The Last Things You Do Or Think About Before You Fall Asleep Can Influence What You Dream About.

Sweet dreams are made of these

Delving into the world of dreams is an experience that is still shrouded in mystery. Our dreams can range from anything and everything; from stark, simple colours to long, drawn-out events. We have good and bad dreams, both happy and sad, and sometimes, they are very easily forgotten. However, all dreams offer insights into the subconscious mind, and another realm to explore.

Hence, it is quite natural to ask: Is it possible to alter, and even control, one’s dreams?

The answer might very well be a “yes”. That is, if you have mastered the art of ‘lucid dreaming’. For those who do not know what this means, lucid dreaming is the ability to not only be consciously aware of when you are dreaming, but to also direct what is happening in the dream during its course in real-time. It is an ability that has to be gradually honed and refined through time and practice. In most cases, this involves the use of journals and alarms. If this sounds rather overwhelming, there is another alternative method to regulate your dreams, albeit with much less control.

Have you ever noticed that when you have been acutely focused on or mentally pre-occupied with a specific person, place or object, you tend to dream of it? This is the result of your unconscious mind continuing to process the last thing you thought of before you fell asleep. Thus, by simply thinking hard of what you wish to appear in your dreams, you can pick and choose the subjects of your choice. In fact, this is an exercise used by lucid dreamers, combined with alarms and journals, and it has been found to work quite often.

But what if your train of thought has been disrupted by an external stimuli right before you go to bed? For example, what if someone talks to you or you fall asleep while listening to music? Will this also have an effect on the dreams you would have that night? Food for thought.

-Cassey

Edited by Seraphina Leong

SOURCES

Chudler, E. H. (n.d.). Sleep and Dreaming Experiments. Retrieved from https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chsleep.html

International Association for the Study of Dreams. (2013). Common Questions About Dreams. Retrieved from http://www.asdreams.org/subidxeduq_and_a.htm

Lite, J. (2010). How Can You Control Your Dreams? Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-control-dreams/

The Lucidity Institute. (2014). Lucid Dreaming FAQ Version 2.32. Retrieved from http://www.lucidity.com/LucidDreamingFAQ2.html