How long do lucid dreams last?
You’re soaring above a mountain range. You can feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. You can feel your clothes dampen as you pass through a puffy cloud and emerge above the cover to a beautiful sunset. All of this is possible. In your dreams. Lucid dreaming is a state of dreaming in which the dreamer is aware that they’re dreaming. Yes. Just like Inception. And it’s real.
In this article, we’ll discuss the topic of lucid dreaming – what it is, how long it lasts, and some tips on how to achieve it.
What is lucid dreaming?
Lucid dreaming is a dream in which the dreamer is aware they are dreaming. This can happen on accident or through training and practice. In a lucid dream, dreamers may have the ability to control their surroundings or ‘will’ things into existence. They can also influence events and have experiences otherwise not possible during waking life. Including flying through mountain ranges like superman!
How long do lucid dreams last?
Lucid dreams are in effect, very similar to regular dreams. The only difference is the awareness of the dream state. Very little research has been done on lucid dreaming length in general, but dreams tend to last anywhere from a few seconds to 30 minutes. Over the course of the night you likely have spent around 2 hours dreaming dreams of various lengths. A common myth is that dreamers experience a time dilation effect, but it’s very likely that dreams take place in real time, without the so-called stretching of time. Some reported time dilation effects can be attributed to a cutscene like effect that gives the dreamer the impression of more time having passed.
A couple tips for achieving lucid dreaming
The most common way to achieve lucid dreaming is using “reality checks”. During the day, while you’re awake, you’ll make a habit of doing a reality check. These are often an action or task that behaves differently in the real world than in the dream world. A few examples is looking at your hands– hands tend to be blurry in dreams. Or reading a book or clock often has unpredictable side effects in the dream world. The idea is if you practice this frequently enough, as a habit you’ll attempt the reality check during a dream and voila! Lucid dream!
One of the most important habits to cultivate if you’re looking to lucid dream is the dream journal. Often we forget our dreams immediately upon waking. Keeping a dream journal will drastically improve our dream recall, and thus the ability to remember more lucid dreams!
Lucid dreaming can be incredibly rewarding – so why not give it a shot today?!
