Lucid dream is a dream in which the dreamer is aware of dreaming. The lucid dreamer may also have some control over the dream. The term lucid dream was coined by the Dutch psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden in 1913. Lucid dreaming is a type of hybrid consciousness that combines the surreal aspects of dreams and the rationality of wakefulness. One could think of the lucid dream state as somewhat like being awake while dreaming. To the dreamer, the lucid dream feels incredibly vivid and immersive (overwhelming).
About half of people have had a lucid dream at least once. Children are more likely to have lucid dreams, and lucid dreams become less common with age. Lucid dreams are usually brief, lasting just a few minutes on average. Most other dreams are quickly forgotten, but lucid dreams tend to remain vivid in the mind even after awakening. A common theme of lucid dreams is flying in the air. The dreamer may feel spiritual ecstasy, overwhelming joy, or even fear.
Lucid dreaming often begins in the midst of a dream, with the dreamer becoming aware of the dreaming state. The dreamer may notice, for example, occurrences that would be impossible in waking life, for example meeting relatives who have died. Lucid dreams occur naturally, but people may improve their ability to dream lucidly with practice. Among Buddhist monks in Tibet, for example, lucid dreaming has been cultivated as a spiritual tool for hundreds of years. Techniques to induce (cause) a lucid dream include meditation and various mental exercises. People may also simply learn to recognize clues that they are dreaming.
Lucid dreams usually arise during a stage of sleep known as REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. In REM sleep, a person’s closed eyes move rapidly, as though the sleeper were watching a series of events. This stage of sleep is when most dreams occur. Occasionally during REM sleep, portions of the brain associated with wakefulness are activated. One such area, called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, is normally inactive during REM sleep. This area of the brain helps organize logical thoughts when the person is awake.
Lucid dreams are linked to other experiences associated with the boundary between REM sleep and wakefulness. These sensations include out-of-body experiences, in which a person has the sensation of floating outside the body. Another such experience is sleep paralysis, in which a person is unable to move upon falling asleep or awakening, but is conscious of things around them. It is common, for example, for lucid dreamers to report an out-of-body experience at the onset of the lucid dream or the ability to slide into a lucid dream during an episode of sleep paralysis .
