Don't Forget your Eight Hours!

Sleep deprivation is a serious health concern that can lead to decreased cognitive function and a wide variety of other negative factors on the body. This week, I interviewed Brook Borlie, a senior biobehavioral health major at the Penn State, to discuss the negative effects of sleep loss. Ms. Borlie helped facilitate a research project in which the bodily changes that occur during sleep loss were monitored and analyzed. This week, I plan to cover why sleep is so important, and how lucid dreaming can increase the effectiveness of sleep time as well as aid individuals in overcoming symptoms of insomnia.

During our conversation, Ms. Borlie stated that sleep deprivation can "cause a multitude of detrimental effects on the human body." Most notably, reduced insulin sensitivity and subsequent increased risk of diabetes, reduced cognitive function, and increased fat uptake are some of the most significant adverse health effects of not getting enough sleep. She went further to say that "[increased] stress levels are shown by a higher release of cortisol."

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average healthy young adult requires between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Psychologically speaking, lack of sleep can cause individuals to become irritable, less responsive, and highly stressed out. This can lead to decreased work output and negatively impact relationships, educational goals, and careers. On the other hand, feeling well rested during the day can improve focus and output.

You may be wondering, how can lucid dreaming increase the amount of hours I can sleep? Well, in short, it can't. On the upside, however, lucid dreaming can reportedly make sleep more effective, and thus decrease the amount of time an individual needs to sleep to feel the same level of restfulness. Lucid dreaming not only increases the restfulness of participants, but it also makes sleeping more desirable to the individual. For this reason, insomnia can be combated.

Electronic devices are a common cause of insomnia in today's culture, and sleep loss can be a result of their use late into the night. Once lucid dreaming becomes common practice, the idea of sleeping becomes more enticing than just to catch up on rest. Dreaming can become a fun activity in which one can explore and have fun, or solve real life issues. This encourages people to put down their phones and get to sleep faster, and this can help combat symptoms of insomnia. In my personal experience, I have grown away from staying up on my phone at night and instead yearn to get to bed as fast as possible.

Overall, I hope the information and tools I've given to you can help you achieve this goal of lucid dreaming. The benefits of the activity are truly one of a kind, and I believe that every person who has read my blogs can eventually have a lucid dreaming state. Keep trying all the techniques I have scattered throughout the last ten blog posts, and enjoy it! Good luck, and feel free to shoot me any questions you have during your journey!

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

Image provided by Steven Worster

Image provided by Quinn Dombrowski

The Science Behind the Fantasy

Technology and its relationship with lucid dreaming is ever increasing. As more research is conducted connecting the two, it becomes clear that lucid dreaming may someday become an activity that anyone can partake in. For example, a Frankfurt University study has recently discovered a form of electronic brain stimulation that can increase the odds of lucid dreams by up to 77%. Supposedly, 27 subjects woke up after their brains were electrified with patterns during their sleep to report that they realized they were dreaming while still asleep! The experiment, "Induction of self awareness in dreams through frontal low current stimulation of gamma activity", details the full design of the tests and is an exciting example of how science can help people reach their goal of lucid dreaming.

Exciting new research is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the evolving culture of lucid dreaming. Companies are also beginning to sell devices that reportedly induce lucidity in dreams and pill supplements that increase the odds of a successful lucid dreaming experience. The success of these various products on the market are not solidified, so it is hard to tell if they actually work or are merely a scam.

Specifically, companies like Foc.us utilize the same arguments I have used before when discussing the benefits of lucid dreaming. The ideas of solving real life problems, exploring a unique new world, and experiencing a magical feeling is advertised as the primary reasons to buy products that supposedly increase lucid dreaming. Regardless of whether the products work in the way they are advertised, the claimed benefits are in alignment with my own observations about the practice.

While the increased interest in lucid dreaming is exciting, one idea is absent from discussion within these experiments and online retailers. In my opinion, the experiments and products being sold may not actually increase lucid dreaming, but the mere idea of thinking about it may increase someone's success rate. For example, the participants in the brain stimulation experiment knew they were subjects in a sleep study and thus may become more subconsciously aware while asleep. Similarly, purchasing products to increase lucid dreaming may only work because cognitive recognition is required to understand what purchase is meant to accomplish. In other words, I suspect that the experiments and market products may act as a subconscious placebo when it comes to increasing the frequency of lucid dreams.

Hopefully all this scientific buzz about lucid dreaming has you excited to keep practicing this week. Just think, merely reading this post could help you make a lucid realization during your slumber because it requires you to think about the activity! Next week, I plan to talk about the importance of sleep and how sleep deprivation can impact your ability to lucid dream as well as how lucid dreaming can help decrease symptoms of insomnia.

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

Image provided by Amy

Image provided by Fabio Hofnik

There's No Place Like Home (Except Lucid Dreams, of Course!)

Popular culture has utilized the "dream sequence" as a classic formula for storytelling and entertaining. Dreams themselves are mentioned in all types of media ranging from songs, to art pieces, to movies. Why is the dream so popularized in modern media but not talked about more in day to day interactions? Through this weeks blog, I will attempt to analysis why dreams are the perfect framework for any storytelling medium and how this relates back to learning the art of lucid dreaming.

Released in 1939, The Wizard of Oz quickly became one of the most historically significant movie productions ever released. Considered to be one of the first successful colored films, Dorothy and Toto stole the hearts of Americans as they traveled into a magical world of bright visuals, exciting new creatures, and exhilarating adventures. The Wizard of Oz was not only successful for its plot line, however. Subconsciously, the fact that Dorothy is sleeping in her bed back in Kansas during the duration of the movie adds to the classic effect.

After Dorothy is knocked unconscious during a tornado back on her home farm, she drifts away into the land of Oz. As the movie switches from black and white to color during this moment, it becomes extremely clear that within a dream, everything becomes possible. While Dorothy does not realize she is dreaming during the storm, she does obtain the ability to speak to magical beings and act heroically to save the day from the wicked witch. One of the most overlooked messages from the movie is that dreams are a place of escape, discovery, and resolution. Without dreaming, Dorothy may not have had the capability to unravel her unconscious stresses and defeat her metaphorical nemesis.

In 2010, the movie Inception was released and continued popularizing the infinite inner-workings of dreams. Considerably more dense, Inception lays its plot within the idea that dreams within dreams (and lucid dreaming) can carry a power unlike any other. While lucid dreaming may not actually give you this type of experience, it is intriguing to note how revered it is by Hollywood.

These few examples of dreams being utilized as a frameworks for past and modern works showcase the significance society places on dreams. To gain as much as possible from your own dreams requires the descipline to recognize when they are occuring, to record details, and to analyze its meaning when conscious. If all of these things can be accomplished, then you too may see the world in a brand new color!

Next week, I plan on detailing the scientific research currently being conducted on the practice of lucid dreaming. Most importantly, I wish to generate more confidence in trying to learn the ability and reassure you, the reader, that anyone can accomplish this goal. Feel free to send me comments or contact me in person if you have any more questions regarding how to make that last jump to truly dream in the most beneficial way possible.

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

Image provided by Sam Howzit

Image provided by Pierre-Alexandre Garneau

Only a Figment of Imagination?

How can we prove the existence of something if we cannot see, test, or experience it ourselves. Outside of the lucid dreaming community, scrutiny surrounds the legitimacy of the practice and many people claim it simply does not exist. For some, the lack of success in regards to lucid dreaming leads them to believe it cannot be accomplished, and that it is merely fabricated to gain attention. I may not be able to prove that lucid dreaming exists, but I can provide some reassuring facts that justify trying to learn the ability.

Even if someone never achieves the ability to lucid dream, practicing to gain the capability still reaps several benefits. For example, the repetitive nature of trying to lucid dream teaches discipline and encourages memory retention. Additionally, considering the meaning behind dreams (even those that are not lucid) can be beneficial for psychological and emotional improvement. Dreams provide a window into our subconscious stresses, and the focus on such dreams can lead to increased recognition of how to fix real life issues.

Furthermore, practicing lucid dreaming involves the imagination. Even before lucid dreaming is accomplished, it is natural to imagine what the experience is like and how someone would spend that extra time. This continued use of one's imagination can also improve creativity and problem solving skills.

Lastly, continued belief that someone can achieve a lucid dreaming state can help build self confidence and resilience. Believing in something you can't see may seem illogical to some people, but in a greater sense it allows for self-reflection. If someone chooses to disregard lucid dreaming as a myth, it harms no one. They would only be missing out on the opportunity to experience a new situation in which they could have ultimate power with no repercussions.

In my experience, I never struggled with the legitimacy of lucid dreaming because I discovered it on accident before I began any research. On the other hand, I can see why people have doubts. Many argue that lucid dreaming is simply made up by other people, and in a sense this is true. The dreams themselves still come from individuals' brains while they sleep; however, they retain the power to control their dream once they realize they are sleeping. Most people have had at least one dream in their life where they realize they are dreaming. Lucid dreams only require one more step: to remain asleep and realize you can do whatever you want.

In addition, many testimonies are available that advocate for the practice of lucid dreaming. Searching for "lucid dreaming experiences" on the internet yields countless articles and journals detailing the activity. With so many people claiming they can lucid dream, doesn't that add some sort of legitimacy? I truly believe anyone can learn to lucid dream, with a little practice, and that the benefits of learning outweigh the costs. Next week, I plan to show how dreams play a large role in pop culture today and I will highlight a few specific artifacts that rely on dreams to relay bigger messages.

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

Image provided by Ibai

Image provided by Marie-Chantale Turgeon

Everyone Can Improve

As promised, I will showcase an example of my past week's successes, failures, and assumed meanings behind my dreams.  For those of you who have read my blogs since the very beginning, I hope keeping a dream journal really helped in the past week.  If you are just joining in, I mentioned last week to my readers how helpful keeping a record of your dream memories can be when it comes to analyzing their meaning in real life.  Now, finally, down to my example week.

This week was a tough one for me, especially when it came to dreams.  Out of the past seven sleeps, I can only recall three dreams.  In addition, only one of those dreams was a lucid dream. For my first dream, I recorded a voice memo on my iPhone during the wee hours of Sunday morning.  The first thing I said into the microphone was "I did not lucid dream last night."  Frustrating. Regardless, the majority of my recollections from the nighttime wandering dealt with school.  I struggled to find a classroom to take an exam in, I found it impossible to navigate my bike to class, and I received two assignments back as zero percents.  Obviously, this dream needs little analysis.  I was stressed about school during Sunday morning. Why would this be?  Simple: I had a chemistry test on Monday.

After my Chemistry exam was over, I did not remember my dream until Tuesday night's slumber.  My record of the dream is scribbled on an index card next to my bed; however, I do not need the card to remember the dream because it was a lucid dream.  I credit my increased sleep time for encouraging the lucid dream to occur (getting more rest generally makes lucid dreaming come more easily for me).

During the Tuesday night dream, I was sitting atop a small hill during dusk when I noticed that every single tree in the small forest around me was of the same species.  I was so preoccupied by this fact that I suddenly realized that this could not be reality.  Directly after my discovery, I did a fact check. I recalled that my body was asleep in my dorm room and that the next day was Wednesday.  I entered into the forest and wondered what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, I reached no conclusion about what to accomplish with my time in the dream, as no issues were pressing at the time. Instead, I gave in and decided to enjoy my dream.  For the remainder of the dream (which was not very long) I played with my dog in the woods, flew a jet airplane, and watched the sky.

Finally, on Wednesday night, I recorded a dream that was hard to follow and especially confusing to decode.  While I slept, I imagined that I needed to cross a river for some reason, but that I lacked the ability to swim.  I panicked and tried to build a small raft but it fell apart as soon as I entered the waters.  While in the water, I became extremely cold and it reminded me of winter.  The only other part of the dream I can remember is not being able to turn on a lamp on a desk in a room that resembled my dorm room.

While I have yet to decrypt my dream from Wednesday night, this week has shown me that I too can still improve my quality and quantity of lucid dreaming and dream recall.  In addition, many of you may raise the classic question of how can I prove that lucid dreams exist? Next week, I will explore this theoretical question and attempt to persuade non-lucid dreamers that anyone is possible of achieving this goal.

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

Image provided by DVIDSHUB

Image provided by Leland Jackson

Dreams Impact Reality

Before I even became interested in the concept of lucid dreaming, I was already intrigued by what dreams meant. Dream retention can callow individuals to break down what their subconscious brain is trying to tell them and devise real-life problem solving techniques. However, before I explain why lucid dreaming can help make your dreams a reality, I want to tell you a story. As an Eagle Scout, I have heard this story numerous times on camping trips, and it is commonly known by many Boy Scouts.

Baden Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts of America, met is wife in a very interesting manner.  To start the story off right, it is important to note that Powell was extremely intrigued by dreams and their meaning. He even kept a dream journal in which he recorded significant or confusing aspects of his nighttime wanderings.

One particular night, he was approached by a bright figure in a dream. Powell recognized that the bright figure as Saint Peter and the figure then asked him to travel to America as soon as possible and spread the idea of Scouting. Baden Powell instantly recorded this dream in his dream journal and contemplated its meaning for a several days. Was he really meant to do this? In the end, Powell felt inspired enough to purchase a boat ticket and prepared to make the journey.

During January of 1912, during the trip to New York to continue the Scouting World Tour, Powell met his future wife Olave St. Clair Soames on the ship. Although he was 55 years old and she was only 23, they shared the same birthday and began to bond. The two became engaged and married soon after! Through this event, the founder of BSA solidified his belief that dreams carried great power. Later in life, he even treated migraines with dream analysis and different sleeping locations throughout his house.

The main takeaway from this story is that without the ability to retain his dream, Baden Powell may have never met his wife who ended up helping the spread of Scouting throughout America. Dream memory is an important skill that can allow one to analyze mental issues and imbalances in life, and to make necessary adjustments.

In relation to this blog, lucid dreaming is claimed to dramatically increase dream retention.  From personal experience, I always remember lucid dreams, while I struggle to remember regular dreams.  Additionally, becoming aware of how important dreams can be encourages me to utilize a dream journal.  Writing a brief description or making an audio recording of a dream immediately after you wake up acts insures so that if you can return to scrutinize your dream later. Most dreams can only be recalled within the first few minutes of waking up, so it is important to put pencil to paper fast!

In the upcoming week, I encourage you to jot down a few main points from your dreams and see if your dream retention begins to improve. Baden Powell benefitted from recalling his dreams, and so can you!  I will showcase an example of how this next weeks successes and failure go for me in the following blog. Stay positive and keep trying!

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

Image provided by Tadie88

Image provided by HalinaV

Tougher Techniques To Try Today

Hopefully after last week, you are now completely pumped up to start reaping the benefits of lucid dreaming! Most people at this stage in the game still lack a successful data point of lucid dreaming. This is completely normal! In fact, its extremely rare to pick up the ability in less than a few months. This is just a positive reminder that you're not doing anything wrong, and that these skills simply require time to master. In this week’s update, I will be sharing some alternate, albeit slightly more difficult, techniques to achieve your goal that may assist a few readers.

Alternate Technique #1: Sound Wave Stimulation
Basically, this process simply involves queuing up a soundtrack before bed. Sounds easy enough right? Well, perhaps. Several alpha wave lucid dreaming stimulation musical tracks exist out there, and many of them are expensive. In my experience, I have utilized several YouTube mixes to listen to while I sleep. They all work about the same.

Alpha sound waves supposedly help relax the mind to enter a deeper level of sleep more efficiently, and then wake the unconscious mind during slumber so one can begin to lucid dream. Personally, I have had mixed results with this process in the past, but I did tend to have more lucid dreams when I utilized this method (perhaps only because I am thinking about the act of lucid dreaming more when preparing this technique).

Alternate Technique #2: Delayed Focus
If you can wake up and fall back asleep easily during the nighttime, this may be the technique for you! To use this method, set an alarm clock for around the middle of the night. When you are awoken sometime between 2 am and 3 am, consciously think to yourself: I am about to dream. I am going to dream. As you return to catch some z’s, stay focused on the idea that you want to consciously observe your dream. If you successfully stay rooted in reality as you fall back asleep, you will enter a lucid dreaming state. Besides having the motivation to wake up in the middle of the night, remembering why you woke up in the first place can make this trick very hard. To help fix this issue, I suggest writing a reminder note and taping it to the alarm clock you use to wake up.

Remember - this blog does absolutely nothing unless you practice and give your training time. It is fine to be frustrated when you wake up, as long as you don't give up! I am excited to hear about your successes and failure this week. Next week, Im going to talk about how and why using a dream journal in addition to these techniques can be extremely helpful. Recording your own dreams can lead to discoveries that change the lives of people around you. Good luck!

Image Credits (in order of appearance)

Image provided by Tess Watson

Image provided by Daniel Novta