Is Lucid Dreaming Dangerous For You?

Searches for ‘is lucid dreaming dangerous’,  which reference the phenomenon of being conscious and aware that you’re dreaming, within a dream, as well as ‘sleep walking in adults’, have increased by 5,000% in the past month.  That’s a significant amount of interest.  Here to unpack the concept of lucid dreaming is sleep expert Martin Seeley. He discusses the concept of lucid dreaming and the potential benefits and risks of this practice.  He also shares practical tips on how to achieve lucid dreams and reveals the best way to reduce the risks of sleepwalking.

The pros and cons of lucid dreaming

Before we unpack the pros and cons, let’s talk about the concept of lucid dreaming.

Lucid dreaming typically happens during rapid eye movement sleep (REM). It’s when you’re conscious during a dream and aware of your consciousness. Lucid dreaming is a form of metacognition, or awareness of your awareness.  When you’re lucid dreaming  you’re able to control what happens in your dream.

According to research published by Science Direct “an estimated 55 percent of people have had one or more lucid dreams in their lifetime.”

The potential downsides

Although lucid dreaming is generally considered safe, as with any technique that disrupts sleep cycles, there can be downsides. The main concern is inducing what is known as sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is a phenomenon where you are unable to move or speak as you are waking up or falling asleep.

You may feel awake but unable to move, which can sometimes be accompanied by vivid hallucinations, often of the scarier sort. While sleep paralysis is largely harmless, it can be a frightening experience. It can also lead to increased worry and fear at bedtime that it may happen again, which can have an ongoing impact on sleep.

Practicing lucid dreaming excessively can also lead to exhaustion, daytime sleepiness and overall sleep disruption. Some methods of inducing lucid dreams involve setting alarms and waking up in the night. Unfortunately, this can lead to fragmented or poor-quality sleep if overdone.

Are there any benefits of lucid dreaming?

A key benefit of lucid dreaming is that it can give you the ability to control and lessen the impact of nightmares. The skill of lucid dreaming helps you to recognize a nightmare as a dream and gives you the power to change, or stop it.

This can reduce the frequency and emotional impact of chronic nightmares, especially for those who struggle with insomnia or night terrors.

What the research says

Early research also indicates that those who lucid dream often may show enhanced cognitive abilities, particularly in the areas of working memory and prospective memory. This means that lucid dream practice may not only enrich our dream world, but also strengthen the mental skills we use in waking life. That could mean picking up new skills faster, handling challenges more smoothly and boosting our memory.

More generally, lucid dreams are often a joyful experience, with studies showing they tend to contain more positive emotions than regular dreams. The ability to fly, explore and fulfill wishes doesn’t just feel exhilarating in the moment. In fact, those uplifting emotions have been found to carry over into waking life, boosting mood, happiness and overall well-being.

How to Lucid Dream Tonight with these 5 Easy Steps

1. Keep a dream journal: Write down your dreams every morning as soon as you wake up. This improves dream recall and helps you notice recurring themes or patterns, which makes it easier to recognize when you’re dreaming.

2. Reality checks during the day: Regularly test whether you’re awake or dreaming by doing things like trying to push your finger through your palm or checking clocks. Making this a habit means you’re more likely to do it in a dream and realize you’re dreaming.

3. MILD method (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams): As you’re falling asleep, repeat a phrase like: “next time I’m dreaming, I’ll realize I’m dreaming.” This trains your prospective memory, reminding yourself in advance to recognize a dream state.

4. Mindfulness: If you practise mindfulness or meditation in daily life can increase your general awareness. The more present and observant you are when awake, the easier it becomes to recognize the dream state.

5. Visualization before sleep: As you drift off, imagine yourself in a dream and picture the moment you realize you’re dreaming. Try to recreate the feeling of becoming aware within a dream; this makes it more likely to happen during the night.

Do not overdo it!

While lucid dreaming can be exciting, it’s important not to overdo it. Actively trying to lucid dream too often, or using disruptive methods like the Wake Back to Bed (WBTB) method, can interfere with healthy sleep and potentially increase the chances of sleep paralysis, or daytime grogginess. Lucid dreaming is best approached in moderation, so that you can enjoy its creative and emotional benefits without compromising your overall rest and wellbeing.

Note

People with psychosis, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder should avoid inducing lucid dreams.  Individuals prone to stress or depression may experience an increase in symptoms. 

What about sleepwalking?

While on the subject of sleep and lucid dreaming, let’s talk about sleepwalking which is also a trending subject.

Sleepwalking is a relatively harmless phenomenon for most people. You’re more likely to run the risk of saying something mildly embarrassing or walking aimlessly around the house than you are of getting in your car and driving. However, the risk isn’t completely zero and there have been cases of sleepwalkers getting into their cars and driving, breaking bones, cooking meals, and even starting fires.

If you’ve never sleepwalked and have started to suddenly, or your sleepwalking has increased in frequency, it’s absolutely worth checking with your GP or a sleep specialist. New-onset sleepwalking can be a sign of other underlying sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, an indication of stress or sleep deprivation, or even the side effect of certain medications like antidepressants.

How to reduce the risks of sleepwalking?

Research suggests that conditions and substances that increase what is known as ‘slow wave sleep’, or make arousal from sleep more difficult can contribute to the phenomenon, including sleep deprivation, alcohol, medications, situational stress and fever.4 As a result, sleep hygiene and lifestyle changes can have a big impact on reducing the risk of episodes.

It’s key to prioritize getting enough sleep, which for most adults is between 7 to 9 hours per night. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (yes, even on weekends), and try to avoid long lie-ins. Relaxation routines, such as reading, stretching, meditation or journaling, can help to reduce stress and any lingering anxiety before bed.

Alcohol and caffeine are also risk factors which can increase sleep disruption. Aim to avoid drinking caffeine at least six to eight hours before bed and alcohol for at least three hours. Try caffeine-free teas before bed instead to help relax as part of your nighttime routine. Lastly, avoid heavy meals for at least two to three hours before you settle down for the evening.

I’m still sleepwalking – how can I stay safe?

For some, sleepwalking is genetic, which means the risk isn’t removed completely – even with key sleep hygiene and lifestyle changes. The risk of sleepwalking tends to come from your environment, rather than the act itself, so there are some practical steps you can take within the home to limit this.

Before bed, make it part of your nighttime ritual to lock doors and windows, put away sharp objects, and remove trip hazards. For peace of mind, secure your car and house keys by keeping them in a locked drawer or giving them to another household member overnight to prevent you from wandering outside or attempting to drive.

Small steps like unplugging kitchen appliances, locking away cleaning products and making sure windows are secure can all help reduce risk, and give you and your household extra reassurance. Stair gates can also be a great option if you’re worried about falls. Lastly, ensure that other members of your household know not to wake you during an episode and instead, help gently guide you back to bed.

References

About the author

This article was written by Martin Seeley,  Senior Sleep Expert at MattressNextDay.  You can read his full biography below.

Read other articles on sleep habits by Martin Seeley

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