Have you ever experienced a dream in which you were aware that you were dreaming? Moreover, have you ever questioned, “Why am I having lucid nightmares?” If so, hopefully, this short but explaining article will give you a satisfying answer to these intriguing questions. So, let’s start with two fundamental questions: What exactly is a lucid dream, and how can it be that much involved with nightmares?
What is lucid dreaming?
We can argue that an out-of-the-ordinary condition of consciousness is lucid dreaming. Of course, the context and extent of these dreams can differ a lot among themselves; however, today, we know that lucid dreaming is rarely taking place in a nightmare form, making it even a bigger mystery waiting to be solved.
Lucid dreaming has generated a great deal of fascination in dream studies. Frederik Willem Eeden invented the phrase “lucid dream” in 1911 when he reported on lucid nightmares and other lucid events. The person is conscious that he has a dream, and the dream is a nightmare in some kind of a lucid nightmare. The nightmare themes frequently include demonic creatures out to inflict horrific damage on the dreamer who tries but fails to wake up. However, the more frequent lucid dream is a conventional dream in which the dreamer is fully cognizant of the vision but has no solid urge to awaken and terminate it.
What causes lucid nightmares?
According to research, lucid dreams and, more importantly, lucid nightmares occur primarily during the REM phase of human sleep. Sleep interruptions or abnormalities, particularly those affecting REM sleep, may influence the regularity of lucid dreams.
According to one study, patients with narcolepsy experienced a greater prevalence of lucid dreams than the research’s control patients. Another study claimed that “a change in brain function in the path of awakening” while REM sleep envisioning leads the transition to lucid dreaming, resulting in a “hybrid” scenario with “elements of both REM wake and sleep.” Nevertheless, for the time being, the exact reason for lucid dreams, and hence why some individuals experience these and others do not, remains unknown.
What could cause you to be trapped in a lucid nightmare?
When you can’t wake up, your subconscious may be attempting to assist you. For example, is your life filled with a lot of stress? Are you experiencing mental distress as a result of a decision? How you deal with pressure significantly influences your emotional and psychological well-being. However, there are various possibilities for being caught in a lucid dream or nightmare.
1. Sleep paralysis
Sleep paralysis is a terrible sensation in which you can’t move yet are totally awake (typically as shadowy creatures roam about your bed). It happens as the REM sleep hasn’t finished yet; your brain is up, and the motion impulses to your muscles are delayed for a few moments. Hallucinations are generally associated with behavioural apnea and continue only for a few seconds.
2. Claustrophobia in dreams
Anyone may master lucid dreaming, which is a fantastic ability. It means it is possible to join your dream world completely aware, communicate with the figures, and control the dream in the direction you would like to go. As a result, claustrophobic nightmares occur when your conscious body and mind cannot awaken along with your vision. If you experience a dream such as this, picture a portal to some other dream state and enter there; however, this is not as easy as it sounds!
3. Frustrations in life
Thoughts of being confined in a limited space are typical during stressful periods. If you feel imprisoned in your life, such as a romance, a career, a course of study, etc. It is natural for your anxieties to emerge in your dreams since this is a location where you may receive answers to your problems, and who better to assist you in fixing your issues than yourself? If you’ve recently made some lifestyle changes, such as starting a new diet, exercising, or changing your belief system, you may notice an increase in nightmares over not being able to drive home or feeling lost in your nightmares.
Final thoughts
You can never be sure how far a conscious dream can go. Moreover, when it turns into a nightmare in which you might be trapped, it is better to calm down and think afterwards about what might have caused it. Eventually, you will find the answers deep into your mind and brain. Keeping a dream journal may help you figure out patterns in your dreams and relate them to real-life issues.