Since I was young, I was able to control what happened in my dreams. For a long time, I believed that everyone had the ability to do this, and it was not significant. Later on, I realized that what I was experiencing was called "lucid dreaming," and only about 20 percent of the world population lucid dreams regularly. During this type of dream, the sleeper is aware that they are not present in reality, allowing them to control their actions and surrounding conditions throughout the dream.
Scientists are not sure why these types of dreams occur, but it is known that lucid dreams occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, and the movement of the eye can indicate that the sleeper is lucid. There are theories that the lateral prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain that causes lucid dreaming. This is the center if the brain that controls logical thinking. During regular dreams, this part of the brain is not functioning. However, it is possible that during lucid dreams, the lateral prefrontal cortex "wakes up" and makes the sleeper aware that they are in a dream. However, scientists are still unclear about how this allows sleepers to control their actions in a dream.
Studies have shown that lucid dreaming may be linked to a high IQ level. For example, in one study, people who reported frequent lucid dreaming were able to solve 25 percent more logic puzzles than this who do not lucid dream. Most people who experience lucid dreams often are 15 to 18 years old. Scientists are not sure why members of this age group are more susceptible to lucid dreaming; however it may be because their brains are still not fully developed.
Some people are able to learn how to lucid dream. For example, some people keep "dream journals" in which they record what happened in their dream, whether it was lucid or not, so that they can start to recognize recurring patterns or themes that occur in their dreams. Lucid dreamers also do frequent "reality checks" throughout the day, so they do not confuse their dreams with reality. A common reality check is to look at a clock to read the time, look away, and then look back to see if the time is still the same. If the person is dreaming, the clock will probably not read the same time when they look at it for the second time. This is because the concept of time does not exist within the mind. Once a person starts to perform reality checks in real life, it becomes such a strong habit and the person starts to perform these checks in their dreams as well, allowing them to realize that they are dreaming, which leads them to become lucid.
Although lucid dreaming may seem like an interesting experience, attempting to do it every night puts a lot of stress on the mind and body. If you are intrigued by this concept and want to try it, you should contact a sleep specialist first to make sure that you do not harm your body in the process. Some people suffer more stress from lucid dreaming than others. Make sure that you do not alter your regular routine and sleep patterns drastically, because this can take a toll on your body. It would be best to let nature take its course, and allow your body to naturally dream the way it does, without altering it.
