Maybe not everyone knows that it is possible to have awareness of our dreams exerting a sort of control about characters, narrative, and environment of them.

This kind of dream is called Lucid Dream and it happens when, even if we are dreaming, we know that it is only a dream and we leave it going on.

A lucid dream is a way to monitor the subconscious and, the dreamer with a bit of experience is able to modify and explore his dreams.

The benefits of lucid dreaming are many, according to the scientists: to increase the self-confidence for example; the creativity, to meet our fears and inhibitions. 

There are a lot of interesting applications of lucid dreams.

For example, it has been suggested that people used nightmares, could have benefited from the ability to be aware during their dreams.

Some other psychologists say that lucid dreams are useful even against the depression, the self-mutilation and other problems in the life.

Ending, even according to some psychotherapists, lucid dreams can be a valid part of their therapy.

So, how can we have a lucid dream?

First of all, it is important to remember the dreams: all kind of dreams!

If it is difficult for us to remember, a good way to do it is to use a lucid anchor; it means to choose an object that we can see clearly from our bed each time we wake up and think, each time we look at it: “I will remember my dream!”

This helps the subconscious to focus on the dream.

The second very important step is to take a dream diary where we can describe the moment we become lucid.

But how we can achieve lucidity in our dreams?

The two most important criteria are:

• To increase the vividness of the dream;

• To increase the critical thinking inside the dream.

It is even important to know that, it is easier to have a lucid dream during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep; the first one we have, during the night, is about 90 minute after we fall asleep.

So, to encourage our body to get more REM sleep (for example setting alarms in the different hours of the night and, after staying concentrate for a while on the dream, to fall asleep again), is a valid aid to have more lucid dreams.

Other additional bits of help can be:

• The meditation

• To listen binaural beats.

• To play video games.

• To take some galantamine (but it is a drug, take care!) or vitamin B supplements.

• But it is very important even to distinguish the lucid dreams from the normal dreams.

• Usually, the lucid dreams are more bizarre and emotional than the others and you have some ability to control it.