Dreamside, a novel by Graham Joyce. Science experiments to confirm the existence of mutual dreaming are ongoing.

FAQ #19 - What are precognitive dreams?

Precognitive dreams are dreams that appear to predict the future. Most people are likely to report at least one precognitive dream in their lives. Learn more about precognitive dreams including an experiment you can try for yourself.

FAQ #20 - Can lucid dreams induce OBEs?

If you want to learn how to have out of body experiences, you can use your conscious dreams as a training ground. This applies with anything you are learning, including musical instruments, martial arts, or even how to fly a plane. Just find a good location and work through your OBE induction technique as you would in real life. Your attempt will work because you control the outcome.

To learn more about the connection between lucid dreaming and astral projection, take a look at paranormal activity and my interview with Erin Pavlina.

Your Questions on Lucid Dreaming

Here is a selection of the best questions on lucid dreaming I've received from readers. I've also answered them from my own experience. If you have a question that isn't addressed here, you can email me personally and I'll publish my answer below. I'll gladly offer my own insight into any aspect of lucid dreaming - but please don't ask me to interpret your dreams for you!

Does Eating Cheese Give You Nightmares?

How Do I Create Dream Characters?

Does Fish Oil Induce Lucid Dreams?

What if I Don't Remember My Dreams?

How Can I Extend My Lucid Dreams?

Can Everyone Lucid Dream?

Can Lucid Dreams Happen Spontaneously?

What Level of Consciousness Do You Have in a Lucid Dream?

Can You Spend Years in a Lucid Dream?

What Types of Dreams are These?

Why Aren't We All Lucid Dreamers?

Why is it Hard to Move in Lucid Dreams?