How to lucid dream: 5 tips to train your body and mind
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
Discover what lucid dreaming is, including how and why it works, according to the research. Plus, how to have lucid dreams and wake yourself up from them.
For many people, dreaming is like watching a movie —action is happening, and you’re just a spectator. But what if dreaming could be more interactive? Imagine being able to explore your dream world freely while sleeping, taking control of the narrative, and exploring your surroundings in a way that feels as real as waking life. The ability to hop inside of your dream and purposefully control it is known as lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming can open up endless possibilities for you to explore creativity and adventure in a safe way. It can also offer practical benefits, like overcoming nightmares and enhancing problem-solving skills.
What is lucid dreaming?
Lucid dreaming is when you’re aware that you’re dreaming while you’re still in the dream. You can consciously explore—and even direct—your dream while you’re asleep.
How lucid dreaming differs from regular dreaming
Usually, we’re unaware that we’re dreaming. Our dream experiences feel real, and we accept dream events, no matter how unusual or impossible they might be. Lucid dreaming, however, involves a level of metacognition — where you recognize that you’re dreaming. Sometimes this awareness can be fleeting, while other times, you can control the dream.
The stages of sleep and REM sleep
Sleep is divided into several stages which cycle throughout the night, typically lasting about 90 minutes per cycle.
Stage 1 (light sleep): This is a transitional phase where you drift in and out of sleep.
Stage 2 (deeper light sleep): Your body temperature drops and your heart rate begins to slow.
Stage 3 (deep sleep): Known as slow-wave sleep, this stage promotes physical recovery and health.
Stage 4 (REM sleep): Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, where your brain activity increases and your eyes move rapidly under your eyelids, is when the most vivid dreams occur and when lucid dreaming is most likely.
5 potential benefits of lucid dreaming
Enhancing creativity: Exploring and influencing a dream world can inspire creative ideas and solutions.
Improving problem-solving skills: Solving problems within dreams can help improve your problem-solving abilities in waking life.
Overcoming nightmares: Confronting and changing nightmares can help reduce their frequency and intensity.
Therapeutic treatments: Used in treating PTSD and anxiety by providing a safe space to confront fears.
Personal development: Exploring your subconscious mind can aid self-discovery and personal growth.
Research into lucid dreaming
Scientific studies dating back to the 1970s have shown that lucid dreaming involves specific brain activity, particularly in the prefrontal cortex — the area responsible for self-awareness, mental clarity, and decision-making. Pioneers like Dr. Keith Hearne and Dr. Stephen LaBerge led in using or inducing lucid dreaming as therapy for PTSD, enhancing sports performance and personal growth, and developing techniques like the MILD method. For example, some athletes use lucid dreaming to practice and visualize their techniques, while some therapists use it to help patients confront and resolve traumatic memories.
How to have lucid dreams: 5 tips
To train your mind and body to have lucid dreams, you’ll need practice and consistency.
1. Practice reality testing
Reality testing involves regularly questioning whether you’re awake or dreaming. This can help increase your self-awareness, and carrying this into your dreams can make you more likely to recognize when you’re dreaming. Checking reality several times a day can help you train your brain to check whether you’re awake or asleep.
Check your hands: Look at your hands and count your fingers. In dreams, your hands may look strange or have an unusual number of fingers.
Read text: Look at a piece of text, look away, and then look back again. In a dream, the text will often change or appear blurry.
Check the time: Look at a clock, look away, and then look back. In dreams, the time may change unpredictably or the clock may display nonsensical times.
Perform the finger push test: Try pushing your finger through your palm. In a dream, your finger might pass through.
💙 Embrace the present—and what’s real—and tune into your body with Calm’s guided Body Scan.
2. Use Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)
Practicing the MILD technique regularly can increase your chances of becoming lucid in a dream by using affirmations and visualization to set clear intentions.
Set an intention: Before going to sleep, set an intention by repeating a phrase like “I will remember my dream” or “I will realize I am dreaming” several times.
Visualize: As you fall asleep, visualize yourself becoming lucid in a recent dream. Picture yourself recognizing that you’re dreaming and taking control.
Recall dreams: When you wake up during the night or in the morning, stay still and try to recall your dreams. This can help strengthen your dream recall and your ability to recognize dreams.
💙 Ground yourself in the present moment and Tune into Your Senses to help with visualization and setting clear intentions.
3. Try Wake Back to Bed (WBTB)
The WBTB method involves waking up during the night and then returning to sleep with the intention of lucid dreaming. This technique uses the natural increase in REM sleep later in the night to increase the likelihood of a lucid dream.
Set an alarm: Set an alarm to wake up after 4–6 hours of sleep. This corresponds with a period of REM sleep.
Stay awake: When the alarm goes off, get out of bed and stay awake for 20–30 minutes. Try a calm activity, such as reading about lucid dreaming or reviewing your dream journal.
Go back to sleep: Go back to bed, setting the intention of becoming lucid in your dreams — use the MILD technique to reinforce your intention.
💙 Soften into Sleep with the guidance from this progressive muscle relaxation exercise led by Chibs Okereke.
4. Keep a dream journal
Keeping a dream journal can make it easier to identify when you’re dreaming.
Record immediately: As soon as you wake up, write down everything you remember about your dreams, like settings, characters, emotions, and events.
Be consistent: Write in your dream journal every morning, even if you only remember fragments of your dreams.
Identify patterns: After a few weeks, review your dream journal to identify common themes, symbols, and patterns to help you realize when you’re dreaming.
💙 Take a few moments before journaling to allow yourself to think freely and give yourself Permission to Be.
5. Create a lucid dreaming environment
The right environment can enhance your chances of becoming lucid during dreams.
Minimize light and noise: Ensure your bedroom is dark and quiet. Use blackout curtains and earplugs if necessary.
Reduce screen time at least an hour before bed: The blue light emitted by devices can disrupt your sleep.
Maintain a consistent sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Regular sleep cycles can increase the likelihood of REM sleep.
Relax before bed: Keep activities before bedtime calm, such as reading, meditating, or a warm bath. Reducing stress and anxiety can improve the quality of your sleep and your ability to dream.
💙 Add a Soundscape to your sleep environment, like the relaxing sounds from the Northern Lakes.
How to wake up from a lucid dream
While lucid dreaming can be an exciting and enriching experience, you may want to wake up if the dream becomes uncomfortable. Other times, you may need to wake up for a different reason.
Recognize the dream state
Recognizing that you’re in a dream is the first step in waking up.
Unusual events: Notice if something impossible or highly unusual is happening. This can be a clear indicator that you’re dreaming.
Feeling of surrealism: Pay attention to surrealism or oddness in your surroundings.
Dream signs: Identify recurring themes or symbols in your dreams.
Control the dream
In some cases, controlling the dream can help you wake up.
Spinning technique: Spin around in your dream like a dancer twirling. This can destabilize the dream, making it easier for you to wake up.
Falling technique: Imagine yourself falling backward or from a height, as this sensation can often jolt you awake.
Shouting or screaming: In your dream, try shouting or screaming. This can sometimes cause your body to react and wake up.
Close your eyes: In the dream, close your eyes tightly and then try to open your real eyes. This can sometimes help you wake up.
Set an intention
Before going to sleep, decide to wake up from a lucid dream.
Affirmations: Before going to sleep, repeat a phrase like “I will wake up if I need to,” or “I will recognize when I want to wake up.”
Visualization: Picture the process of recognizing the dream state and then waking up.
Use external cues
External stimuli can be effective in helping you wake up from a lucid dream.
Alarm clock: Set an alarm to go off at a specific time to help pull you out of your dream and wake you up.
Light touch: If you sleep with a partner, ask them to gently wake you if they notice you’re moving or talking in your sleep.
Noise: Background noise, such as soft music or a white noise machine, can sometimes be used within your dream to help you wake up. For instance, you might dream of hearing a phone ring or someone calling your name.
Calm your mind
If you find yourself unable to wake up from a lucid dream despite using other techniques, try to remain calm. Panicking can make it more difficult to wake up.
Deep breathing: Focus on taking slow, deep breaths. This can help you relax and potentially wake up more easily.
Reassurance: Remind yourself that you’re safe and in control. Knowing that you can wake up can help reduce anxiety and make the process smoother.
How to lucid dream FAQs
How long does it typically take to have a lucid dream with consistent practice?
The time it takes to experience a lucid dream can vary. Some people find it happens within a few nights of practice, while others may take several weeks or months. Regularly practicing techniques such as reality testing, the MILD method, and keeping a dream journal can help increase your chances of having a lucid dream.
Are there any risks associated with lucid dreaming?
Lucid dreaming is generally considered safe for most people, though there are a few potential risks. Consult a healthcare professional, especially if you have a history of sleep disorders or mental health conditions.
Sleep disruption: Techniques like the Wake Back to Bed (WBTB) method involve waking up during the night, which can temporarily disrupt your sleep pattern. Ensure you get enough overall sleep to avoid tiredness.
Confusion: Some people might occasionally confuse dreams with reality, especially if they have vivid dreams, which can be disorienting.
False awakenings: Sometimes, you might dream that you’ve woken up, only to find that you’re still dreaming.
Can lucid dreaming help with recurring nightmares?
Lucid dreaming can be very helpful in overcoming recurring nightmares. By becoming aware that you’re dreaming, you can take control of the nightmare and alter the outcome. Practicing techniques regularly can help reduce the frequency and intensity of nightmares over time.
Face your fears: Confront the source of your nightmare directly. Knowing that you’re in a safe, controlled environment can help you address the fear.
Change the narrative: Once you realize you’re dreaming, you can change the events of the nightmare. For example, if you’re being chased, you can decide to fly away or turn the pursuer into something harmless.
Seek assistance: In the dream, you can summon a helper, such as a trusted friend or a dream character, to support you.
Is it possible to control all aspects of a lucid dream?
While it’s possible to control many aspects of a lucid dream, complete control is relatively rare and usually needs extensive practice. However, there are some elements you can try to control.
The dream environment: You can often change the setting of your dream, like moving from one location to another or altering the scenery.
Interactions with dream characters: You may engage with and influence the behavior of dream characters.
Your actions: You might decide what to do in the dream, such as flying, walking through walls, or summoning objects.
What are some common challenges people face when trying to lucid dream?
Several common challenges can arise when learning to lucid dream.
Difficulty recognizing the dream state: It can be hard to remember to do reality checks or recognize dream signs while dreaming.
Maintaining lucidity: Even after becoming lucid, it's common to either wake up or lose awareness and slip back into a regular dream.
Recalling dreams: Remembering dreams in detail can be difficult, making it hard to analyze and learn from your dreams.
Interference from external factors: Stress, inconsistent sleep patterns, and environmental disturbances can affect your quality of sleep and dreaming.
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