Dreaming with a Conscious Mind

Abstract

Dreaming with a Conscious THE MIND FALL THE MIND Exploring the mysterious world of lucid dreams... Mind by Daniel Yang L NREM sleep is characterized by a gradual increase in brain- wave amplitude and a gradual decrease in brainwave fre- ucid dreaming is an old and worldwide practice. Perhaps quency. Generally, higher amplitudes and lower frequencies even you may have experienced the occurrence of waking in brain activity indicate a deeper state of unconsciousness. up, or becoming aware , within a dream? But some individ- REM sleep, also known as the ascending stages, typically uals can purposely become aware while dreaming. Lucid follows NREM sleep, and is characterized by brain activity dreamers often report a state of conscious-like awareness and similar to that of the descending stages in which high fre- having the capability to control their actions within their quencies and low amplitudes are observed. In a typical night, dreams. Some advanced lucid dreamers are even capable of the stages will occur in a cyclical ascending and descending changing the dream situation at will. But perhaps, since only manner, with each cycle lasting around ninety minutes. Dr. a minority of the population experiences lucidity while Vedfelt, president of the Institute of Integrated dreaming, lucid dreaming has often been overlooked as a sci- Psychotherapy in Denmark, describes one's physiological entific phenomenon. In particular, lucid dreams are often behavior during REM sleep, and presumably, during dream likened to, in terms strongly evocative of mysticism, a wis- states: Brain activity is high and closely approximates the wak- dom dream, astral projection, [or] and out-of-body experi- ing state in alarm and anxiety. Moreover, REM sleep is ence by the general public (Vedfelt 1999). However, many psychologists and researchers strongly reject a mystical accompanied by a particular neurophysiological pattern. notion of lucid dreaming and have recently, within the past Heart rhythm, pulse, blood pressure, and respiration are century, begun to study dreams in scientific experiments. irregular. The muscles of the body are more relaxed than in Despite the lack of general public acknowledgement, lucid other forms of sleep; the muscles of the head and neck lose nearly all tension, while small muscles in dreaming is a real and experimentally the face and fingers now and then make analyzable experience; it can be rapid movement (Vedfelt 1999). achieved through mindful practice and- Lucid vs. Normal Dreaming as more is understood about the subject- Continuing the discourse of lucid may have very positive effects on one's dreaming as a neurobiological process, psyche. the question then presents itself: can lucid Understanding Dream States dreaming be considered within the same To understand lucid dreaming as a context as an ordinary dream? While real biological phenomenon, it is neces- there is evidence that lucid dreaming, as sary to begin with a discussion of sleep with ordinary dreaming, occurs during and dreaming in more general terms. the REM phases of sleep, there are con- Research has suggested that both normal siderable differences. One such difference and lucid dreaming occurs during REM between lucid and ordinary dreams is that (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. But, there in the lucid state, the dreamer retains are more stages of sleep than just the much of his 'conscious' and 'executive' REM phase. As one drifts out of con- functions, whereas an ordinary dream is sciousness, one enters the descending often used by psychother- marked by a loss of such capabilities. For stage, in which brainwave activity is Lucid dreams are nightmares. Here, Henry apists to cure low in amplitude and high in frequency. Fuseli's presents a dramatic representation example, in a lucid dream, one may be aware that he or she is dreaming, and he of a nightmare in his suitably titled 1781 As sleep progresses, a dreamless stage painting, The Nightmare. or she can consciously make decisions as or NREM (non-REM) sleep occurs. http://wehner.org/addison/canine/cortisol.gif