Both sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming have been documented since ancient times, which means people have been experiencing them for almost as long as humanity exists.
This article will aim to define the two terms, show you the connection between sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming and in the end, we’ll even reveal how to turn sleep paralysis into a lucid dream!
Before we start, let’s first define the two terms so we’re all on the same page.
What is Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis means experiencing consciousness while being unable to move your physical body.
It happens during hypnagogia, just like lucid dreams and the experience can be very scary.
Reasons for that are the auditory and visual hallucinations you may experience.
Some people also report seeing shadow people and a feeling of dread and impending doom.
Sleep paralysis usually doesn’t last longer than ten minutes and if you’re in the right frame of mind, you can even use it to your advantage!
More on this later on.
What Is A Lucid Dream
Put simply, a lucid dream is a type of dream where you’re aware that you’re dreaming.
You usually can exert some type of control during your dream and you can change your environment at will.
Lucid dreams can help you get over recurring nightmares and they are even used in cognitive behavioral therapy.
Not just that but you can also learn a lot about yourself and deal with your past in a constructive way.
You can also just have fun, i.e have sex.
Overall, lucid dreams help you regain control over your biggest fears and are a helpful tool in maintaining optimal mental health.
How Sleep Paralysis And Lucid Dreaming Are Connected
Both of these conditions happen when the mind is aware; when you are conscious of things.
They are both dissociative experiences that incorporate REM sleep.
Moving on, they both involve the body being asleep.
Also, sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming both happen during hypnagogia.
Last but not least, you can use sleep paralysis to enter a lucid dream and vice versa.
From Sleep Paralysis To Lucid Dreaming
Now that we’ve learned the basics of both and their connection, let’s look at how to go from one to the other.
Sleep paralysis usually happens due to stress, high caffeine intake, or a hectic sleep schedule.
Most people who experience sleep paralysis dub it a negative experience.
However, with some practice, you can turn it into a lucid dream and have fun!
First things first, try to close your eyes during sleep paralysis. If you keep them open, you’ll only experience scary hallucinations.
Now that your eyes are closed, use your imagination to picture yourself in a deep, luscious forest.
With some practice, you’ll be transported into that forest and you’ll start seeing the greenery all around you.
You’re still not done yet, focus your attention on your third eye, this will help with the imagery and transportation process.
Now, open your eyes again and you should be in a lucid dream.
You can take things from here, you don’t need to stay in the forest necessarily, it’s just used as a relaxing factor in this instance.
From Lucid Dreaming Into Sleep Paralysis
This is quite rare and people don’t do this intentionally, but it is possible to go from a lucid dream straight into sleep paralysis.
If that ever happens to you, remember that you have two choices: either you wake yourself up by wiggling your body, starting from your toes or you go straight into a lucid dream again by the process outlined above.
Tips And Tricks
Here are some tips and tricks our crew members have in store for you, so you can more easily navigate the states you find yourself in.
1. Keep Your Mind Awake
Everyone always talks about how important relaxation is but during sleep paralysis, if you relax too much, you’ll only fall asleep again.
While falling asleep might be a better deal, it’s not a lucid dream, the thing that we are actually after.
During imagination, be sure to really study the imagery in front of you; feel the breeze in the forest, the birds chirping, etc.
Really put yourself into the position of someone that’s in the forest, this will ensure that you don’t relax too much.
2. Do Not Struggle
What is the first thing that people do when faced with sleep paralysis? They try to fight it; escape the situation as soon as possible.
That’s the wrong kind of mentality to have since you’ll only prolong sleep paralysis and end up even more frustrated when you eventually wake up.
Instead, you can tell yourself that everything is okay and that it will all soon be over.
Don’t fight the sensations, instead, welcome them and accept them as a crucial part of your trip to a lucid dream.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice!
This may be disappointing to hear but it’s not very likely that you’ll be able to turn sleep paralysis into a lucid dream in your first few tries.
What’s more likely to happen is that you’ll panic and start fighting sleep paralysis.
It’s okay, you can take baby steps, the first thing to do is relax into sleep paralysis by accepting the sensations.
The second thing you do is use your imagination to transport yourself into a lucid dream.
As long as you remember those two things and practice them during sleep paralysis, you’ll surely succeed!
Conclusion
We’re aware that most people reading this article have problems with sleep paralysis.
We also understand that reducing stress or having a better sleep schedule isn’t feasible for most people, especially in today’s hectic world.
This leaves turning sleep paralysis into a lucid dream as a valuable alternative.
With just a bit of practice, you’ll be able to turn your biggest nightmares into pleasant dreams!
