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“All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream”

                                                 -A Dream Within A Dream/Edgar Allan Poe

What Exactly is Lucid Dreaming?

Have you ever….?

• Started dreaming and suddenly realized that you were in a dream?

• Managed to gain control over your dream narrative?

If your answer to either of these is “yes,” you have experienced what is called lucid dreaming.

A number of people are able to experience something called lucid dreaming, and some of them are even able to control certain elements of their nightly dreams. According to some research, around half of all people have had a lucid dream at some time in their lives, and around 11% experience one or two lucid dreams per month.

It is unclear how many people actually experience lucid dreaming, though certain studies have tried to gather information regarding its prevalence — and it seems that this phenomenon may be quite common.

Researchers in Brazil surveyed 3,427 participants with a average age of 25. The results of the survey indicated that 77% of the respondents had experienced lucid dreaming at least once.

Lucid Dreaming Defined

Usually when we dream, we do not know that the dream is not real. As a character from the movie Inception explains it,

“Well, dreams, they feel real while we’re in them, right? It’s only when we wake up that we realize that something was actually strange.”

However, some people are able to enter a dream and be fully aware of the fact that they are actually dreaming.

The first recorded incident of lucid dreaming appears to feature in the treatise On Dreams by the Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, in which he describes an instance of self-awareness during a dream state.

When Does Lucid Dreaming Occur:

Like most dreams, lucid dreaming will usually occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. For some people it occurs spontaneously, but others train themselves to start dreaming lucidly.

The degree to which a person can influence their dream also varies; with some people may simply waking up immediately once they realise that they had been dreaming. On the other hand, some people may be able to influence their own actions within the dream, parts of the dream itself or, in the case of particularly traumatic dreams – change the outcome.

How Can Lucid Dreaming be Used:

Lucid dreaming is certainly an attractive and fascinating prospect; being able to explore our own inner worlds with full awareness that we are in a dream is intriguing and has an almost magical flavor to it.

Lucid dreaming may help people get rid of their nightmares and resolve their fears.

However, can lucid dreaming have any practical applications?

Dr. Denholm Aspy, a lucid dreaming expert at the University of Adelaide in Australia explains that lucid dreaming can be therapeutic. According to Dr. Aspy, its’ main application is to address nightmares — particularly recurring nightmares, which may affect a person’s quality of life.

The practice of learning to lucid dream to stop nightmares from occurring or recurring is called lucid dreaming therapy.

Lucid dreaming also has the potential to help people with phobias, such as a fear of flying or spiders.

If a person has a particular phobia their lucid dream environment provides an opportunity to do things like exposure therapy, (a gradual exposure to the thing feared, in an attempt to overcome that fear gradually. During lucid dreaming, an individual knows that they are not in the real world, so they may safely explore their fears without actually feeling threatened.

Enhanced Creativity with Lucid Dreaming

Lucid dreaming can also serve as an unusual means of entertainment — similar to virtual activities. An experienced lucid dreamer might be able to “go on an adventure” and interact with people and things in ways they may not be able to in real life. Problem solving and the generating of new ideas can also take place during lucid dreaming.

Techniques for lucid dreaming

A 2017 study conducted by Dr. Aspy and colleagues conducted tested the efficacy of three common techniques.

1. The first is called “reality testing.” This may involve verifying whether or not you are dreaming both in real life and during a dream. For instance, throughout the day, a person may want to ask themselves, “Am I dreaming right now?” as they try to make their hand pass through a solid wall. This technique relies on intention. In real life, the wall will remain solid and impenetrable, but in a dream, the hand will easily pass through it.

2. Another technique is “waking back to bed.” This requires setting an alarm to wake oneself up around 5–6 hours after going to sleep.

Once awake, the person should aim to remain awake for a while before going back to sleep. This technique is supposed to immerse the sleeper immediately into REM, which is the phase of sleep during which they are most likely to experience a lucid dream.

3. Lucid dreaming may also occur through what is called mnemonic induction. This is another technique that requires intent and lots of practice. With mnemonic induction, a person must repeat to themselves — just before going to bed — a phrase such as, “Tonight, I will notice that I am dreaming,” so as to “program” themselves to achieve in-dream lucidity.

Conducting these experiments repeatedly throughout the day may make it easier to remember to conduct them during dreams, allowing the dreamer to gain awareness of the dream.

Dream journals and meditation

It also appears that those who find it easy to lucid dream have no problems in recalling their dreams on a regular basis. In general, the better you are at remembering your dreams generally, the more likely you will have lucid dreams.

People who are interested in exploring their dreams with full awareness may find it helpful to keep a dream journal to record their dreams in as much detail as they can remember.

Another practice that may aid lucid dreaming is meditation, or mindfulness, as it “trains” people to become more aware of themselves and their surroundings in general.

Concerns and risks

One concern that some people express about engaging in lucid dreaming, if they are able to achieve it, is that they may get “stuck” in a dream and find it more difficult to wake up. However, in general people are only able to sleep (and dream) for a set amount of time every night, so it is unlikely that anyone would get “stuck” sleeping.

Another concern some people have is that engaging in lucid dreaming requires focus and effort, which might mean that the sleeper does not get enough rest.

However, according to dream expert Dr. Aspy, lucid dreamers with whom he has worked in the past have not reported more tiredness or poorer sleep quality as a result of lucid dreaming. He does, nevertheless, warn aspiring lucid dreamers not to engage in lucid dreaming if they have certain mental health problems, e.g. schizophrenia (a condition which makes it difficult to distinguish hallucinations from reality). Lucid dreaming may actually worsen the condition.

Some researchers express concern that creating lucid dreams intentionally blurs the lines between dreaming and reality, and that this can have negative implications for one’s long-term mental health.

Additionally, lucid dream therapy has shown to be largely ineffective for some groups, such as people with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some scientists call for more research into how it might affect certain vulnerable people, including those who experience dissociation.

Sources: Medical News Today; Sleep Foundation, The Conversation

How are Depression and Sleep Related?

Depression and sleep are closely intertwined in a dark and nightmarish tango, in what is termed a bidirectional relationship. What this means is that poor sleep can contribute to the development of depression and that having depression makes a person more likely to develop sleep issues. Almost all people with depression experience sleep issues. This complex relationship can make it challenging to know which came first, sleep issues or depression. The link is so clear that in the absence of sleep disturbances, doctors will hesitate to prescribe for depression.

Sleep issues associated with depression include insomnia, hypersomnia (excessive daytime sleepiness), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), with insomnia being the most common and estimated to occur in about 75% of adult patients with depression.

It is believed that about 20% of people with depression have obstructive sleep apnea while some 15% have hypersomnia. Many people with depression may go back and forth between insomnia and hypersomnia during a single period of depression.

Sleep issues may contribute to the development of depression through changes in the function of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Sleep disruptions can affect the body’s stress system, disrupting circadian rhythms and increasing vulnerability for depression.

In the UK, one in four people is likely to experience a mental health problem each year in England alone, while one in six people the problem will take the form of depression, anxiety or a combination of the two.

Most people who have experienced depression know that it is often accompanied by sleeping problems. People with depression may find it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep during the night. They can also have excessive daytime sleepiness or even sleep too much. At the same time, sleep problems can exacerbate depression, leading to a negative cycle between depression and sleep that can be challenging to break. Poor sleep may even provoke depression in some people.

Understanding the complex relationship between sleep and depression can be an important step in improving sleep quality and better managing depression. Fortunately, people who are treated for major depression often report improved quality of their sleep.

What Exactly is Depression?

Feelings of sadness, disappointment, or hopelessness can be a healthy reaction to life’s challenges. Normally, these feelings come in waves, are tied to thoughts or reminders of challenging situations, only last for a short period of time, and don’t interfere with school, work, or relationships.

In depression, these feelings follow a different pattern. When they persist for more than two weeks, are felt nearly every day, and remain for most of the day, they may be related to a group of mood disorders called depressive disorders. Also called clinical depression, depressive disorders include feelings of sadness, disappointment and hopelessness, as well as other emotional, mental, and physical changes that lead to difficulties with daily activities.

What Causes Depression?

While researchers don’t know the exact cause of depression, there are a number of factors that can increase the risk of developing this condition. These include having a personal or family history of depression, experiencing major stressors or traumas, taking certain medications, and having specific illnesses.

Family history is a factor in about half of people with depression. A person’s genetics may affect the function of neurotransmitters (substances that help nerve cells communicate) that are linked to depression, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

What are the Symptoms of Depression?

The symptoms of depression can include physical changes as well as changes in moods and thoughts that interfere with normal daily activities.

Signs that you may be depressed include:

• Persistent sad, low, or irritable mood

• Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt

• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities

• Decreased energy and fatigue

• Difficulty concentrating

• Insomnia, waking up too early, or oversleeping

• Low appetite or overeating

• Thoughts of death or suicide

Depression Manifests Differently According to Age/Sex

Depression is more common in women and there may be differences in the symptoms of depression based on sex and age.

Men often experience symptoms such as irritability and anger, whereas women more frequently experience sadness and guilt.

Adolescents with depression may be irritable and have trouble in school while younger children may pretend to be sick or worry that a parent may die.

How is Depression Diagnosed?

Depression can only be diagnosed by a medical professional, so people experiencing symptoms of depression should talk with their doctor, counsellor, or psychiatrist. They may suggest tests that can help them to better understand your situation and monitor changes or improvements over time.

A provider may also refer patients to a specialist in sleep disorders to help determine if there is an underlying sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome, that may be causing depression or contributing to symptoms.

What Are the Types of Depressive Disorders?

Significant feelings of sadness or a loss of interest in their normal daily activities are common in all depressive disorders. Specific forms of depression vary based on the severity of symptoms and the situation in which they develop.

The most well-known type is major depressive disorder, and it is marked by symptoms that affect a person virtually every day for an extended period of time. It commonly involves sleep disruptions.

Persistent depressive disorder, called dysthymia or chronic depression, may involve fewer symptoms than major depression, but symptoms last for at least two years (one year in children and adolescents) and any symptom-free period lasts no longer than two months.

Other types of depression, such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder and seasonal affective disorder tend to come and go over shorter periods but can also involve significant sleeping problems.

How is Depression Treated?

While depression can have dramatic effects on a person’s sleep and overall quality of life, it can be treated. After working with a doctor or mental health provider to understand the type and severity of depression, treatment may include:

• Counselling: Depression can be treated effectively with several types of counselling, including Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT). CBT for insomnia (CBT-I) is a type of CBT that focuses on managing chronic insomnia.

• Medication: Antidepressants are an effective treatment for depression. These prescription medications usually take time before they begin to improve symptoms and patients may need to try several antidepressants before finding the right fit. A doctor or psychiatrist can discuss the appropriateness of these medications and recommend a specific type.

• Brain stimulation therapies: When medications and other approaches are not effective, some people with depression consider electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or other, more recent types of brain stimulation like repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). These treatments can be effective but are only provided under the guidance of a trained professional.

Treatment isn’t limited to just one of these approaches and, in fact, combining medication and psychotherapy has shown higher rates of improvement than one approach alone.

Tips for Sleeping Better

Sleep problems increase the risk of initially developing depression, and persistent sleep issues can increase the risk of relapse in people who have successfully been treated for depression. As a result, taking steps to sleep better can have a beneficial effect on mood.

Focusing on improving sleep hygiene may improve sleep quality. It’s also a common component of CBT and can reinforce the benefits of talk therapy to change negative thinking about sleep. Improving sleep hygiene looks a little different for everyone, but often includes keeping a consistent sleep schedule, spending time away from electronics in the evening, and optimizing your bedroom for quality sleep.

Tips for Coping with Depression

In addition to talking to a provider about treatments for depression, there are several steps you can take on your own:

• Exercise: Low-intensity exercise, even walking 10 minutes a day, can lead to improvements in mood and physical health. For some people with mild to moderate depression, exercise can work as effectively as an antidepressant.

• Support: Experiencing depression can feel isolating and hopeless, so remember that you’re not alone. Spend time with others, talk about what you’re experiencing, and try not to isolate yourself.

• Be realistic: Even with effective treatment, symptoms of depression may improve gradually.

Sources: Sleep Foundation, Sleepstation