Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: How to Have Pleasant Dreams
• Method 2 of 4: Preparing for Controlled Dreaming During the Day
• Method 3 of 4: Getting Ready Before Going to Bed
• Method 4 of 4: Managing Your Dreams
• Tips

Dreams can have a significant impact on life.They reflect our hopes and fears related to the future, and in dreams we also return to the past. If you want to learn how to dream lucid dreams (that is, to control what is happening in a dream and understand that this is all a dream) or are looking to learn how you can have more pleasant dreams, you should do certain things during the day and before bed. In this article, we will show you how to control your dreams.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: How to Have Pleasant Dreams

1. 1 Go to bed earlier. A 2011 study for Sleep and Biological Rhythms found that students who studied late had less pleasant dreams than those who went to bed earlier. If you want to have good dreams, try going to bed at least an hour earlier to see if this will affect the nature of your dreams.
   • These results may be explained by the fact that the stress hormone cortisol is usually produced in the early morning, that is, at a time when the "owls" are in REM sleep and are already dreaming.
2. 2 Monitor your diet. Many things can cause nightmares, including bedtime food, alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco. If you often have bad dreams, try cutting back on these substances and skip eating 2-3 hours before bed. This will allow your body to digest food before you go to bed, and you will feel much calmer.
   • If you are serious about learning to dream better, you should stop drinking coffee at lunchtime. You may decide that you are lacking energy, but otherwise it will be more difficult for you to fall asleep at night.
   • It may seem that a glass of wine before bed will help you fall asleep, but it is not - your sleep will be restless. If a person sleeps restlessly, it becomes more difficult to control dreams.
   • Also avoid sugar before bed. It causes overexcitement and interferes with sleep.
3. 3 Deal with stress. Bad dreams are often a reflection of the stress and anxiety a person experiences during the day. Try not to think about problems while lying in bed. The best way is to relax and remember something pleasant. The more often you strive for calmness, the more pleasant your dreams will be.
   • Exercising regularly can help you relieve stress, get better dreams, and fall asleep faster. However, do not exercise before bed, as it will prevent you from falling asleep.
4. 4 Relax your bedtime. It is important to relax before lying down. For example, you can drink herbal tea, read a book, and then your dreams, most likely, will not frighten you or cause you anxiety. Find something to help you fall asleep more easily, and stick to it. Try to chase away all bad thoughts before falling asleep.
   • Do not watch violent movies, horror movies, or other similar movies or TV shows at night because they can cause nightmares.
   • If you want to sleep better, turn off the TV and computer at least an hour before bed. Avoid using phones or other equipment that makes it difficult to fall asleep.
5. 5 Put roses in your bedroom. A study was conducted in which women were asked to sleep in the same room with roses for 30 nights. It turned out that they had more pleasant dreams than usual. It is believed that the smell of flowers evokes positive emotions, and this affects dreams.
   • You can use rose-scented oils, body milk, or scented candles. Be sure to blow out the candles before going to bed, otherwise it could be a fire hazard.
   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   

   Klare Heston, LCSW

   
   
   Licensed Social Worker Claire Heston is a licensed independent clinical social worker based in Cleveland, Ohio. She has experience in educational counseling and clinical supervision, and received her Master's degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983.She also completed a two-year continuing education course at the Cleveland Institute of Gestalt Therapy and is certified in family therapy, supervision, mediation and trauma therapy.

   Klare Heston, LCSW
   Licensed social worker

   Essential oils are soothing and have a beneficial effect on dreams. Claire Heston, an independent clinical social worker, says: “The choice of oil depends on the individual. Definitely worth trying lavender oil. You can buy several bottles and try each one in order to find out which is best for you. Or you can search the Internet for the information you need, or ask the consultant of a beauty store for advice. "

   
   

Method 2 of 4: Preparing for Controlled Dreaming During the Day

1. 1 Get enough sleep. A person dreams during REM sleep. If you don't get enough sleep or wake up frequently during the night, your sleep cycles become disordered. You should regularly sleep 7-9 hours a night and go to bed at the same time so your body and mind know what to expect.
2. 2 Pay attention to dreams. It is believed that learning to remember dreams is the first step to control over them. Before you go to bed, remind yourself that you want to wake up with everything you see. This will tune your subconscious mind to analyze your dreams more closely. There are several ways to remember dreams:
   • When you wake up, ask yourself what you saw. Do not get up immediately after waking up, as this will make it harder to remember the dream. Lie in bed and try to remember everything in great detail. One of the reasons for forgetting dreams is related to the fact that people wake up and immediately start thinking about something else. Train yourself to analyze your dreams every morning.
   • Record dreams. Do this as soon as you wake up. Keep a notepad and pen on your bedside table so you can write everything down before you forget something. It will also allow you to trace patterns in your dreams. Keep the lights dim and take notes while staying in bed. This will increase the likelihood that you will not forget your dreams.
3. 3 Check to see if you are asleep, during sleep, and during the day. Such checks are necessary in order to distinguish between the real and the fictional world, and they can be carried out in a dream and in reality. Sleep Checking will help you control your dreams by letting your body know that it is asleep. Below are some ways to check if you are sleeping:
   • Try to take off. Of course, you will only succeed in a dream.
   • Look at your reflection in the mirror. If it is fuzzy, distorted, or not at all, most likely you are asleep.
   • Try looking at the clock. In a dream, the image will be blurry.
   • Turn the lights on and off. It is impossible to press the switch in a dream. Also try to turn the light on or off with the power of thought - it will only work in a dream.
   • Look at your hands and check if they look normal up close. In a dream, you may have more or fewer fingers than you actually do.
   • Try using an electronic device. In a dream, the phone and computer do not work well.
   • Try breathing with your nose and mouth closed. If you succeed, you are asleep.
   • Try placing an object (such as a pencil) in your palm. If you are sleeping, the pencil will either pass through your hand or hang in the air. If you are awake, you will have a pencil mark on your hand.
   • Try to read something. In a dream, as a rule, words are inconsistent and random.
4. 4 Look for signs that you are sleeping. After recording your dreams becomes a habit, start looking for signs that you are sleeping in your dreams. This can be a repetitive image (for example, an island you have never been to) or an event (for example, all your teeth are missing or you are unable to move). Try to find patterns that indicate to you that this is a dream, and write them down.All these things will help you understand that everything is happening in a dream, because you will recognize some signs.
   • As you begin to recognize the signs, you will be able to tell yourself in your sleep that you are asleep.
5. 5 Play video games. According to one psychologist, video games allow people to learn to act in parallel reality and see themselves from the outside. It is these qualities that are needed in a dream. Research by this psychologist suggests that people who play video games are more likely to have controlled dreams and control what happens in them.
   • Do not play very active games before bed, as this can provoke nightmares. Put your games aside for at least an hour before going to bed.
6. 6 Eat foods high in melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone found in plants, microbes and animals. It is a powerful antioxidant that can also affect REM sleep and make dreams more vivid. In addition, melatonin is believed to help people fall asleep faster. If you want to have colorful dreams, fall asleep deeply and be able to control your dreams, you should eat the following foods rich in melatonin:
   • Cherry;
   • Hercules;
   • almond;
   • sunflower seeds;
   • flax seed;
   • radish;
   • rice;
   • tomatoes;
   • bananas;
   • white mustard;
   • black mustard.
7. 7 During the day, ask yourself if you are sleeping. As you sit in class or read your mail, ask yourself the question, "Am I dreaming?" If you do it regularly, it will become a habit, and you will begin to do it even in your sleep. This will allow you to understand that you are sleeping and control your dreams, choosing the development of events that you need.
   • Questions like this will also increase your concentration and observation, and this will help you manage your dreams.

Method 3 of 4: Getting Ready Before Going to Bed

1. 1 Meditate before going to bed. The ability to manage your dreams requires focus and the ability to distract yourself from the thoughts that connect you to everyday life. Lying in bed and trying to fall asleep, banish all unnecessary thoughts and concentrate on the fact that you are falling asleep and preparing to enter another state.
   • Meditation will allow you to get rid of all negative emotions that prevent you from sleeping well.
2. 2 Imagine the dream you want to control. Before going to bed, think about how you want to dream. "Draw" a vivid picture and include as many details as possible: places, sounds, smells. Take yourself to this place and try to move there.
   • Pay attention to the sensations when breathing and walking. Although you will not be asleep yet, you should tell yourself that you are now in a dream. Continue to visualize what you want until you fall asleep.
   • Choose the perfect location for maximum effect.
3. 3 Leave the things you want in your dream on your bedside table. Place a photograph, a symbol of something, or even a blank piece of paper there. A thing that will reflect what you are striving to see in a dream will help you transfer yourself into a dream. If you want to see a certain person, put his photo next to you. If you are an artist and you are having trouble coming up with a subject for a painting, leave a blank canvas by your bed.
   • This technique will allow you to dream what you want, because the picture will be imprinted in your mind before you fall asleep.
4. 4 Prepare yourself to manage your dreams before going to bed. Lying in bed and getting ready to fall asleep, tell yourself something simple: "Today in a dream I want to understand that I am dreaming." Repeat this several times and tune in for it to come true. This will help you prepare for the process.
5. 5 Sleep in complete darkness. If you want to control your dreams, sleep in the dark. This will allow the body to maintain high levels of melatonin, which will help you sleep better and remember your dreams better. Ideal conditions are when the room is so dark that you can't tell the difference when you open and close your eyes.Turn off the lights, curtain the windows tightly, and get rid of any light sources.
6. 6 Use the MILD technique. Stephen LaBerge of Stanford University, founder of the Institute for Lucid Dreams, developed a technique called MILD (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams). mnemonic induction of lucid dreams), which is considered one of the most effective ways to enter the state of lucid dreaming. Here's what you need to do:
   • going to bed, tell yourself that you will remember dreams;
   • think that you will try to understand that you are sleeping and remember what you saw;
   • imagine what you want to do in your dream (for example, fly or dance);
   • repeat the previous two steps until you fall asleep;
   • use this technique until you learn to control your dreams.
7. 7 Get rid of nightmares. It is quite difficult, however you need to try to imagine a different ending for the nightmare. If you often dream of a frightening person who happens to be at your home, imagine that you managed to drive him away or that he left on his own. Whatever the nightmare, find a way out of the situation so that the comshar melt away.
   • If you often think about it, write down your intentions and even say them out loud, you will be able to program your mind to achieve the goal.

Method 4 of 4: Managing Your Dreams

1. 1 Once you realize that you are sleeping, gradually begin to manage your sleep. When you’re sure you’re asleep, try to be calm — this will increase your chances of not waking up at the same time. Remain calm, immerse yourself in the world of dreams, and begin to manage little things little by little, so that you can move on to more complex things over time.
   • You can try to change the scene or just move in space. You can touch objects and make things appear or disappear.
2. 2 Start managing your sleep. When you feel like you've already learned how to change the course of your sleep, try doing all sorts of different things in your sleep. Take off, try to see different people, completely change the scene, imagine places from childhood, or even travel in time. As you learn to manage events in your dreams, you will see what you want to see more often.
   • After waking up, record the dream. Mark the moment when you realized that you had a lucid dream, and record any actions that you could and could not do. If there is something that you never succeed in sleeping (for example, flying), think about what is stopping you.
3. 3 Remind yourself from time to time that you are asleep. When you realize that everything is happening in a dream, do not forget to repeat that you are dreaming. If you do not do this, you can forget where you really are, so you will no longer have the ability to control what is happening. Reminding yourself to sleep will help you manage the situation better.
4. 4 Fly. If you want to learn how to dream lucid dreams, practice flying in your sleep. You probably won't succeed at first, but you can work on it. Tell yourself that you will fly now, and this will prepare your consciousness for this action. You can walk in a circle, wave your arms, jump. When you start to succeed, you will be able to hover above the ground, and then fly.
   • When you fly, do not doubt yourself and that it is possible. If you are in doubt, you cannot truly fly. If you feel yourself sinking, kick off the ground and take off again.
5. 5 Imagine a specific subject. You may want to hold it in your hands or play with it. If you want to evoke his image in a dream, you need to be creative. For example, you want to see a delicious cake. Then you should imagine that you are in the kitchen or in a restaurant so that someone can bring the cake. If you think hard about the cake, it can appear, but if you imagine the natural conditions, the appearance of the cake will be more predictable.
6. 6 Change the scene. This is possible if you try. As you fall asleep, imagine that you are opening a door that leads you to the place you want to be, or gradually add new elements to the place where you are. If you want to be in the house where you lived as a child, imagine a tree in the yard, a bench near the entrance, a staircase, and so on.
   • It can be helpful to put a photo of the place you want to be on your bedside table. Let this be the last thing you see before falling asleep, and it will be easier for your mind to recreate the picture.
7. 7 Travel back in time. Many people do it. Imagine getting into your own time machine or opening the door to a new world. If something doesn't work, try another method. You can even tell yourself that you are going to travel in time now and focus on that thought. Go to bed thinking about the time you would like to return.

Tips

• Usually, if you think about something bad, the dream will also turn out to be bad. Think good things and you will have a pleasant dream.
• If you know you are asleep and are beginning to lose the ability to control sleep, rub your hands or spin around in one place.
• Check if you are asleep every day. Do this during the day to train your subconscious.
• Try to have lucid dreams regularly. It may take you years to learn how to manage your dreams, so give yourself some time.
• Try meditating before bed. Meditation can help you calm down and increase your chances of lucid dreaming.
• Try to constantly think about the dream you want, even before going to bed.
• Concentrate fully on what you want to dream, and not on the process of falling asleep. This will allow you to fall asleep naturally without any effort.
• If you are relaxed, you will feel like you are falling asleep when something is scratching or you feel like turning around. Try not to pay attention to these sensations and remain lying with your eyes closed and do not think about problems. Over time, you will learn to achieve a certain state between sleep and wakefulness that will allow you to control your dreams.
• Many people have a natural tendency to dream lucid dreams, and with a little practice they manage to do so with ease. Others have to work on this skill for a long time, so be patient.
• Try not to strain in your sleep, otherwise there is a high probability of waking up. Relax and stay calm.