Follow these simple steps to control your dreams

A lucid dream is one in which you're aware of the fact that you're dreaming and can often control what happens. If you can train yourself in the practice, it can help boost creativity, confront fears, practice new skills, and even alleviate recurring nightmares, all while immersed in the vivid, limitless landscapes of your subconscious.

"In a lucid dream, one has the opportunity to play with life-like events beyond the constraints of the waking world, such as rational thought, laws of physics, and lasting consequences," writes Laura Roklicer, a Swansea University psychology PhD candidate studying the intersection of dreaming and creativity.

While it takes considerable practice to become an expert oneironaut, the steps to get there are straightforward. Roklicer outlines them in Psychology Today, including:

1. Keep a Dream Diary: Make it a habit to write down your dreams immediately after waking up, especially while you're still in a groggy, transitional state between sleep and wakefulness. This practice helps improve dream recall and strengthens your connection to your subconscious.

2. Practice Reality Testing: Frequently question your surroundings during the day to train your mind to differentiate between reality and dreams. Simple actions like jumping and attempting to fly will eventually carry over into your dreams to trigger lucidity. (Hint: If you lift off, you're probably dreaming.)

        From there, Roklicer suggests Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD), which uses affirmations like "I will realize I'm dreaming" to heighten awareness. Another key method is Wake Back to Bed (WBTB), where you wake after five to six hours of sleep, engage in brief wakefulness, and return to bed aiming to re-enter REM sleep with intention.

        Previously:
        • Controlling lucid dreams, for real
        • Dream hackers explore the frontiers of consciousness