How to Lucid Dream in One Night

Lucid dreaming is the act of witnessing or controlling your dreams. It is also described as knowing that you are dreaming while you dream.^{[1]XResearch source} During a lucid dream, you may be able to influence the content of the dream.^{[2]XTrustworthy SourcePubMed CentralJournal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of HealthGo to source} Although many experts believe it is a skill that can be learned over time, several practices may help you to start lucid dreaming in one night. By preparing well beforehand and following special techniques, you will have a good chance of dreaming vividly and recalling what you experienced.

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Maximizing Your Dreams

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1
Focus on what your dreams are like.^{[3]XResearch source} Reflective-intention techniques, also known as the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreaming (MILD) require you to think about the kinds of things you dream about, or the typical features of your dreams, before you go to bed.^{[4]XResearch sourceLaBerge, S. & DeGracia, D.J. (2000). Varieties of lucid dreaming experience. In R.G. Kunzendorf & B. Wallace (Eds.), Individual Differences in Conscious Experience (pp. 269-307). Amsterdam: John Benjamins}^{[5]XResearch source} This helps you recognize them while you are dreaming. Before you go to bed, consider what your dreams are like. Notable features of dreams may include things such as:
- Fantastic imagery
- Unusual locations
- Seeing individuals you recognize
- Illogical actions
- Wish fulfillment
^{[6]XResearch source} If you believe you can be aware of your dreams while you are having them, and remember them upon waking, then you are more likely to actually do so. Before going to sleep, tell yourself something like “I’m going to have some really interesting dreams tonight. I can’t wait to enter one and see where it takes me.”
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3
Increase your intake of vitamin B6. Preliminary research suggests that vitamin B6 can increase the vividness and memorability of your dreams.^{[7]XResearch source} Vitamin B6 supplements are readily available at pharmacies and other stores. Consider taking one before you sleep as an aid for lucid dreaming. You can also increase your intake of vitamin B6 by eating more of certain foods, including:^{[8]XResearch source}
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Beans
- Meat (beef, pork, and poultry)
- Nuts
- Whole grains
- Fortified breads and cereals
4
Take melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally in the body and synthetically in laboratories. It helps regulate sleep cycles, in addition to other uses. Research shows that melatonin can increase the vividness and bizarreness of dreams. This may increase the likelihood that you will be aware of your dreams as you have them, and so you may want to take melatonin before attempting to dream lucidly.
- Melatonin is available in pill and other forms. Look for it at a pharmacy.
- Taking melatonin can lead to side effects or negative interactions with other medications you may be taking. Talk with a doctor before taking melatonin.
5
Take 5-HTP. This substance (5-Hydroxotryptophan) is derived from another substance, L-Tryptophan, and is also produced from the seeds of an African plant (Griffonia simplicifolia).^{[9]XResearch source} 5-HTP is used to treat insomnia and other conditions, and some believe that it can help users achieve lucid dreams.
- 5-HTP is available in pill form from pharmacies (over-the-counter).
- 5-HTP can cause side effects such as nausea and muscle problems. In addition, it can have negative interactions with a variety of other medications, such as anti-depressants. Talk with a doctor before taking 5-HTP.
6
Take galantamine. Often prescribed to treat Alzheimer’s disease, galantamine helps produce substances that increase brain function and memory.^{[10]XResearch source} Some research shows that it can cause vivid dreams, and so you may want to take galantamine in order to increase the likelihood that you will have lucid dreams.^{[11]XTrustworthy SourcePubMed CentralJournal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of HealthGo to source}
- Galantamine is available in tablet, capsule, and liquid forms. Look for it at a pharmacy.
- Taking galantamine can produce side effects such as an upset stomach. Talk with a doctor before taking galantamine.
- Since it can increase the vividness of dreams, nightmares can also be a side effect of galantamine.

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Becoming Aware of Your Dreams

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During your dreams, try to continuously ask yourself “Am I dreaming?” or “Am I awake?”^{[12]XResearch source}^{[13]XResearch source} This is also known as “reality testing.” If you think you are dreaming, this will help you achieve the state of being aware of the dream while you are having it.
2
Practice the Wake-Back-to-Bed (WBTB) technique.^{[14]XResearch source} This method asks you to schedule an alarm to wake yourself an hour before you normally would, helping to catch you in the middle of a dream. When the alarm wakes you, instead of getting out of bed, focus on starting a new dream or re-entering the dream you woke up from.^{[15]XResearch source}
- To make it easier to re-enter a dream, try not to think about being awake. Don’t get out of bed or do anything else. Instead, immediately start thinking about the dream you were having and imagine ways of acting within it.
3
Set alarms to catch you during dream periods.^{[16]XResearch source} Research shows that people typically dream in 90-minute cycles, and so if you time alarms to wake yourself during them, you will be more likely to recall what you were dreaming about. The alarm may not wake you fully from your dream, allowing you to achieve a lucid state. If you do wake up, use the WBTB technique to attempt to re-enter the dream.
- Later dreams tend to be longer, so try setting alarms for 4.5, 6, or 7.5 hours after you go to sleep.

Part 3

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Increasing Your Chances

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^{[17]XResearch source} If you are trying to sleep when you are already exhausted, you will probably fall into a deep sleep and have trouble waking up and remembering your dreams. In addition, being exhausted will make it more difficult to be aware of the fact that you are dreaming while it is happening. Try to experiment with lucid dreaming on a night when you feel rested and mentally alert.
^{[18]XResearch source} Once you are ready to wake up, start thinking about the dream you were having. Don’t move from your position in bed, start talking about something else, or any other activity. Just start thinking about your dream, and any details you remember about it. Doing so will keep you from forgetting the dream.
3
Use a dream journal. ^{[19]XResearch source}^{[20]XResearch source} A dream journal is a basic notebook or other tool that you use to record your dreams in. Keep it right beside your bed, along with a pen or pencil, so that you can record your dreams as soon as you wake up. Research suggests that getting in the habit of this increases the likelihood of having lucid dreams. However, even telling yourself in one night that you plan on writing down your dreams can help you achieve a greater awareness of them.
- Write down any dreams you recall, whether or not they seem interesting or coherent.
- If you can’t remember a whole dream, write down whatever part you can remember—even if it is just a face, location, phrase, etc.
- It is important to write down whatever you remember about your dreams as soon as you wake up. The longer you are awake without writing them down, the more likely you are to forget them.
- Remaining in bed while writing down your dreams will increase the likelihood of remembering them.

Expert Q&A

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Question
How can you check to see if you're dreaming or not?
Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Expert Answer
I've read articles and heard stories about trying to read print, as in books and street signs. Apparently, some people think you can't actually read something in a dream, so that can kind of be a wake up call that makes you say, "Oh, I'm dreaming."
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Question
How can I lucid dream instantly?
Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Expert Answer
There are no hacks that will make you lucid dream instantly. There are devices out there you can buy to try and stimulate lucid dreams, but even if those do work they won't work right away.
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What time should I go to bed to lucid dream?
Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Alex Dimitriu, MD is the Owner of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, a clinic based in the San Francisco Bay Area with expertise in psychiatry, sleep, and transformational therapy. Alex earned his Doctor of Medicine from Stony Brook University in 2005 and graduated from the Stanford University School of Medicine's Sleep Medicine Residency Program in 2010. Professionally, Alex has dual board certification in psychiatry and sleep medicine.
Alex Dimitriu, MD
Sleep Medicine & Psychiatry Professional
Expert Answer
It doesn't really have anything to do with the time you go to sleep. There isn't some kind of special time where you're more likely to lucid dream.
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Lucid dreaming is sometimes recommended as a way to overcome nightmares.^{[21]XTrustworthy SourcePubMed CentralJournal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of HealthGo to source}
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Sleep paralysis can occur, don't get scared. The creatures you may see can be terrifying, but remember that they are not real. If you cannot move, try to wriggle your fingers and toes fingers. Sleep paralysis occurs after waking up after the dream - when you wake up, fall back asleep.
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