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Original poster

Lucid Dreaming

49 replies

bubblesthree · 19/08/2019 21:19

Has anybody experienced Lucid Dreaming??

Since I was about 4-5 I believe I have been experiencing this. Its basically where you suddenly become aware that you are dreaming.
For years I thought I was experiencing sleep paralysis but then just recently I've discovered lucid dreaming which sounds more accurate.

When I become aware I'm dreaming, I suddenly become really panicked and am trying my best and doing everything in my power to wake up from my sleep, and after what feels like forever I eventually wake up! its really awful. It doesn't happen regularly and I think I may have pin pointed it to when I am stressed out. I woke up really early this morning and then when I went back to sleep it happened so its sort of fresh in my mind again and it really freaks me out.

When I've googled lucid dreaming it seems like people actually practice this for fun? Apparently these people can actually control their dreams - This is not fun in the slightest for me, and I haven't practised anything it just naturally happens, I'm not in control of the dream at all and it is really frightening when it occurs as ive explained.

Has anyone else experienced this ?

OP posts:
glasshalf · 19/08/2019 21:32

I get this , I can also control my dreams but it depends what sleep state I'm in. If I'm in a light cycle and dream I can control my dreams so I know the ending before I wake!! Now I write this down it feels odd!!

Dizzywizz · 19/08/2019 21:32

Yes I get this - I did practice it as I used to have really bad nightmares, and I learned how to wake myself up so I could get out of them

Debbiecurtbag · 19/08/2019 21:36

I learnt to wake myself up by blinking in the dream.

Original poster
bubblesthree · 19/08/2019 21:37

Glad I'm not the only one! do you know why this happens? I've read that people practice how to lucid dream but ive never done this in my life it just happens. When my grandma passed I'd have them quite often, id be dreaming that she was in the dream with me, and id be fully aware I was dreaming and feel absolutely terrified and just want to wake up. Im just thankful this isn't an everyday thing - id like to know how to stop it though and why it even happens! its so bizarre!

OP posts:
Mammyofasuperbaby · 19/08/2019 21:38

I can control my nightmares. It starts as a regular nonsensical nightmare full of scary things and then suddenly I realise its nonsense and then I can observe the events of the dream, change things and wake up and return to the same point. I am fully aware in these dreams and I can tell people about them years later even though they don't ever repeat. I've never met another lucid dreamer that I know of but other people think its very strange or don't believe me

PooWillyBumBum · 19/08/2019 21:39

I used to lucid dream a lot and I could will things into the dream and wake up when I wanted. I didn’t hone it purposefully though, and it went away naturally. It was marvellous!

small2018 · 19/08/2019 21:39

Yes this used to happen to me! I'd get it when I was mega tired and / or anxious.

It's so frightening. My DH knows when this is happening as I moan in my sleep so he wakes me up.

PooWillyBumBum · 19/08/2019 21:40

@Debbiecurtbag to wake up I used to have to hurl myself off of buildings or cliffs or - if I was flying (ha!) - plunge downwards at speed. Blinking sounds more controlled!

fancytiles · 19/08/2019 21:40

Yep happened to me a lot!

Original poster
bubblesthree · 19/08/2019 21:42

@small2018 yeah I think it happens to me when I'm anxious - I'm feeling particularly stressed out now to be honest and the fact it happened again this morning hasn't helped me. I don't think my partner has ever noticed it happening but in this dream I'm like throwing my self of the bed to try and wake up, I'm screaming just literally doing everything in my power and it seems to take me forever to wake up!! Sometimes once I wake up I'm that shattered that I fall straight asleep and it happens again! so awful

OP posts:
Original poster
bubblesthree · 19/08/2019 21:43

its pretty cool that you can control these dreams!! I think that would freak me out too though haha I just want it to stop completely!

Anyone know why it happens? its not dangerous is it??

OP posts:
LoonyLunaLoo · 19/08/2019 21:47

Yes I can control my dreams but it’s not scary, I can just change the bits I don’t like into better things. I’ve never practiced, I don’t know how you’d do that?

Okurrrrrrrr · 19/08/2019 21:47

Did you start this thread off the back of the one I started OP? How weird we both started one very similar in close proximity!

Anyway, yes I do get these sometimes. I quite like them, as I can kind of manipulate the dream to whatever I want. I'll realise I'm dreaming and then just become really rich or fly Blush

When I want to wake up from them I do this thing within the dream where I lay down on the floor, get into the featul position, and kind of scrunch up as tight as I can, then suddenly and very quickly sort of jolt myself, kicking my legs back out. I'll find I do it in real life as well, as attested to by DH's bruises. Have you seen Inception? I guess it's like that, you need a 'jolt' big enough to wake you up.

Mamaty · 19/08/2019 21:47

This is normal for me . Enjoy it. It’s Like being in a movie but you are free to choose be direction

Like being in westworld !

But I have normal dreams too .

starflake · 19/08/2019 21:48

Yes it's lucid dreaming. When you learn to control the fright you can experiment and then have control over your dreams which is pretty amazing

Mamaty · 19/08/2019 21:48

But I don’t
Try to wake up from them and I’m
Not scared of them .

Original poster
bubblesthree · 19/08/2019 21:51

@Okurrrrrrrr I didn't see your message - how weird haha

I'd love to be able to say they are enjoyable for me but I can't control them and just literally go into complete panic when it happens. you guys sound braver than me - so chilled haha I'm just an anxious mess that its going to happen again!! defo not sleeping tonight!

OP posts:
Amanduh · 19/08/2019 21:55

I do, constantly and always have, I thought it was normal before I read about it. I know I am dreaming in any dream and can control what happens most of the time, apart from when it’s a nightmare and I am forcing myself to wake up! I can’t stop them but I can wake up from them eventually if I want to. Most of the time that is - i also have had sleep paralysis a few times now and there is sweet fa I can do to stop that, it’s awful!

fuckweasel · 19/08/2019 22:05

I do fairly regularly. In my dream I'm always in my own home, usually in bed and it's always dark so it's like I've woken up but then I am aware I'm probably still asleep. I've somehow taught myself to check if I'm asleep by trying a light switch or turning on my phone in my dream. If they don't turn on, I'm asleep! It's awful trying to fight to wake up. I was given tramadol as pain relief a few years ago, that made the lucid dreaming (and hypnic jerks) unbearable. I gave up after two nights and took them back to the pharmacy!

cantthinkofanythingwitty · 19/08/2019 22:09

I have dream like this all of the time. I honestly thought this is what all dreams were like.

What is a non lucid dream?

small2018 · 19/08/2019 22:11

@bubblesthree - I'm thrashing around and screaming in my dream too! Feel exhausted afterwards 😪

RoseGoldEagle · 19/08/2019 22:13

I used to have this when I was younger, though haven’t for a while now. It will start off as a normal dream and then it’s like I think ‘hang on, that CAN’T be real, so I must be dreaming.’ It’s almost always a nice feeling, in that I can then have a level of control over what’s happening, but I often then get lost into the dream again. (But remember when I wake that that’s what happened). A couple of times I’ve got panicky about wanting to wake up and not being able to though- in those cases I’m always sat on my bed, thinking- I really want to wake up- but at the same time thinking- well how can I wake up, I’m sat here with my eyes open (in the dream), so I lie on the bed and close my eyes, but it doesn’t work, and that does feel a bit scary. I’ve also been able to influence a recurring dream by consciously thinking about it a lot in the day. Sounds stupid, it was about a teacher who was always horrible to me (in real life), and I’d dream about her being awful to me, and I’d always be worried about the exam in her subject which was always coming up in the dream. I made myself have visions of telling her politely ‘Look Mrs A, I’m all grown up now, I’m qualified as X, I don’t need to take your classes anymore or have anything to do with you’. Sounds corny I know, but when I had the dream again I kind of did a version of that, and haven’t had the dream since. It does sound a bit scary for you OP.

iklboo · 19/08/2019 22:14

I'm a lucid dreamer. I know when I'm dreaming and can direct my dreams. I feel everything (temperature, rain etc) and can change them at will.

MulticolourMophead · 19/08/2019 22:17

I have occasional lucid dreams. It's nice to be able to control things a bit, but sometimes I want to go back into non-lucid dreaming because my dreams can get very fun and surreal.

I recall reading once that there's a technique to waking yourself up from a lucid dream, but can't recall any more than that.

DannyWallace · 19/08/2019 22:21

Reading this thread has made me realise I've stopped having them. I have a 6 month old DD and don't think I've had one since falling pregnant.

I didn't get them that often though.