Alternatively, keep a recording device by your bed. You might remember more of your dreams if you stay still for a few minutes and concentrate on the memory before you start writing. [2] X Research source It’s normal if you don’t remember your dreams right away. [3] X Expert Source Alex Dimitriu, MDSleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional Expert Interview. 16 October 2019.
Pinch your nose, close your mouth and test whether you can still breathe. Simply look at your hands and feet. These are often distorted in dreams when you inspect them closely. Read a page of text or the time on a clock, look away, then look back again. In dreams, the text or time will be blurry or nonsensical or will be different each time you look. [5] X Research source Attempt to push your index finger straight through the opposite palm. Really expect it to go through, asking yourself whether you’re dreaming or not both before and after attempting. During a dream, your finger would pass straight through your opposite palm, and asking yourself the question twice will increase your chances of realizing this is not normal.
Some people like to combine this step with a reality check by staring at their hands for a few minutes before they go to sleep.
You probably know some of these already. Common dream events include losing your teeth, being chased by something large, or going into public without clothes on.
Note that most lucid dreams occur while the person is fully asleep, usually because they notice a bizarre event and realize they’re in a dream. This is just an alternate trigger that starts off about 25% of lucid dreams. [8] X Research source
You don’t want to actually wake yourself up (unless you try the Wake Back to Bed method below). Keep the light alarm more than arm’s reach away from your bed, and/or cover it with a sheet to dim the light.
You won’t be able to time your phases exactly unless you visit a sleep lab or have a very dedicated night owl watching your eyelids all night. More realistically, just keep repeating the method below until you catch yourself in the REM phase.
This can be difficult to balance with the step below, which interrupts your sleep in the middle of the night. If you have trouble falling back asleep, try a different method instead, or limit your attempts to once or twice a week.
One study shows that staying awake for somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes gives the highest chance of a lucid dream. [13] X Research source
Keep in mind that “Wake Induced” lucid dreams are rarer and more difficult than dreams that become lucid after you’re already asleep. There are many meditation guide videos online specifically designed to help you lucid dream.
Spin your dream body around or fall backward. Some people report that this helps, although the reason is unknown. In the dream, rub your hands together. This can distract you from the sensations of your actual body. Continue doing whatever you were doing before the dream became unstable, asserting that you are still in the dream. This is much less effective than the techniques above.
Binaural beats can come with soothing background music, or just the beat itself.
Talk to a doctor first if you have any medical issues. Galantamine can worsen existing conditions such as asthma or heart problems. This drug also increases the chance of sleep paralysis, a harmless but often terrifying experience of being awake for several minutes without being able to move your muscles.
Check with your doctor first if you are taking any medications, or if you have a disorder involving bleeding, the stomach, the intestines, or the heart. This drug sometimes causes people to wake up in the night, so it may be counterproductive if you’re a light sleeper.
