Lucid Dream Induction -- articles & patents

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**Lucid Dreaming**

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# Lucid Dreaming/Induction Techniques

 This page describes a number of lucid dream
induction techniques. It is recommended that you be able to
recall *at least* one dream per night in order to maximize
the effectiveness of these methods.  

Certain elements are common to many of the
lucidity-inducing techniques discussed later in this
chapter. To better understand these techniques, these
common components will be discussed first.

   

### Sleep Interruption

   

An element shared by many of the techniques is sleep
interruption. Sleep interruption is the process of
purposefully awakening during your normal sleep period and
falling asleep a short time later (10a60 minutes). This
can be easily done by using a relatively quiet alarm clock
to bring you to consciousness without fully waking you. If
you find yourself resetting the clock in your sleep, it
can be placed on the other side of the room, forcing you
to get out of bed to turn it off. Other biorhythm-based
options involve drinking lots of fluid ( particularly
water or tea, a known diuretic ) prior to sleep, forcing
one to get up to urinate.

   

Sleep interruption is a natural part of the MILD
technique (described below) which trains you to arise
immediately after your dreams end.

   

### Sleep Continuity

   

If you have trouble initially falling asleep, avoid
drinking water for about an hour before going to bed.
Otherwise, you may find yourself running to the bathroom,
disrupting any attempts at lucidity. Also, try to avoid
caffeine and sugar before bed. However, depending on your
sensitivity, caffeine may only stimulate your mind as
opposed to your body. This extra grip on consciousness
could be helpful in inducing lucid dreams. Exercising
during the day is an excellent way of preparing your body
for sleep. However, be sure to not exercise inside the
three hours before bedtime, as your body will be
stimulated for a short time afterwards. The morning or
afternoon is the best time for this.

   

If you still have difficulty getting to sleep, try
reading about lucid dreaming just before going to sleep.
Your subconscious will likely absorb this information,
increasing your chances of experiencing a lucid dream. If
you *do* decide to read before going to sleep, keep
a lamp next to your bed as physically getting up to turn
off the lights may reawaken your body.

   

### Reality checks

   

A reality check is a test you can perform to see if
you're dreaming or awake. It might seem odd to test
reality when you are sure that you're awake, but making a
habit out of one or more of these reality checks will
hugely increase your chances of having a lucid dream. If,
say, you hold your nose and try to breathe in through it
several times throughout the day then you're very likely
to dream about doing it. And when you dream about
performing a reality check, then of course the results
should come out differently, in this case you'll find that
you are somehow breathing in through your closed nostrils.
You'll know that you're dreaming, and be able to take
lucid control!

   

So here are some reality checks. You should be
familiar with the entire list even if you only use a few.

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  

|  |  | Reliability | Speed | Discreetness | Overall | False positives | False negatives |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Breathing** | Can you breathe with your fingers tightly sealing your nose and your mouth shut? | **5** | **5** | 3 | 4.33 | - | Very Rare |
| **Jumping** | When you jump, do you float back down? | **5** | **5** | 1 | 3.67 | - | Rare |
| **Reading** | Do sentences change when you read them? Read, turn away and repeat it to yourself, and then turn back and read it again. Do this twice. | **5** | 4 | 4 | 4.33 | - | Rare |
| **Vision** | Do you have perfect vision? This only works for people who have at least slightly blurry vision in the waking world. Alternatively, if you have *perfect* vision in the waking world, you may have blurred vision in the dream world. | 4 | **5** | **5** | 4.67 | - | Common |
| **Hands** | Do your hands have a strange color, too many fingers (sometimes they disappear and reappear when you try to count them!) or other abnormalities? Can you push your finger through your other hand? | 4 | **5** | **5** | 4.67 | - | Occasional |
| **Time** | Does your watch or clock tell a reasonable time? Are you even able to read the time off it? Sometimes clocks have the wrong number of hands or have strange symbols. Try reading the time twice, like the Reading check above. Note: Digital clocks often work better for this reality check. | 4 | **5** | 4 | 4.33 | - | Occasional |
| **Powers** | Are you able to fly (just visualize it), unlock doors, or use other magical powers? Try to change the shape of your body, or walk through a wall, window, or mirror. | 4 | **5** | 3 | 4 | - | Common |
| **Light switches** | Does a light switch work? | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2.67 | Occasional | Occasional |
| **Mirrors** | Do you look normal in a mirror? | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | - | Occasional |
| **Nose** | Can you see your nose with one eye closed? | 2 | **5** | **5** | 4 | - | Rare |
| **Memory** | Are you able to remember how you got here, why you are here and what happened an hour ago? | 2 | 3 | **5** | 3.33 | Rare | Common |
| **Identity** | Do you have the same gender, age, job, relationships and responsibilities as usual? | 2 | 3 | **5** | 3.33 | - | Occasional |

   

Choose a few reality checks which you will do
regularly. Take them seriously, do not assume you are
awake (even when you know you are). If you practice
performing these checks very thoroughly while awake, then
you're more likely to perform them thoroughly while
dreaming. You should **always** carry out more than
one reality check. If you find that it is not a dream,
look around you and think of what would be different if it
were a dream. If you do this it will make it more likely
that you will do a reality check in a dream.

   

Apart from doing reality checks throughout the day,
you also need to do a reality check immediately after you
wake up. This helps you become lucid in false awakenings,
when you dream that you have woken up but in fact are
still dozing. Using a digital alarm clock or mobile phone
display to do a Reading check, every single time you wake
up, is a quick and reliable way to catch false awakenings.

   

If you have trouble bringing reality checks into your
dreams then before going to bed imagine yourself in a
dream, noticing odd details and doing a reality check.
Then do a reality check in real life. If you do this a few
times before bed you will find that you will do it more
often in dreams.

   

If you are in a situation where you cannot do a
reality check, such as at a public speaking, try to do one
as soon as possible. You can do some reality checks very
discreetly, such as looking at some text on a sign. If you
start to say awell, I can't do a reality check nowa you
should not be surprised when you make this mistake in a
dream!

   

**Which reality checks are best?**

   

When selecting reality checks, the most important
properties of a reality check are *reliability*, *speed*,
and *discreetness*.

   

   * The **reliability** of each reality check is
  how likely you are to recognize the dream-sign's results
  as showing that you are dreaming **once you do them in
  a dream**. It changes for each person but some
  reality checks are overall more accurate than others.
  The figures in the table above are *rough only*
  and differ for each person.
   * It is important for a reality check to be **fast**.
  It wastes dream time if you have to search around for a
  book or (perhaps worse) a mirror. Plus, it could also
  give your subconsciousness more time to produce
  real-life results, especially if you believe that the
  check will give real-life results.
   * Third, a reality check should be **discreet**;
  that is, it should not draw too much attention to you
  when you do it in the waking world. Suddenly jumping in
  the air or trying to walk through a wall as a reality
  check could cause much embarrassment!
   * Fourth, a reality check should not have "false
  positives". These occur when the reality check shows you
  are dreaming in real life. When you get a dream result,
  do another reality check to be sure!
   * A final important note is whether or not a reality
  check should have "false negatives". These occur when a
  reality check shows you are in real life when you are
  actually dreaming. If you think you may be dreaming,
  keep doing tests until you prove yourself right!
   
   

On the table above, these are scored **out of 5**.

   

**I have trouble remembering to do reality checks
throughout the day. What reminders can I use?**

   

You are lucky to have an interesting day and forget
about lucid dreaming! You can tag your mind to remember
dreaming when you think of certain things, like your
friend or your homework. It isn't advisable to explicitly
write areality checka or alucida on your hand, as this
could create an over dependence on this reminder, which
may not exist in a dream. However, you might want to just
draw a dot or small circle on your hand. This should be
enough to remind you to do a reality check.

   

Try putting a little label on your clock, mobile
phone, or watch, reminding yourself to do a reality check.
(Some weird colors will make it more noticeable and it
will take longer for you to get used to it and ignore it.)
If you check these regularly during the course of your
waking day, you will be doing lots of reality checks.

   

A simple coffee mug with a reminder such as "Are you
dreaming?" printed on it or random alarms can also serve
well, but try not to become too dependent on them. You can
find examples of these at Byte
Red.com and LD4All.com

   

Another technique is to write down three things you do
regularly in a day. Examples include hearing your name,
going through a doorway, turning on a TV, beginning to
read a book, or seeing a stranger. In the morning, choose
three such events and intend to do a reality check
whenever they happen in the following day.

   

**I did a reality check in a dream but it said that I
was not dreaming. What went wrong?**

   

Some reality checks work perfectly for some people and
awfully for others. These are mostly the light switches
one and the hands one. If you find that the light switch
works or that your hands are perfectly normal, you need to
change to a different technique.

   

**I did a reality check in a dream but I did not
quite realize I was dreaming. What went wrong?**

   

An example of this is looking into a mirror and seeing
some huge boils or a gray mist on your reflection and not
realizing that you are dreaming. This is rare if you
actually intended to look into the mirror as a reality
check. You need to be more careful when doing your reality
checks in real life or pick more reliable reality checks
which show more obviously that you are dreaming. Also try
to pick reality checks that are easy to do. For example,
don't rely the Time Reality Check if you never wear a
watch, and don't pick the Mirror Reality Check if you
rarely look in the mirror during the day or you know that
you won't find a mirror in your dream.

   

Another good remedy for this problem (and a good
practice in general) is to perform two or three reality
checks at a time. The Time Reality Check, for example, can
be easily combined with attempting to push one hand
through another. Or, for those with glasses, testing your
ability to read text fits naturally with checking for
"perfect eyesight w/o glasses".

   

## Techniques

   

When you read through these techniques, remember that
different techniques work for different people. There is
no abest techniquea and most techniques could be used to
have 2a5 lucid dreams every night! You could have several
lucid dreams in a night, but you will not know it unless
you remember them!

   

However, you will probably want some advice as to
which technique you should try first. Consider whether you
want to use a method which starts from a dream or a method
which starts from being awake.\* If you master a
technique which starts from being awake, you will
eventually be able to have lucid dreams on demand when you
sleep. For other techniques, you have to rely on your luck
to give you lucid dreams after you have done your
technique. Here are some advantages and disadvantages for
specific techniques:

   

(Remember, it is *essential* to be able to
recall at least one dream per night before attempting
these techniques)

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

| Technique | Summary | Advantages | Disadvantages | Best for... | Rating |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| WBTB   (Wake-Back-To-Bed) | Wake after some sleep and then return to bed. | * Simple    * Can be very reliable, especially when used   with other techniques | * Disrupts sleep cycle | People who want to strengthen other techniques, or who wake up in the middle of the night anyway. | Green |
| Auto-suggestion | Let yourself genuinely believe that you'll become lucidawithout *intending* to become lucidaso that you really will. | * Simple | * Less effective than some other techniques   (such as MILD) | People who are susceptible to [hypnosis](/wiki/Hypnosis "Hypnosis") or practice meditation. | Green |
| MILD   (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams) | Fall asleep while focused on your intention to *remember* that you are dreaming. | * Simple | * Can be boring | People with a good prospective memory (remembrance of future intentions). | Green |
| WILD   (Wake-Initiation of Lucid Dreams) | Keep your consciousness while falling asleep and go straight into a dream. | * Lets you truly induce lucid dreams at will | * Can cause frightening experiences    * Can take long to master | People who want to reliably have lucid dreams. | Green |
| VILD   (Visual Induction of Lucid Dreams) | By repetitive visualisation, incubate a dream in which you do a reality check. | * Also lets you induce lucid dreams at will    * Works *extremely*   well for some people... | * ...but not very well for others    * Visualizing can keep you awake | People who have good visualization skills. | Green/ yellow |
| CAT   (Cycle Adjustment Technique) | Adjust your sleep cycle to encourage awareness during the latter part of your sleep. | * Requires relatively little effort other   than adjusting your sleep cycle    * Is very effective | * Requires you to wake up early on some days    * You are only likely to get a lucid dream on   every other day (though this could easily be   more frequently than with other techniques) | People who have a very regular sleep cycle. | Green/ yellow |

   

\* The usual acronyms in forums for this are DILD
(Dream-Initiated Lucid Dream) and WILD (Wake-Initiated Lucid
Dream). All the techniques that induce WILDs are described
under [WILD](/wiki/Lucid_Dreaming/Induction_Techniques#WILD "Lucid Dreaming/Induction Techniques") on
this page.

   

### WBTB

 

WBTB stands for aWake-Back-To-Beda.

   

Wake yourself up after 4 to 6 hours of sleep, get out
of bed and stay up for anywhere between a few minutes to
an hour before going back to bed. It is preferable that
you do something related to lucid dreaming during this
time (such as reading about lucid dreaming), but it is not
required. This is best combined with other techniques;
many people have amazing results with a MILD/WBTB
combination. The WBTB technique significantly increases
your chances of a lucid dream, and using MILD (see below)
in conjunction increases your success rate if you are
planning to sleep an hour or more after your WBTB session.
However, you might need plenty of sleep time and therefore
you may only be able to use it on weekends.

   

If you are sleeping too deeply to become lucid, then
you can modify this technique. Try returning to sleep
somewhere different than where you usually sleep, e.g. on
a couch, a different bed, or even on the floor. If you are
unable to do this, try changing the way you sleep, e.g.
try sleeping with a lighter blanket or reversing the
orientation of your body while in the bed (that is,
swapping head and feet). Do this in order to teach your
body that these different surroundings mean you want to
have a more conscious sleep rather than a deeper sleep. In
the beginning, different surroundings will also make you
more alert, which can heighten your level of consciousness
during sleep.

   

**I am sometimes awake for very short times, but
cannot pull myself together enough to get up and out of
bed. What can I do?**

   

Put a bright piece of paper on the wall or ceiling so
that you will see it when you wake up. Other stimuli could
be a hot water bottle, a light turned on under your bed,
or an alarm clock. A good technique is to place an alarm
clock out of arm's reach so that you are compelled to
physically get up from bed and turn it off. If this is
still insufficient to restore consciousness, try making a
note of your intentions to remain awake and place the note
on your alarm clock. After you get a lucid dream with this
method, you'll find it easier and easier to get out of bed
because you'll have more motivation.

 

### Auto-suggestion

 

This technique describes how to useauto-suggestion to have lucid
dreams. It can be especially effective for people who are
highly susceptible to hypnosis or understand meditation,
but for most people, MILD will probably be more effective.

   

As you are falling asleep, suggest to yourself that
you will have a lucid dream either that night or in the
near future. You can use a mantra (such as aI will
recognize that I'm dreaminga) if you want, but make sure
you don't try too hard to get a lucid dream. Instead of
putting intentional effort into the suggestion, try to
genuinely expect to have a lucid dream. Let yourself think
expectantly about the lucid dream you are about to have,
but be patient if you don't get one right away.

   

You may also use auto-suggestion to improve dream
recall. Just use the technique as described above, but
instead of suggesting that you'll have a lucid dream,
suggest that you'll remember your dreams when you wake up.
You could also use a mantra with this, such as aWhen I
wake up, I will remember what I dreamta. Just be careful
not to put too much intentional effort into the mantra a
try to genuinely expect to remember your dreams instead.

   

### MILD

 

MILD stands for aMnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams",
or sometimes, aMnemonically Induced Lucid Dream". The MILD
technique was developed by Stephen LaBerge, and is
described fully in his book *Exploring the World of
Lucid Dreaming*.

   

With the MILD technique, as you are falling asleep,
you concentrate on your intention to *remember* to
recognize that you are dreaming. Repeat a short mantra in
your head, such as aNext time I'm dreaming, I will
remember I'm dreaminga. Think about what this means (i.e.,
that you want to remember that you are dreamingain the
same way you might go to a grocery store and suddenly
remember that you need bread), and imagine that you are
back in a dream you've had recently, but this time you
recognize that you are dreaming. For example, if you
recently dreamed of flying, imagine realizing that it is a
dream because you are flying. Keep repeating and
visualizing the mantra until you are sure that your
intention is set in your mind or you fall asleep. If you
stop repeating and visualizing the mantra, then still try
to make sure the last thing in your mind before falling
asleep is your intention to remember to recognize that you
are dreaming.

   

In general, the MILD technique can be practiced when
you first go to bed at night, or after you have awakened
from a dream during the night. If you practice the MILD
technique after you have awakened from a dream, you should
first run through the dream to ensure that you remember
it. Some people find it helpful to jot down a few notes
about their dream in their dream journal.

   

Once you have committed the dream to memory, go back
to sleep and follow the steps above. But this time,
visualize the dream you just had. Move through the dream
in your mind until you encounter a dream-sign you
originally missed. Now, instead of missing the dream-sign,
imagine yourself recognizing it and becoming alucida.

   

Repeat this until you have fallen asleep. You *will*
re-enter the dream, and you *will* recognize the
dream-sign and finally, become lucid.

   

### WILD

 

WILD stands for aWake-Initiated Lucid Dreama, or
aWake-Initiation of Lucid Dreamsa to refer to any
technique that involves falling asleep consciously. These
techniques are similar to self-hypnosis. Some people
believe that WILDs are not actual dreams, but are instead
astral projection. Various
detailed resources are available under that moniker.

   

For most people, they are far easier to induce in the
early morning after waking up or in afternoon naps, as the
sleep cycle will continue with a REM period. Once you are
experienced with inducing WILDs, you can try to induce
them at other times.

   

For WILDs to occur, it is best for your body to be
completely relaxed. When you go back to bed, lie down
comfortably. Now tense and relax your body, starting from
your shoulders and working downwards, then back up to the
face. This (or similar relaxation, meditation, or trance
techniques) should make your body feel slightly heavy and
relaxed.

   

There are many different ways to induce WILDs, but
they all involve simultaneously attempting to keep the
mind aware while attempting to have the body fall asleep.
A few techniques are detailed below.

   

If you pay attention to your physical body while using
these techniques, then you will likely enter sleep
paralysis (which usually happens after you are already
asleep) without losing conscious awareness of your body.
You will get a tingling and buzzing sensation (this might
be unpleasant). These sensations might be so strong that
you feel that you will die (e.g., you might feel a choking
sensation), but don't worry, this is perfectly safe! In
fact, this process happens to you every time you sleep,
you are just not conscious during it. Sometimes you can
simply wait until you fall asleep straight into a lucid
dream. However, if you do not fall asleep, and you become
completely paralyzed (with the exception of your eyes), do
not try to move. Imagine your dream hand (or spirit hand
if you prefer) going up and leaving your physical hand
behind. Now you should have two separate bodies, a dream
one and a real one. Control your dream body only a if you
control your real one, you will wake up. Now you can try
to roll out of bed into your dream world (alternatively,
you can get up and walk through a mirror, or sink into
your bed). There is a possibility that after waking up
from a dream that you initiated using this technique, you
may still be paralyzed. If this phenomenon occurs, it may
be accompanied by hallucinations. For example, you may
wake up from a lucid dream that you started using one of
the WILD techniques, and you will still be paralyzed. A
dark and scary figure may approach your bed, and you are
unable to move, shout, or scream. Folklores have often
given a name to this phenomenon: American people call it
Old Hag , Japanese people call it kanashibari, Korean
people call it kawi nullida (being pressed by a pair of
scissors), and in old French it was called *Cauquemare*,
which was later transformed into the term *cauchemar*.

   

#### Chakra Technique

 

Using Chakra ("third eye") meditation is one way to
achieve WILDs. Basically, one has to focus solely on his
third eye and breathing to achieve a lucid dream. This is
a technique over 5000 years old, taught to Parvati by
Shiva.[[1]](#cite_note-shiva-1) He is quoted
as saying:

   
> With intangible breath in center of forehead, as
> this reaches heart at the moment of sleep, have
> direction over dreams and over death itself.[[1]](#cite_note-shiva-1)

   

#### Eyelid Patterns

 

This has been found to be very effective in many
cases. However, it may lead to strange after effects, such
as up to 15 dreams in one night, but otherwise, nothing
harmful. This technique is as follows: When you go to
sleep, ensure the room is completely dark. Then, with eyes
closed, try to focus on the little dots that should appear
to be moving on your eyelids. You will find that you can
change their color at will. Continue focusing on these
dots; make them dance around and form patterns and change
colors, and eventually you should enter a Lucid Dream.
This may take a little practice, but is usually very
effective for summoning Lucid Dreams at will. Works better
in conjunction with WBTB and other techniques mentioned
above, but is still extraordinarily effective on its own.

   

#### Hypnagogic Imagery

 

Stimulate your thinking patterns by constantly
switching your attention. After doing this long enough,
the images and sounds should begin to take a momentum on
their own (this is called hypnagogic imagery), and may
they get very strange and illogical. You should enter a
dream at this point and quickly become lucid. Otherwise,
you will eventually realize you have entered sleep
paralysis consciously (see above). Because hypnagogic
sleep paralysis involves full consciousness, dreaming can
sometimes be frighteningly real. There is often a feeling
of being flipped upside down, spun, or being tugged upon
by an outside force. Hypnagogic hallucinations may also
include strange auditory hallucinations, dark beings and
flying. It is possible to observe waking reality while in
a hypnagogic state, but this is limited to the sensations
of your physical body. Most hypnagogic sleep paralysis
states occur when sleeping face up. There is evidence that
the tendency toward experiencing Hypnagogic sleep
paralysis may be hereditary.

   

#### Counting

 

Another technique is to count up to 100 in your head,
optionally adding (for example) an aI'm dreaminga between
each number. Alternatively, you can imagine stepping down
stairs and reading each floor number, from 100 to 0. Try
to make this image as vivid as possible a include not only
what you see, but also what you hear, feel (touch the
banister), and smell. At some point this image should
continue into a dream or you will begin to get sleep
paralysis as described above. It is easy to lose count,
especially with counting up to 100 with an 'I'm dreaming'
with each number. But stay focused: you are not going to
sleep; your body is, and you must concentrate fully.

   

#### Sound Technique

 

This method is for people, who can hear the
"tinnitus". The idea is pretty much the same as the other
WILD methods, which is to remain conscious while entering
the dream state. In order to use this method, you must
sleep in a perfectly quiet place. You need to hear the
inner buzzing sound inside your ears. Lay your body down
and relax as much as possible while trying to hear the
sound. If you are too tired, you will fall asleep too fast
and it will be difficult to remain conscious - it this
case you should combine it with WBTB. By time you realize
that the buzzing sound will increase in intensity. This
might frighten newcomers, but be assured - nothing bad is
going to happen. No, you will not be deaf when you wake
up, itas perfectly safe! \*It is just an effect caused by
your brain is trying to change mode, from listening to the
ambient sound, to listening to the sound of dreamland,
which is not real sound but just electrical charge inputed
to the part of the brain to create a sensation of hearing.
By that time, you will enter the hypnagogic state. All you
need to do is concentrate, do not be afraid or think of
anything, just be still, and in time your dream body will
float, separating from your physical body, and there you
go, you arrive in the dreamworld.

   

Note: These sounds can be heard when you concentrate,
even throughout the day - when you pay attention to them,
but they shouldn't be heard much aloud if you are not in
silence and concentrating on it - \*as author said. The
formula to hear it is quite simple: come into complete
silence close your eyes and listen: is there only absolute
silence or is there - something else? some...? do not
create some sound just concentrate - :-) The best
thing on this tech is - you can do it when you want.

   

#### Facts to know about Tinnitus

   

Tinnitus is a condition termed for a hissing and
whistling sound that one hears in his/her ears. It's a
medical term for ringing in the ears. Several reasons lead
to this irritating condition and the most common cause is
the damage to the nerves located inside the ear. However,
there are some other factors as well such as earwax
buildup, exposure to loud noises, ear infections and
certain medications. Remember, the first step in finding a
natural care is to determine the actual cause of tinnitus.
Some Facts about Tinnitus.

   

The foremost thing to remember is that ringing in the
ears is a symptom and not a disease. It's normal to a
certain extent, however, the condition could be an
indicator of a more serious condition. It's often related
with hearing loss that is caused by aging. It can be a
major nuisance when the ringing becomes very loud. The
condition cannot be cured permanently but certainly can be
eased.

   

**Some Causes of Tinnitus**

   

As mentioned above, ringing in the ear has some
related causes and the most common out of them are damage
of the cochlea due to aging (known as presbycusis),
infection of the ear, exposure to loud noises and eardrum
rupture. Amazingly, it has also been observed that excess
ear wax buildup can also lead to this condition. Also,
then there's the overuse of aspirin. Though, it's a very
efficient pain reliever, its ototoxic properties
(resulting into the damage to the ear) can result in
tinnitus and worsen the condition in those that already
have this ailment.

   

Tinnitus can also be developed by the usage of
antibiotics, particularly amino glycoside antibiotics (a
powerful form of infection fighting drug) and quinine.
Also, many studies have proven the relationship between
tinnitus and stress. When the brain is under stress, it
has a tendency to read ordinary as well as daily sounds as
fearful. After this, the tinnitus develops or becomes
worse. Thus, it's very important and critical to manage
stress. And if that's not enough, there are other causes
for tinnitus that are not that common but are quite
serious: Some of them are:

   

   * A jaw misalignment disorder known as
  Temporo-Mandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome
   * Meniere's disorder which is a disorder with
  recurring episodes of vertigo
   * Head and neck injuries (resulting in tinnitus in
  one ear)
   * A benign tumor known as acoustic neuroma which
  develops on the cranial nerve that runs from the brain
  to the inner ear
   
   

**Treating Tinnitus**

   

Putting in some hours with a therapist can really be
beneficial and in several situations it's necessary to
mental success even after the condition is alleviated.
It's not easy to deal with anxiety and depression and
knowing how to ignore the problem appropriately rather
than indulging in it can be the best solution. It's also
suggested to see a psychiatrist or psychologist who are
experts with the patient suffering from the condition.
This can be one of the cures
for tinnitus relief and getting control over your
mind can build up tolerance towards this condition which
can also benefit you in dealing with other problems as
well.

   

Masking the noise in your head can also provide you
with a solution when you're trying to sleep or get rid of
heavy waves of noise being produced. As tinnitus can
appear loud in a silent room, leaving it on radio static
can let you proper sleep. Remember, alleviating your
tinnitus is only the cure for ringing in the ear as the
condition can only be minimized and not completely cured.

   

#### Slight Physical Discomfort

 

For the purpose of helping to retain your conscious
awareness, slight physical discomfort is useful while
performing any WILD technique. This prevents you from just
drifting off to sleep. If you are lying down on your bed
to do WILD and you are totally comfortable then your
chances of going to sleep instead of remaining conscious
are very high. The WILD technique relies on a form of deep
trance induction, and many people who induce trances for
other reasons rely on slight physical discomfort a for
example the lotus position, or sitting in a hard-backed
chair. Depending on your own preferences and your
requirements of discomfort for success, you could choose
from the following methods, arranged in ascending order of
discomfort:

   

   1. Stacking pillows so that you can sit up in bed a
   the discomfort is caused by not being in a normal
   sleeping position.
   2. Lying down on a hard floor.
   3. Lifting your forearm vertically upwards, with the
   rest of your arm resting on the bed.
   4. Sitting in a hard chair.
 
 

### Incubating Dreams

 

To incubate a dream about a specific topic, you should
first think of a phrase that summarizes that topic (e.g.,
aI want to go to Atlantis.a). It may help to write the
phrase down. If there is something you want to do in the
dream, think of a phrase to summarize that too (e.g., aI
want to watch Atlantis sink into the ocean.a). If you want
to become lucid in the dream, then you should probably
write something like aWhen I dream of [the topic], I will
remember that I'm dreaming.a beneath your topic phrase.
Immediately go to sleep and focus on your topic phrase.
Visualize yourself dreaming about the topic and (if you
want to become lucid) realizing that you are dreaming. If
there is something specific you want to do in the dream,
visualize yourself doing it once you become lucid (not
very likely to work if you don't become lucid in the
dream). Think about your phrase and topic (and intention
to become lucid) as you fall asleep. Make sure that the
last thing in your mind before falling asleep is your
intention to (lucidly) dream about the topic you want to
dream about. You might want to wake yourself up when the
dream starts to fade so that you remember more of the
dream; you can do this by ignoring your perception of the
dream environment a the opposite of dream stabilization
techniques (just make sure you do a reality check when you
wake up to make sure you are really awake).

   

#### Chaining Dreams

 

Dream-chaining or achaining dreamsa is a method to
re-enter your dream *after you've woken up*. It can
work for lucid and non-lucid dreams, but you will probably
want to enter your dream lucidly.

   

Once you wake up from a dream (if you don't think you
were dreaming before you woke up, it may not work well)
you should stay still and keep your eyes closed. Small
movements are okay, but the less movement, sensory
stimulation, and less time awake, the better. Ideally, it
should feel less like you've woken up, and more like
you've taken a 30 second break from dreaming. Once you are
prepared to go back to sleep, close your eyes and either
visualize yourself back in your dream, or use the
aspinning techniquea given in the next chapter to imagine
yourself spinning back aintoa your dream. Spinning is a
little faster than visualization. Be sure to maintain the
fact that you are dreaming (unless you don't want to be
lucid), or you may lose your lucidity while falling
asleep. Once in the dream, stimulate your senses as early
as possible (see the next chapter).

   

#### VILD

 

VILD stands for aVisual Induction of Lucid Dreamsa, or
sometimes, aVisually Incubated Lucid Dreama. This
technique has been perfected by Peter Harrison, known as
Pedro on the forums at
ld4all.com. You may wish to read the main thread about the
technique. The version described here has been
adapted slightly.

   

First, make sure you are relaxed. You can use the
relaxing technique mentioned in the description of the
WILD technique. You can also imagine your brain emptying
out and becoming sleepier. If you have a hard time falling
asleep quickly, it should help to read a book (preferably
about lucid dreaming) for a while before you go to sleep,
until you feel very sleepy.

   

Now, you need to visualize a dream which you had
prepared earlier. Here is an example of a prepared dream:

   

:   I am in a red room
    with one door. A friend next to me asks me to show them
    what a reality check is. I do my reality checks (which
    show that I am dreaming), tell them that I am dreaming,
    and head towards the door.

   

Make sure you know exactly what the dream would be
like, such as which friend, the exact words they say, and
which reality checks you do. Reality checks that require
no props, such as books or clocks, are recommended.
Visualize this dream slowly three times, to make sure that
you know every detail. Then, start going full-on and
visualize the dream over and over. You should visualize
the dream as though you are looking through your own eyes,
not from a third-person perspective. If you find your
thoughts drifting, ignore them and continue to visualize
the dream continuously. You will need patience for this a
don't just give up if you think it won't work.

   

When you actually dream this, you will not notice the
difference a until you do your reality checks! Continue
with the dream as you incubated it (e.g., remember to
thank your friend!) before continuing through the door.

   

**I tried to visualize the dream until I fell asleep,
but I just stayed awake. What went wrong?**

   

If visualizing keeps you awake, the VILD technique is
not the technique for you! You should use a different
technique.

   

#### LILD

 

LILD stands for aLucid Induction of Lucid Dreamsa, or
sometimes, aLucidly Induced Lucid Dreama.

   

To use this technique, you need to have a lucid dream
in the first place, but it can help you to get more later.
The idea is to do something in your dream that will help
you to become lucid the next time you are dreaming. For
example, you could ask a dream character for help a ask
them to meet you the next night and tell you that you are
dreaming. If it works out the way it should, then the next
time you are dreaming, the dream character will walk up to
you and tell you that you are dreaming, and so you'll
(hopefully) become lucid. There are many variations on
this technique; you could set up signs in your dreamworld
that remind you to do a reality check or eat lucid pills
instead! This technique is not likely to be very
effective, but it *can* work; it relies on the
chance that you'll subconsciously induce the reminder
(i.e., the dream character or sign or whatever you used)
during some later dream, and become lucid because of it.

   

Note that LILD is best used in conjunction with
dream-signs and auto-suggested non-lucid dreams. The basic
idea as explained above is to have something in your dream
that triggers the transition from normal dream state to
lucid dreaming. To simply tell a character to tell you
that you are dreaming the next time you fall asleep is
usually not enough. There is no guarantee that you will
dream about that character and there is no guarantee that
your subconscious will believe the character enough to
make you snap into lucidity (make you realize that you are
in fact dreaming).

   

Now as this technique suggests, you must have some
previous alternate means of having a lucid dream. Whatever
technique you employ to get into this initial lucid dream
state is not really important, but you should try to
remember to use this technique (LILD) once you do get into
a lucid dream state. Thinking of this before falling
asleep (MILD) sometimes helps and usually takes many lucid
dreams before finally remembering. Once you are in a lucid
dream, make up a dream-sign. It can be anything. It can be
an object. It can be food or a drink (that doesn't taste
like anything). It is usually best to pick something that
isn't quite right. Something that on the surface would
appear normal in the real world, but that upon closer
inspection is not quite right. Food or drinks are good as
they can have no taste or not be refreshing in a dream.
But try and pick something that you dream about a lot so
that there is a better chance of you dreaming about this
dream-sign later on. Now pick something else that only
appears or happens in your lucid dream. It can be
anything. If there is nothing in your current lucid dream,
create something really strange. Something that could
never be confused with the real world. Now mentally
associate the dream-sign (food) with this unusual item or
event that could never happen in the real world. But at
the same time, this unusual item or event should equate to
"lucid dreaming". When you see the unusual item, it should
only make you think of when you have a lucid dream as this
should be the only time you encountered it. So we have a 3
item associative link. Do all of the above while in a
lucid dream.

   

The next time you dream about your dream-sign, your
subconscious will think of the unusual item or event. The
unusual item or event will make you think of lucid
dreaming. The two combined impossibilities (1. dream-sign
that cannot exist in the real world 2. item or event that
only appears in lucid dreams) will make your unconscious
try to make a decision on all this. This will make your
conscious mind come to the surface and hopefully you will
come to the conclusion that you are dreaming. Many times,
you will not want to deal with it because you are too
tired (that is why you are sleeping, no?) and fall back
into a normal dream state. This is why it can take a few
tries. Eventually, your subconscious will start putting
clear signs in your dreams like billboards that spell out
"YOU ARE DREAMING". But once it triggers, it is quite the
realization that an instant before, you had no real
control over your actions and now you can do whatever you
want. Another note... if it failed, you will usually know
why. So next time, you can choose another dream-sign or
slightly different technique or something more shocking.
Once you get this working once, it is relatively easy to
use over and over as the hard part just described is over
with. Sometimes disassociative techniques are needed if
used too much.

   

To sum up, this technique is a way to force a reality
check while in a normal dream state where your
subconscious has no choice but to come to the conclusion
that you are in fact dreaming. Once your mind knows that
you are dreaming, there will be no other conclusion than
your conscious mind taking over. And this is what lucid
dreaming is all about.

   

### CAT

 

   1. For one week, go to bed at the same time each night
   and get up 90 minutes earlier than you usually do. Spend
   those 90 minutes doing reality checks every 2a5 minutes.
   2. Thereafter, on alternate days: follow the routine
   from step one, and set the intention to do your reality
   check routine at its regular time, while getting a full
   night sleep. This will cause the reality check
   conditioning to kick in during REM prime-time.
   
   

For detailed information on the Cycle Adjustment
Technique, see the appendix on CAT : 
/wiki/Lucid\_Dreaming/Appendices/CAT

   

### Tibetan methods

   

Tibetan Buddhists practice what is known as Tibetan
dream yoga. Probably the most time consuming way of
inducing lucid dreams, it is also, according to the
practitioners, the most rewarding. The basic practice is *awareness*.
Awareness should be practiced while sleeping just as well
as while being awake. Meditating on the question awho is
aware?a might catapult you into a higher degree of
awareness according to Buddhist beliefs. Keeping this
level of awareness is another matter. The Tibetans have
developed many yogic exercises and disciplines to be
practiced. Maybe the most interesting difference between
Tibetan dream yoga and modern western methods of lucid
dream induction is the Tibetan claim of the possibility to
be aware during deep sleep, not only in the REM periods of
sleep. For the reader who is interested in these methods a
good start is to begin to regard all experience as a
dream. After all, from the countless multitude of matter
and radiation reaching our senses the nervous system tunes
in only to a small fraction of this chaos. For members of
the phalanx that believes we, more or less, create our own
reality in the above sense this practice should feel
natural. In general though, it is recommended to gain
instruction from a teacher in the flesh rather than from
books (like this one!).

   

The Tibetan Methods are not "time consuming" if the
goal is to go into deeper than Lucid states. From a Raja
Yoga stand point, from a Daoist standpoint, and from a
Tibetan Yoga standpoint the goal is not to "play" in Lucid
Dreams, but to dispel the delusional nature of what we
call "reality." Also, to heal and to develop
super-learning. Now "super-learning" is a relative term,
it depends on your culture, modernity (in terms of
entrepreneurialism - in 3rd world, 2nd world, 1st world
sense; "are you developing a better rickshaw or are you
developing an engine that runs off of water, what is
relevant?"), and on the "energy" you find most attractive:
innovative, creative, joyous, blissful, love, power,
wisdom, mirth. Are you Ambitious-Worldly or
Ambitious-Spiritual? All these factors play into it.

   

These techniques are very easy to learn and are rooted
in a deeper science than the WILD, VILD, LILD -- one that
does not use auto-suggestion or forced recall. In
conclusion, the Tibetan methods are advanced yogic
techniques that only an accomplished practitioner can
fully teach. If one does not have access to a Tibetan
dream yogi, one should probably concentrate on techniques
that are more mundane from a Western point of view.

   

### Other techniques

 

Many of these are combinations of other techniques
with some addition or modification.

   

   * **Inducing dream-signs** - You can become lucid
  by trying to induce specific dream-signs to watch for
  during your dream. You can use auto-suggestion (see
  above) to associate a specific dream-sign with doing a
  reality check, or you can just get used to doing a
  reality check whenever you encounter the dream-sign
  while awake. Some dream-signs you can use: 

     + **Thirst** - Avoid drinking for very long.
    Wake up later in the night and put salt on your
    tongue or eat chili to make you even thirstier. Fill
    a glass of fresh cold water and take it with you
    back to bed. Hopefully, you'll dream of getting
    something to drink. Don't use this technique if you
    have trouble falling asleep while thirsty.
     + **False Awakening** - Set your intention as
    you fall asleep to wake up in the middle of the
    night. If you are a heavy sleeper, you'll hopefully
    dream of waking up in the middle of the night. If
    you are a light sleeper, you are probably more
    likely to really wake up.
     + **Bladder** - Drink large amounts of water
    before going to sleep. You should dream of having to
    go to the bathroom. You may wet your bed! This
    technique should be used carefully, to avoid the
    possibility of water
    intoxication.
   * **Conditioning** - Strictly punish or reward
  yourself after a dream where you failed to realize you
  were dreaming or when you do have a lucid dream. This
  could increase motivation but not necessarily cause
  lucid dreams in itself. Cognitive psychology, however,
  states that this punishment/reward system is very
  counterproductive, because it ties our self-esteem to
  the outcome of the endeavor. The opposite of this system
  would be to see each attempt, including those that fail,
  as another step towards success.
   * **Muscle Exhaustion** - Lift slight weights with
  one's arms and legs for about fifteen minutes before one
  begins to fall asleep. One should not, however, lift
  anything that strains the muscles too much, for that
  stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and excites
  the body. The method should cause a release of tension
  in the muscles and tire them out. This combined with
  relaxation techniques and any of the -ILD's should
  produce a positive result.
   
 

## Other methods

   

### Food and drink

   

There are various foods and drinks that you can
consume which seem to have some effect on sleeping and
dreaming. Note that for most of these there is no
explanation or scientific study of how they work, and some
may simply be placebos.

   

Don't go overboard with the consumption of any of
these, as overdosing could have nasty effects (well, milk
should be safe unless you are allergic). **Don't
experiment without accumulating enough knowledge first.**
The authors in no way encourage the use of legal or
illegal drugs.

   

   * The amino acid tryptophan, which can be found in
  warm milk amongst other sources, is a precursor for the
  hormone serotonin, and has been proven to help you fall
  asleep.
   * Vitamin B6 and others of the B group are important
  for neuronal functions.
   * Melatonin is a hormone
  with neuronal effects. It is produced by the pineal
  gland in darkness and is suppressed by blue light.
  Wearing blue-blocking sunglasses or avoiding bright
  light in general the hours before bedtime maximizes
  night-time melatonin secretion.
   * 5-HTP or L-5-HTP is a supplement that is
  related to serotonin, which some claim has induced lucid
  dreaming on approximately half the nights it is taken.
   * Caffeine is useful in
  WILD techniques, as it helps the mind stay focused and
  think vividly. Please notice that caffeine is an
  addictive substance and may have negative effects on
  your health.
   * An Amino Acid Blend
  made up of 2000mg L-aspartic acid, 4000mg L-glutamine,
  and 300mg L-theanine can
  substantially increase your odds of having a Lucid
  Dream.
   * Galantamine -
  acetylcholinesterase inhibitors extract from plants such
  as *Lycoris radiata* (Red Spider Lily) or from
  chemical synthesis. Works best when taken together with
  choline and/or alpha-GPC.
   
   

Some people who practice Lucid dream (LD) or Out of
body experience (OBE) use Galantamine to increase their
odds to achieve LD or OBE. By taking small amount of
Galantamine (around 4 to 8 mg) after 5 to 6 hours of deep
sleep and practice the induction technique such as
meditation, MILD or WILD many people report more success
with Galantamine.

   

There also report that taking Galantamine without
proper induction technique will not lead to LD or OBE but
will result in only a vivid dream instead. It should also
be noted that due to a long half life Galantamine will
stay in the body for a period of up to and over 48 hours,
as such it is advisable to space out the use of
Galantamine over a period of three days so that the body
does not build a resistance to the drug ruining its
effectiveness.

   

Some people report mixing Galantamine with other
Nootropic can enhance the degree of lucidity but this is
still controversial since some mixtures may work for some
people, but lead to failure for others.

   

Plants:

   

   * Artemisia vulgaris
   * Hypericum perforatum
   * Korean Ginseng
   * Valeriana officinalis
   * Calea zacatechichi
   * Ginkgo biloba
   * Nutmeg - contains myristicin a deliriant.
   
   

For an in-depth guide to using supplements for lucid
dreaming, see the book *Advanced Lucid Dreaming - The
Power of Supplements*.

   

### Drugs

   

Dissociatives and hallucinogens can be used to create
a (more or less) lucid dream-like state, though whether or
not these help with lucid dreaming is debatable. **The
authors do not recommend use of these substances for
induction of lucid dreams, nor do they urge the breaking
of any applicable laws.**

   

Some dissociatives and hallucinogens are:

   

   * Amanita muscaria
   * Ayahuasca
   * DMT - Common in the
  shamanic method of drinking Ayahuasca, to the result of
  entering the spirit realm. The herbal brew contains the
  psychedelic DMT, a drug is actually synthesized in
  minute quantities by the metabolism. It may be produced
  during dreams, adding to the enhanced experience.[2]
   * DXM
   * Ketamine
   * LSD
   * Mescaline
   * Morning glory seeds
   * PCP
   * Psilocybe mushroom[s](//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybe "w:Psilocybe")
   * Salvia divinorum
   
   

### Gadgets

   

There are various gadgets you can use to become lucid
easily. They generally detect when you are in the REM
state and then provide a light and/or sound signal. This
signal is supposed to be adjusted so that it doesn't wake
you up but does enter your dream. The signal is then
recognized as showing that you are dreaming, and you
become lucid.

   

The most well-known device is the NovaDreamer from the
Lucidity Institute. However, this product is no longer
produced. Be sure to check for recommendations for devices
from lucid dreaming forums.

   

A similar device is the DreamMaker.
( http://www.wellnesstools.com/dreammaker\_quickinfo.htm
).The DreamMaker works very similarly to the NovaDreamer
but without the Dream Alarm feature, which worked to wake
the dreamer in the middle of the REM state. This device
comes with a mask, a circuit board with adjustable
controls, the batteries needed to operate it, a short
owner's manual, a lucid dreaming workbook, and the Stephen LaBerge book *Exploring
the World of Lucid Dreaming*. The circuit board is
supplied completely ready to use, but you have to insert
the batteries and put the circuit board into the mask
yourself.

   

An alternative is the Kvasar
( http://brindefalk.solarbotics.net/kvasar/kvasar.html ).
The Kvasar costs about $20 in raw materials, but needs to
be constructed by somebody skilled in electronics as it is
not sold commercially. It can also be hard to operate.

   

Another do-it-yourself alternative to commercial
dreaming masks is Nate True's Lucid
Dream Mask (
http://cre.ations.net/creation/face-mounted-lucid-dreaming-mask
),which does not bother with difficult-to-calibrate
sensors and just uses a timer for flashing lights, and has
(ostensibly) competitive results with all of the former
gadgets.

   

### Software

   

There are many programs for your computer that can
assist with lucid dreaming. These can give out verbal cues
while you sleep, or assist in doing your reality checks:

   

   * iLucid Dream for
  the iPhone. Dream journal, reality checks, induction
  techniques, binaural beats for deep sleep and much more!
  http://cre.ations.net/creation/face-mounted-lucid-dreaming-mask.
  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ilucid-dream/id668103961?ls=1&mt=8
   * Lightened Dream
  is available for Windows as freeware. It can be used as
  a dream journal and a dream-sign list. One of its more
  notable features is that you can have it play a voice or
  song each time you enter a REM sleep period.
  http://lucidcode.com/LightenedDream/
   * DreamDoze A web
  application for Social Dream interpretation and dreams
  journal management. http://www.dreamdoze.com
   * Gnaural is a
  multi-platform programmable binaural-beat generator.
  Gnaural is released as free software under the GNU
  General Public License. (For a browser based demo, see Gnaural Java) --
  http://pantheon.yale.edu/%7Ebbl2/GnauralJavaApplet\_signed.html
  .http://gnaural.sourceforge.net/
   * Brainwave Generator
  is available for Windows. It works by playing binaural
  beats into your ears, changing your brainstate.
  http://www.bwgen.com
   * Reality Check is
  available for Windows. It works by appearing on your
  computer screen at random times to remind you to do a
  reality check.
  http://bytered.com/software-realitycheck.html
   * SBaGen is
  available for Windows, MacOS X, and Linux. It works by
  playing binaural beats into your ears, changing your
  brainstate.
  http://bytered.com/software-realitycheck.html
   * Neuro-Programmer
  is available for Windows. This is powerful software that
  creates binaural beats and can work in conjunction with
  special goggles to induce certain mental states.
  http://www.transparentcorp.com
   * LucidWeaver is
  available for mobile phones and PDA that support Java
  (J2ME). It includes a Dream alarm with sound cue which
  can be adjusted to a personal REM-sleep cycle for
  improving dream recall and lucidity training. Randomized
  reality tests can be set and it can be used as regular
  alarm clock.http://www.lucidweaver.com/
   * Lucille 2.0 is
  an application to assist with doing reality checks.
  http://mythwell.com/lucille/index.html
   * You Are Dreaming .
  http://www.sadglad.com/yad/yad.html
   * Daldom a cross
  platform audio lucid dream induction software.
  http://www.sadglad.com/daldom/readme.html
   * Lucid Dreaming
  Assistant DOS software (no home page)
  http://www.dreaminglife.org/downloads/lucid\_dreaming\_assistant.exe
   * Unexplainable Store
  Lucid Dreaming Brainwave Entrainment MP3.
  http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/lucid-dreaming-mp3.html
   * Sleep Check Reminder
  for Android.
  http://www.androlib.com/android.application.com-ropez-android-sleepcheckreminder-qDwmw.aspx
   * iLucid for iOS
  (iPod, iPhone, iPad).
  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ilucid/id591703883?mt=8
   * Sleep As Android
  is an Android sleep tracking app. It has a feature where
  it can play a sound file (by default, a soft voice that
  says "You're dreaming..." and echoes out) when it
  detects that the user is in a deep sleep.
  https://sites.google.com/site/sleepasandroid/
   
   

There is also a list of programs available at LD4all.com, under the aHowa
section.

   

#### Hypnosis

   

   * Remotehypnosis.com
  has a hypnosis mp3
  that can help you achieve lucid dreams.
   
   

#### Forums

   

   * The World of Lucid
  Dreaming Forum is a good place to ask questions
  and receive feedback on how accurately you are
  performing these techniques.
  http://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/forum/
   
   

## References

   

   1. a ***a***
   ***b*** 112
   Meditations from Shiva to Parvati. *Internet
   Archive.* Accessed on 2009-09-18.
   http://web.archive.org/web/20080104094658/www.totallyok.com/secret/007m.htm
   2. a
   5000
   year old WILD technique. Very easy, and very
   effective[.](http://web.archive.org/web/20090406111627/http://www.dreamviews.com/community/showthread.php?t=71387)
   *DreamViews forums.* Accessed 2009-09-18.
   http://web.archive.org/web/20090406111627/http://www.dreamviews.com/community/showthread.php?t=71387
   
   
 


---

  

**Patents**

   
**METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTAINING LUCID DREAM STATE****US2010130813**  
  
Inventor(s):     DOZORTSEV DMITRI  
  
The invention discloses an apparatus that facilitates
attaining of lucid dreaming state.  
  
0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 61/117424 filed Nov. 24, 2008,
which is incorporated herein by reference.  
  
**TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION**  
[0002] The present invention is in the field of apparatuses
for modulation of sleep pattern.  
  
**BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION**  
[0003] It is also known that some people may experience
so-called lucid dreams during REM where the person is aware
that he or she is dreaming while the dream is in progress.
During lucid dreams, it is possible to exert conscious
control over the dream characters and environment and have
them perform feats which would be physically impossible in
the waking world. Lucid dreams can be extremely real and
vivid depending on a person's level of self-awareness during
the lucid dream.  
  
[0004] The number of people who are naturally predisposed to
lucid dreaming is small.  
  
[0005] However, there are methods that allow a not
predisposed individual to experience lucid dreaming.  
  
[0006] For example, it is well known that during night sleep
humans have several episodes of dreaming accompanied by
rapid eye movements (REM).  
  
[0007] The devices for assisting lucid dreaming usually
detect REM phase by monitoring eye movement using detectors
mounted within the mask and then use flashing light or sound
to let person know that he is dreaming without waking him up
completely.  
  
[0008] It has also been known for a long time that most men
and woman experience respectively penis or clitoris
erections and changes in blood flow and heart rate during
the REM phase.  
  
**SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION**  
[0009] The disclosed invention is designed to assist an
individual to enter lucid dreaming filled with sexual
experience, by providing sexual stimulation when REM is
detected.  
  
**DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION**  
[0010] The disclosed apparatus has two principal parts, one
detecting sexual arousal during sleep and second that
provides a sexually stimulating stimulus once such arousal
is detected. Because sexual arousal during sleep coincides
with dreaming phase, it becomes possible for a user to
introduce a sexual connotation into the dream.  
  
[0011] Furthermore, recognizing external sexual stimulus,
exerted by the apparatus, user will become aware of being
dreaming, thereby transforming normal dream into lucid with
sexual content.  
  
[0012] Alternatively, the monitoring unit of disclosed
apparatus may detect dream state by other means, for example
by monitoring REMs or heart rate or blood pressure, skin
resistance etc and send the signal to the second unit that
provides sexual stimulation.  
  
[0013] In a more simplified form, the arousal is not being
monitored or detected. Instead, sexual stimulation is
applied at predetermined programmed intervals during sleep.  
  
 


---

  
**Method and apparatus for electrically generating signal
for inducing lucid dreaming****US8267851**  
Inventor:  
KROLL JAMES M   
  
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS  
  
**1. Technical Field**  
  
The present inventions relate to dream inducement and, more
particularly, relate to a method and electrical apparatus
for inducing lucid dreaming.  
  
**2. Description of the Related Art**  
  
A lucid dream is one in which the dreamer obtains conscious
awareness while still remaining in the dream. While we are
all familiar with ordinary non-lucid dreams, the notion of
conscious awareness within ones dream-space is quite foreign
to most. Lucid dreaming is better understood and leveraged
in Eastern culture. For example, the use of lucid dreams for
personal or spiritual development has been leveraged for
thousands of years in Buddhist practice. In the West, most
people are too busy to apply the mental training techniques
required to achieve this state naturally.  
  
Western researchers have tried to develop technological
solutions in one sense or another to solve the challenge of
having lucid dreams on demand. Secondary goals of such
technology driven solutions have included maximizing dream
vividness, recall, control or overall cognitive ability
while in the dream.  
  
The possible applications of lucid dreaming are limitless.
Not surprisingly, entertainment seems to be the most common
application of lucid dreaming. This might include flying
like a bird, meeting up with long lost friends or even
romantic fantasies. More esoteric and well known lucid dream
tasks include the elimination of recurrent nightmares,
practicing physical tasks and having that practice within
your dream-space impact your actual wakeful performance,
elimination of phobias, insights into your subconscious by
engaging in conversation with dream characters and pursuing
creative endeavors such as writing music or poetry under
this slightly altered state of awareness.  
  
Given the limitless number of applications for lucid
dreaming, it is desired to identify a safe and predictable
method for inducing lucid dreams. While lucid dream
frequency is desired, it is also important to recognize that
the recovery of full cognitive ability within the dream is
crucial if some of the aforementioned goals are to be
implemented by the dreamer.  
  
It is known in the art that the quality of lucid dreams can
vary greatly. Perhaps the single largest challenge once
lucidity is obtained is the application of full cognitive
ability. Lucid dreamers will often claim they were lucid,
but that their cognitive ability was a fraction of what they
expect when they are awake. Ramifications of this include
poor ability to remember or implement goals, or an inability
to remember the details of the dream once the dreamer
awakens.  
  
An early attempt at a technological solution to lucid
dreaming was the concept of a lucid dream mask by LaBerge,
et al in U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,716. This was essentially a
facial mask worn during a lucid dream attempt. The mask has
a compartment for a printed circuit board that contains a
motion detector which aligns to the position of an eye. The
circuit board was designed to detect rapid eye movement
(REM). Upon this detection, the mask sent light or sound
cues to the dreamer. These cues may manifest in the dream as
light or sound anomalies. The dreamer had to train to use
these cues in order to recognize that they are dreaming. The
problems with these devices were several. First, most people
find it difficult to sleep with a cumbersome mask strapped
to their face. Second, the settings are very tricky. A
little too much motion detection sensitivity and the cues
can wake the dreamer before the dream is stable. Too little
and the mask doesn't detect and deliver cues. Similar
problems can be said of the brightness and sound settings.
The worst part is that the brain becomes accustomed to this
phenomenon and tends to either tune it out or wake upon
light or sound stimulus. Other peculiarities can creep in
such as the lucid dreamer feeling like the mask is on them
during the dream leaving them unable to see. A review of
various internet lucid dream sites will find few people
claiming phenomenal success with such devices.  
  
A more recent development in lucid dream induction was that
provided by LaBerge in US Patent Application Publication No.
20040266659. In this application, LaBerge identified several
classes of drugs that can positively impact dream lucidity
and cognitive ability of the dreamer. The main focus of this
development was the class of drugs known as acetylcholine
esterase inhibitors. Fundamentally, these are drugs that
slow the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. Commercial
usage of drugs such as Galantamine or Huperzine-A for lucid
dream induction resulted from this disclosure by LaBerge.
While this class of drugs does seem to be safe and
reasonably effective at lucid dream induction, they also
exhibit a number of limitations. Insomnia is a common
consequence of using these drugs. Not only can this leave
the subject sleepy the next day, it eliminates any
possibility of lucid dreaming. Since these drugs bias
acetylcholine (AcH) levels, they tend to create a chemical
balance that favors REM sleep over delta wave and other
physically recuperative cycles of sleep. Again, this can
often leave the subject run down and sleepy the next day due
to a lack of recuperative sleep the prior evening. A
noticeable tolerance to acetylcholine esterase inhibitors
has also been exhibited and is a common problem known to
those skilled in the art. A dose that used to cause a
positive effect every 4th day (generally accepted as the
minimal inter-use window for galantamine), can soon only
realizes a positive effect once per week. Even once a week
can become a challenge for users who have leveraged a drug
like galantamine for a year or more. Discussion of this
tolerance issue is well documented on internet based lucid
dream bulletin boards. Even with the use of these AcH
boosting drugs, lucid dreamers often report unsatisfactory
cognitive ability and critical thinking recovery once lucid.
The last and final challenge is the gastro-intestinal
distress and intolerance some people realize.  
  
Another approach to the generalized modification of brain
state activity was cranial electrical stimulation (CES).
Cranial electrical stimulation was researched and developed
in the Soviet Union in the 1950's. At the time this
application was termed "electro-sleep" because studies
focused mostly on resolution of insomnia in human subjects.
By the 1960's a significant amount of private and university
level research was underway in the United States for both
animal and human subjects. The typical applications explored
during this time were reduction of pain, anxiety, depression
and elimination of insomnia.  
  
Cranial electrical stimulation differs from several other
electrical or magnetic stimuli such as transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) or transcranial magnetic
stimulation (TMS). Cranial electrical stimulation involves
the delivery of a small micro current across the brain.
Typically, this is delivered via electrodes clipped to the
ear lobes. The currents involved are quite small, on the
order of 50 [mu]A-5 mA. Research has demonstrated that the
preferred waveforms for cranial electrical stimulation
applications are square or rectilinear biphasic signals with
zero mean voltage delivered over time. These types of
biphasic signals are easily designed and implemented to have
equal positive and negative portions to eliminate the
possibility of elecrolysis of the blood. This
positive/negative behavior of the signal better replicates
the response of nerve impulses that are characterized by
having one polarity upon application of pressure and a
potential of equal but opposite polarity upon release of
pressure. Pulse widths of 0.1 to 2.0 seconds are commonly
used and the envelope of the signal typically used for
traditional applications is designed to be periodic at a
rate of 0.5-3.0 Hz. It is also recognized by those skilled
in the art that dynamic modification of the signal is often
preferred as the brain can otherwise develop a tolerance to
a repetitive electrical stimulus and slowly become
unresponsive to this external signal. Methods to dynamically
modify the signal include but are not limited to using
on/off pulses, changing the envelope frequency over time,
using a low frequency envelope to modulate a higher
frequency carrier wave, changing the time domain format of
the periodic signal, making changes in signal magnitude,
etc.  
  
Other cited methods are different than cranial electrical
stimulation. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
(TENS) for example is typically applied to injured or
uncomfortable muscles and/or soft tissue areas. TENS is
typically delivered in the 50-200 Hz range at much higher
currents. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) differs
from cranial electrical stimulation in the stimulus itself.
TMS is a magnetic alteration of brain response as opposed to
an electrical stimulus.  
  
While decades of research have been implemented in this
area, very little has actually been quantified in terms of
how cranial electrical stimulation actually works. Most data
and conclusions are empirical in nature. Blind or double
blind studies routinely prove that low frequency cranial
electrical stimulation in the 0.5-3.0 Hz range has positive
effects in the aforementioned diseases and discomforts.
Certainly it is well understood via electroencephalogram
(EEG) measurements of patients before and after cranial
electrical stimulation treatment that cranial electrical
stimulation tends to eliminate irregular or abnormal electro
chemical activity especially in the alpha range of 8-12 Hz.
However the precise mechanism that drives this response is
poorly understood. Most research cites the generic theory
that cranial electrical stimulation helps to drive
neurotransmitter balance back to a normal homeostasis.
Cranial electrical stimulation regiments typically follow
the model of 30 minutes of treatment per day for 5-15 days.
Depending on the ailment and individual, positive response
is often subjectively perceived for anywhere from 1 week to
2 years.  
  
 


---

  
**DIETARY SUPPLEMENT AND A METHOD TO ENHANCE SLEEP AND
LUCID DREAMING****US2008107754**  
  
Inventor(s):     LUCIANO JEFF  
  
A nutritional supplement for enhancing sleep and lucid
dreaming in humans. It contains a combination of ingredients
in proportions calculated to enhance lucid dreaming. The
primary ingredients are Calea zacatechichi,
L-5-Hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP), and Vinpocetine. In
addition, the nutritional supplement may include the
secondary ingredient Melatonin and the tertiary ingredients
Wild Lettuce Extract, Mugwort Extract, Dimethylaminoethanol
Powder (DMAE), Passionflower Extract and Green Tea Extract.
Further, various Vitamins may be added such as certain B
vitamins, D and C, as well as Zinc, Magnesium and Calcium.
The selection and amounts of the ingredients of the
nutritional supplement promotes sleep and lucid dreaming in
people who have taken the nutritional supplement prior to
going to sleep.  
  
[0001] This application claims one or more inventions which
were disclosed in Provisional Application No. 60/864,801,
filed Nov. 8, 2006, entitled "DIETARY SUPPLEMENT TO ENHANCE
LUCID DREAMING". The benefit under 35 USC [section]119(e) of
the United States provisional application is hereby claimed,
and the aforementioned application is hereby incorporated
herein by reference.  
  
**FIELD OF THE INVENTION**  
[0002] The invention pertains to the field of dietary
supplements. More particularly, the invention pertains to
the use of a specific dietary supplement as a sleep aid and
lucid dreaming enhancer in humans.  
  
**BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION**  
[0003] Dreams have been recognized as sacred and spiritual
experiences in many cultures around the world since the
beginning of recorded history and perhaps even earlier. In
the last century, the understanding of dreams has changed
from one related exclusively to the spiritual to that
pertaining to the physical/psychological realm. Toward the
end of the twentieth century, the idea of lucid dreaming, or
dreaming with deliberate intention and control, has moved
from the world of shamans or spiritualists to realization
that lucid dreaming can be achieved by anyone with the
assistance of nutritional supplements and practice.  
  
[0004] In order to facilitate the understanding of lucid
dreaming, it is important to understand some basic elements
about sleep and common, or non-lucid, dreaming. Humans have
little understanding of why we sleep and dream. It is known,
though, that the most vivid dreams occur during that phase
of a sleep cycle called Rapid Eye Movement, or REM. It is
known that healthy human adults go through about 3-6 cycles
during a normal night's sleep, with each cycle being about
90-120 minutes long. REM sleep is usually the last phase of
each cycle. Dreams can occur during any phase of any cycle,
however, it is known that those dreams that occur during REM
sleep tend to be the most vivid and visual and are usually
not directly related to current events from the dreamer's
experiences during the prior day.  
  
[0005] As scientists began to learn more about the function
of the human brain, it was discovered that the stimuli that
produce images in dreams originate in a part of the brain
not associated with thinking, desires or wishes, but a more
primitive area. This lead to the neurophysiological or
synthesis activation theory of dreams in which dreams result
from random stimuli from the brain stem. In accordance with
this theory, the cognitive parts of the brain play a minimal
part in dreaming, probably limited to trying to make sense
out of the random images originating from the primitive
region of the brain stem.  
  
[0006] It is surmised that dreaming is important in the
development of memory. Human infants spend up to 16-18 hours
a day sleeping and approximately 50% of this is in REM
sleep. It has been determined that intense sessions of
learning are followed by an increase in REM sleep. Dreaming
also seems to play a role in emotional adjustment and in
coping with traumatic experiences.  
  
[0007] The term "Lucid Dreaming" was first used in 1913 by
Fredrich van Eeden, a Dutch physician. Lucid dreaming is
perhaps best defined as being aware that you are dreaming
and is most likely to occur in REM sleep. Lucid dreaming can
be either low level or high level. Low level lucid dreaming
means that the dreamer is aware of being in a dream, but
that not all the people, animals, things and scenes are
constructs of his or her mind. In high level lucid dreaming,
the dreamer is not only aware of being in a dream, but that
all of the elements of the dream are being generated by
their mind and are therefore potentially under their
complete control.  
  
[0008] According to studies done on lucid dreaming, these
dreams may not only be potentially pleasurable or wish
fulfilling, they can be tools for improving the quality of
the dreamer's waking lives by facilitating healing,
inspiring peak athletic performances, putting an end to
recurrent nightmares, overcoming phobias, reducing or
eliminating various anxieties and improving problem solving
capabilities.  
  
[0009] There are methods that have been developed by various
researchers in the field, such as LaBerge and Rheingold. A
common technique is used by the Lucidity Institute, founded
by LaBerge, and is referred to as Mnemonic Induction of
Lucid Dreams ("MILD"). The basics of the MILD technique
involves various steps such as deliberately making yourself
wake up during a dream cycle and immediately recalling the
details of the dream. Over time, the dreamer is capable of
recalling all of his or her dreams. The dreamer is then
directed to use a "dream sign" to use as a cue to recognize
that he or she is still dreaming. Becoming proficient at
lucid dreaming requires a great deal of time, dedication and
practice.  
  
[0010] In order to enhance the training of a person to
develop strong lucid dreaming skills, various devices have
been devised. Such devices use light and/or sound to help
trigger lucid dreams. Among the shamans of some primitive
cultures, they would enhance their ability to have lucid
dreams by using various drugs. However, as one can imagine,
most of these substances are considered illegal in the U.S.
Among the legal substances known to promote sleep (and
possibly dreaming) are the B-vitamins, Calea zacatechichi,
melatonin, mugwort and passionflower. Before using such a
substance alone or in combinations, it is important to know
how to use it and what side effects it might cause. There is
a need, therefore, for a safe but effective nutritional
supplement that helps a person go to sleep and which can
enhance lucid dreaming even without extensive mental
preparation or exercises.  
  
**SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION**  
[0011] The present invention is a nutritional supplement
that acts as a sleep aid and has been found to enhance lucid
dreaming in humans. It consists of a combination of
ingredients in proportions calculated to provide these
results. The primary ingredients are Calea zacatechichi,
L-5-Hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP), and Vinpocetine. A
secondary ingredient is Melatonin. In addition, the
nutritional supplement of the invention may include Wild
Lettuce Extract, Mugwort Extract, Dimethylaminoethanol
Powder (DMAE), Passionflower Extract and Green Tea Extract.
Further, various B-Vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin C,
magnesium, calcium, as well as Zinc, may be added.  
  
[0012] The relative amounts of these ingredients used in the
nutritional supplement will be discussed in more detail in
the Detailed Description of the Invention. The use of this
nutritional supplement has been seen to assist a person in
going to sleep as well as helping to promote lucid dreaming
in people who take the supplement prior to going to sleep.  
**DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION**  
  
[0013] The nutritional supplement of the invention is used
as a sleep aid and a promoter of lucid dreaming in people
who take it prior to going to sleep. To reiterate what was
stated in the Background of the Invention, lucid dreaming is
defined as being aware that the dreamer is dreaming. It is
most likely to occur in REM sleep and can exist either at a
low level or a high level. Low level lucid dreaming means
that the dreamer is aware of being in a dream, but that not
all the people, animals, things and scenes are constructs of
his or her mind. In high level lucid dreaming, the dreamer
is not only aware of being in a dream, but that all of the
elements of the dream are being generated by their mind and
are therefore potentially under their complete control.  
  
[0014] The nutritional supplement of the invention is useful
in promoting lucid dreaming in people who have not
necessarily trained themselves to lucidly dream by
performing extensive training techniques over a long period
of time. It has been formulated to provide the best effect
without the need to have undergone extensive mental
conditioning, such as that taught by many organization and
found in various publications, or subjecting oneself to some
of the known mechanical devices invented by Laberge.  
  
[0015] The primary ingredients are Calea zacatechichi
powder, L-5 Hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP) and Vinpocetine. A
secondary ingredient is Melatonin. Additional ingredients
are Wild Lettuce Extract 4:1, Mugwort Extract 4:1,
Dimethylaminoethanol Powder (DMAE), Passionflower Extract
10:1 and Green Tea Extract 10:1. Further, various vitamins
may be added, such as B, C and D, as well as zinc, calcium
and magnesium.  
  
[0016] All of the ingredients of the nutritional supplement
of the invention are known. For instance, Calea zacatechichi
is a known dream herb, used by the Chontal natives of
Mexico. Green Tea is a well known drink that is high in
antioxidants. Mugwort has been used for medicinal purposes
for centuries and is known to cause a dreamy state of
consciousness. Passionflower (Passiflora incarnate) has mild
sedative properties that may be used to treat insomnia and
anxiety. Wild Lettuce is an ingredient in some sleep tonics
and has been historically regarded as a mild sedative.
L-5-Hydroxytryptophan is known to raise serotonin levels
which, in turn, improves sleep quality. Dimethylaminoethanol
is thought to increase the levels of acetylcholine (a
neurotransmitter) in the brain. Vinpocetine (Vinca minor) is
known to aid memory and improve mental functioning.
Melatonin is a natural hormone that regulates sleep in
mammals. The B Vitamins are known to regulate the body's
energy processes and promote good health. Vitamin C is also
a necessary ingredient in maintaining good health. Zinc is
used by the body in hundreds of enzymes which regulate many
of the body's functions. Vitamin D, Calcium and Magnesium
are additional elements that are utilized by the body.  
  
[0017] Relative weights for the amounts of the main
ingredients of the nutritional supplement are as follows:  
  
[0000]  
Weight Range  Ingredient  
  
300-600  mg  Calea zacatechichi powder  
30-70  mg  Wild Lettuce Extract 4:1  
30-70  mg  Mugwort Extract 4:1  
10-40  mg  L-5-HTP  
5-15  mg  DMAE  
14-30  mg  Passionflower Extract 10:1  
5-15  mg  Green Tea Extract 10:1  
1.0-4.0  mg  Vinpocetine  
300-600  mcg  Melatonin  
  
[0018] Additional ingredients, by weight:  
[0000]  
Range  Ingredient  
  
0.5-2.0  mg  Vitamin B-1  
5-15  mg  Vitamin B-2  
10-20  mg  Vitamin B-3  
10-20  mg  Vitamin B-5  
5-15  mg  Vitamin B-6  
100-300  mcg  Vitamin B-9  
50-200  mcg  Vitamin B-12  
5-15  mg  Vitamin C  
1-5  mg  Zinc  
20-40  mg  Magnesium  
50-70  mg  Calcium  
1-4  mcg  Vitamin D  
  
[0019] A preferred formula of the nutritional supplement by
weight follows:  
  
[0000]  
  
  amount by weight  
  Primary Ingredients      
  Calea zacatechichi powder  500  mg  
  L-5-HTP  20  mg  
  Vinpocetine  2.5  mg  
  
  Secondary Ingredient  
  Melatonin  500  mcg  
  Tertiary Ingredients  
  Wild Lettuce Extract 4:1  50  mg  
  Mugwort Extract 4:1  50  mg  
  DMAE  10  mg  
  Passionflower Extract 10:1  22.5  mg  
  Green Tea Extract 10:1  10  mg  
  
  Additional Ingredients  
  Vitamin B-1  1.4  mg  
  Vitamin B-2  10  mg  
  Vitamin B-3  15  mg  
  Vitamin B-5  15  mg  
  Vitamin B-6  10  mg  
  Vitamin B-9  200  mcg  
  Vitamin B-12  100  mcg  
  Vitamin C  10  mg  
  Zinc  3  mg  
  Vitamin D  2  mcg  
  Magnesium  30  mg  
  Calcium  60  mg  
  
[0020] When considering lucid dreaming, one of the key
elements, especially at a high level, is that the dreamer
not only realizes they are in a dream but that they have the
potential to control the progress and outcome of the dream.
The following examples are summaries of testimonials of
people who took the nutritional supplement of the invention
as a sleep aid and not only were able to lucidly dream but
were able, through their heightened awareness and control,
to change what had been recurrent patterns in their dreams
and their lives.  
  
**EXAMPLES****Example 1**  
[0021] In this example, the individual kept having recurrent
nightmares over a period of about 20 years. In the dream,
the person would start across a bridge and be grabbed by a
monster that would begin to crush him as he was being
dragged under water. When he realized that he would soon
drown, he would start screaming, waking not only himself but
his bed partner, as well. This person started taking the
nutritional supplement of the invention and, after several
more dreams like this, gradually increased his awareness, or
lucidity, to the point where he was able to confront the
monster and eventually was able to exercise enough control
over the outcome of the dream that he killed the monster.
The nightmares stopped.  
  
[0022] Apparently, the monster was a dream created
manifestation of a real person that had abused him in the
past. When the dreamer and the abuser faced each other in
court to resolve a legal matter, he had gained the
confidence to not be afraid of the abuser any more and won
the case. In this instance, the nutritional supplement of
the invention allowed him, through lucid dreaming, to
conquer a long entrenched fear.  
  
**Example 2**  
[0023] The individual in this example had been similarly
experiencing recurrent nightmares since he was about 10
years old. In the nightmare, this person was chased by a
dark, faceless entity and would frequently awaken screaming.
However, after beginning taking the nutritional supplement
of the invention, he began dreaming more and more lucidly,
to the point where he soon realized that he could control
his reaction to the faceless entity. He soon was able to
angrily confront the entity which allowed him to rid himself
of this recurrent dream. He used his experience with the
recurrent nightmare that he could exercise control, through
lucidly dreaming, that he could adjust his normally negative
reactions to anxiety producing events in his life into
positive reactions, thus enabling him to function better in
the world.  
  
[0024] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the
embodiments of the invention herein described are merely
illustrative of the application of the principles of the
invention. Reference herein to details of the illustrated
embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the
claims, which themselves recite those features regarded as
essential to the invention.  
  
 


---

  
**SUBSTANCES THAT ENHANCE RECALL AND LUCIDITY DURING
DREAMING****US2004266659**  
Inventor(s):     LABERGE STEPHEN  
  
**BACKGROUND OF INVENTION**  
[0001] The term "lucid dreaming" was coined by Frederik van
Eeden who used the word "lucid" in the sense of mental
clarity. Lucidity usually begins in the midst of a dream
when the dreamer realizes that the experience is not
occurring in physical reality, but is a dream. Often this
realization is triggered by the dreamer noticing some
impossible or unlikely occurrence in the dream, such as
flying or meeting the deceased. Sometimes people become
lucid without noticing any particular clue in the dream;
they just suddenly realize they are in a dream. A minority
of lucid dreams (according to the research of LaBerge and
colleagues, about 10 percent) are the result of returning to
REM (dreaming) sleep directly from an awakening with
unbroken reflective consciousness. The basic definition of
lucid dreaming requires nothing more than becoming aware
that you are dreaming. However, the quality of lucidity can
vary greatly. When lucidity is at a high level, you are
aware that everything experienced in the dream is occurring
in your mind, that there is no real danger, and that you are
asleep in bed and will awaken shortly. With low-level
lucidity you may be aware to a certain extent that you are
dreaming, perhaps enough to fly or alter what you are doing,
but not enough to realize that the people are dream
representations, or that you can suffer no physical damage,
or that you are actually in bed.  
  
[0002] In the circumstances described above, it is strongly
desired in the art to develop a safe method of aiding
dreamers attempts at more frequently achieving higher states
of lucidity in their dreams. One class of preferred
embodiments of this invention include neurotransmitter
modulators such as Acetylcholine Esterase inhibitors.  
  
[0003] A number of substances have been suggested to enhance
the likelihood of lucid dreaming, from vitamins to
prescription drugs. There are few good scientific studies to
back such claims. Lucid dreaming is highly subject to the
placebo effect; the belief that something will stimulate a
lucid dream is very effective. Many prescription drugs as
well as marijuana and alcohol alter the sleep cycle, usually
by suppressing REM sleep. This leads to a phenomenon called
"REM rebound," in which a person experiences intense, long
REM periods after the drug has worn off. This can manifest
as nightmares or, possibly, as lucid dreaming, since the
brain is highly active. Drugs in the LSD family, including
psilocybin and tryptamines actually stimulate REM sleep (in
doses small enough to allow sleep), leading to longer REM
periods. The potentially dangerous and illegal nature of
these drugs is not conducive to their use as lucidity
enhancers.  
  
[0004] It is known in the scientific literature that
Acetylcholine and its agonist as well as
Acetylcholinesterase and its inhibitors/antagonist may be
involved with REM and sleeping (Amatruda et al 1975;
Baghdoyan et al 1984; Gillin et al 1985; Velazquez-Moctezuma
et al 1991; Wauquier et al 1985). J. A. Hobson, on page 202
of his 1988 book, "The Dreaming Brain" states: "Cholinergic
brainstem mechanisms cause REM sleep and dreaming". It has
also been discovered that microinjection of the
Acetylcholine agonist carbachol in the certain locations of
the brain, such as the Pons, elicits extended periods of REM
sleep, and that many of the neurons critical for REM sleep
are responsive to Acetylcholine.  
  
[0005] Neither Hobson, nor any other others, discuss the
possibility of altering Cholinergic levels via Acetylcholine
Esterase inhibitors as a means of enhancing dream recall and
lucidity.  
  
[0006] Historically, there are many cultures that have
believed to have found naturally occurring substances that
in some way alter dream consciousness. One such substance,
Calea zacatechichi or "Dream Weed", is, according to Lilian
Mayagoitia, et al, in a 1986 Journal of Ethnopharmacology
article, "a plant used by the Chontal Indians of Mexico to
obtain divinatory messages during dreaming." The
neuro-active compounds of this herb are reported to cause
thought to be sesquiterpene lactones, and as far as is
currently known, unrelated to Acetylcholine Esterase
inhibition or inhibitors.  
  
[0007] Both ancient traditional medicines and modern popular
speculation has assigned Oneirogenic, or "Dream-Inducing"
properties to numerous herbs and other natural substances,
including herbs like Valerian, Mugwort, Mullein, Kava Kava,
Dittany of Crete, St. Johns Wort, Salvia Divinorum,
Scutellaria Indica, Licorice Root, Vervain, Jasmine,
Honeysuckle, Datura, Bee Pollen, Catnip, Hops, Sculicap,
Mimosa, Lavender, Damiana, Withania Somnifera,
Passionflower, Chamomile, Cardamom, Gotu Kola, Ginkgo
Biloba, Ibogaine, Verbena, Rose, Cinnamon, Marigold, Nutmeg,
Peppermint, Holly, Yarrow and Anise. Few if any of these
have any scientific basis or support for these purported
effects. Other supplements and/or drugs are also claimed to
be linked to lucidity, including B-vitamins, Melatonin,
DMAE, and the psychedelic DXM. Some of these drugs and herbs
may be addictive, poisonous and/or illegal.  
  
[0008] Lotsof, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,096, issued Feb. 12,
1985, teaches a "Rapid method for interrupting the narcotic
addiction syndrome" via the drug Ibogaine. According to the
patent, this drug induces "dream enhancement or
hallucinatory effect". This claimed "oneirogenic" effect is
due to the fact that it induces dream behavior with the ego
perspective relatively intact. This is, as the patent
mentions, more of a hallucinatory effect, not a lucid
dreaming effect. Because of these hallucinatory and other
side effects, however, this drug is illegal in the U.S., and
is thus not a desirable means for enhancing sleep dream
quality. This drug is also not considered to be related to
Acetylcholine Esterase inhibitors or 'smart drugs'.  
  
[0009] DMAE (2-dimethylaminoethanol) is a chemical that has
been suggested by used to treat a number of conditions
affecting the brain and central nervous system. It is
thought to work by increasing production of the
neurotransmitter Acetylcholine, although this has not been
proven. Marketed as a memory and mood enhancer, DMAE is
believed to enhance intellectual functioning. There are few
good clinical studies supporting this belief. Such
substances are known as "cholinergics" because of the belief
that they increase Acetylcholine. They have been
traditionally used to treat diseases such as Alzheimer's
dementia, tardive dyskinesia, and Huntington's chorea.
Because DMAE is believed to be a cholinergic, it has been
suggested for these disorders, even though
placebo-controlled studies have provided essentially
negative results. There is continued controversy over
whether DMAE actually increases Acetylcholine. Nonetheless,
Sergio, W. Claims in the 1988 August edition of Medical
Hypotheses, in the article: "Use of DMAE
(2-dimethylaminoethanol) in the induction of lucid dreams",
subjective experiences of himself and his wife experiencing
enhanced lucidity through use of this supplement. It is
unclear from the article to what extent his purported
results derive from placebo response or any specific or
cholinergic effect.  
  
[0010] Also well known in the art is U.S. Pat. No.
5,507,716, awarded to LaBerge, et al. on Apr. 16, 1996, for
Equipment and methods used to induce lucid dreams in
sleeping persons. In this patent, a device was employed to
assist people to achieve lucid dreams via the detecting and
monitoring the eye and head movements of sleeping persons,
where eye movement activity in the absence of head movement
is used to indicate the presence of REM sleep. By then
applying sensory stimuli to sleepers in REM sleep can cue
them that they are dreaming without producing awakening.
Other persons have developed equipment, such as Keith M. T.
Hearne who illustrated and described his respiratory
measuring device in his 1983 U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,001. His
device sensed temperature changes of a person's respiration
in his or her breathing passageway, or in airflows to and
from his or her breathing passageway. Thermistors were used,
in an electrical circuit, to sense the temperature changes
of the person's respiration. When the rate of these
temperature changes reached a high predetermined level, the
signals created in the electrical circuit initiated an
audible sound, either to help arouse a sleeping person from
an unpleasant dream by awaking them or to help them enter
into a lucid dream state.  
  
[0011] None of the preceding references disclosed describe a
method of enhancing lucid dreaming comprising administering
to individuals the Acetylcholine Esterase inhibitor class of
drugs. Use of therapeutic agents for Alzheimer"s Disease
such as Donepizil (AriceptA(R)), Rivastigmin (ExelonA(R)),
Galantamine (ReminylA(R), NivalinA(R)), Tacrine and
Huperzine leads to low incidence of adverse events, such as
insomnia and gastrointestinal symptoms, while significantly
enhancing dreaming cognitive clarity, lucidity,
self-reflection, recall, control, bizarreness, and visual
vividness.  
  
**SUMMARY OF INVENTION**  
[0012] This invention relates to the field of Lucid Dreaming
and the enhancement of dream recall and dream lucidity
through memory enhancing drugs, including the class of
substances that comprise Acetylcholine Esterase inhibitors
(AChEls). Lucid dreaming involves dreaming while knowing
that you are dreaming. AChE inhibitors (AchEl's) inhibit the
normal metabolic inactivation of Acetylcholine (ACh) by
inhibiting the enzyme, Acetylcholine Esterase (AChE),
leading to accumulation of Ach. AchEl's are most commonly
used to enhance memory, particularly in patients suffering
from Alzheimer's disease. Ach is also well known to be
important in REM and thus is suggested herein to enhance
dreaming and lucidity.  
  
**DETAILED DESCRIPTION**  
[0013] While investigating the efficacy of donepizil
(AriceptA(R)) as a means to enhance lucid dreaming and
cognitive clarity during REM sleep in normal subjects, the
following experiment was performed with the following
results: A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled
crossover trial was performed with ten normal volunteers
self-selected for high dream recall and interest in lucid
dreaming (7 male, 3 female, age 22-55). Subjects collected
dream content and other self-report measures on three
nights, separated by a washout period of at least one week.
At bedtime, they took capsules containing 0 (placebo), 5, or
10 mg of donepizil, with counter-balanced order of the three
dosages. After each spontaneous awakening during the three
nights, Ss evaluated dream content on a range of measures
including bizarreness, complexity, and intensity, affect,
cognitive clarity, lucidity, and control. They also
estimated sleep quality, insomnia, and degree of any adverse
effects.  
  
[0014] RESULTS: Nine of the 10 Ss (90%) reported one or more
lucid dreams on the experimental nights, with only one S
reporting a lucid dream on a placebo night. Cognitive
clarity, lucidity, recall, control, bizarreness, and visual
vividness were all significantly elevated with donepizil
compared to placebo. The effects were generally dose-related
with 10 mg donepizil producing significantly higher levels
of these variables than the 5 mg dose, which in turn
produced significant elevations compared to placebo. Odds of
lucid dreaming for the three conditions increased from 0.031
for placebo, to 0.429 for 5 mg donepizil, and 0.754 for 10
mg donepizil. The lucidity odds ratio for the 10 mg dose
compared to placebo was 24.3 (p<0.001). Donepizil was
also associated with a significantly elevated frequency of
sleep paralysis and a 40% increase in estimated time awake
during the night (176 vs. 126 min of a 9.0 hr night,
p<0.05). The incidence of adverse events, notably mild
insomnia and gastrointestinal symptoms, was low and
primarily associated with the higher dose condition (with
two subjects reporting nausea and one vomiting).  
  
[0015] Thus, compared to placebo, both 5 and 10 mg dosages
of donepizil significantly enhance self-reported cognitive
clarity, self-reflection, and lucidity during dreaming.
These effects may be further enhanced by combination of the
acetylcholinesterase inhibitors with Acetylcholine
precursors, agonists and/or lucidity inducing electronic
devices.  
  
[0016] In addition to donepizil data, we have data on
ExelonA(R) (rivastigmin; 6-12 mg dose) and galantamine
(ReminylA(R), NivalinA(R)8-16 mg) as well. Both work as well
as AriceptA(R)), but with perhaps fewer side effects. We
have also tested huperzine with promising results, but
haven't yet worked out the dose correspondence with
AriceptA(R) (but 5 mg Donepizil is more potent than 150 Apg
huperzine).  
  
[0017] In addition, we have reports of success with nicotine
patches. There is also in the scientific literature studies
showing triggering/intensification of REM sleep with
arecoline. How much evidence do we need for these general
claims: It should be noted that the REM altering, lucidity
enhancing effects may be caused by a number of
neurophysiological effects induced by these "smart drugs"
besides Acetylcholinesterase inhibition. These include: 1.
Using a cholinergic agonist (e.g., nicotine).  
  
[0018] 2. Using muscarinic receptor agonist: Drugs that
mimic the effect of ACh on muscarinic receptors: Inc:
muscarinic (M1), M2 and nicotinic Agonists. (Such as
arecoline or Recoline, a muscarinic receptor agonist)3.
Using an antagonist of presynaptic receptors to activate the
remaining Acetylcholine neurons. (i.e. In rats, antisense
oligonucleotide sequences that block Muscarinic M2 (but not
M4) receptors increases extracellular Acetylcholine. This
effect (Antisense nucleotide sequences are complementary to
a sequence of messenger RNA. When antisense DNA or RNA is
added to a cell, it binds to a specific messenger RNA
molecule and inactivates it.) 4. Using allosteric modulators
(such as allosterically potentiating ligands [APLs]) of
Acetylcholine and nicotinic receptors (drugs that interact
with the receptor through binding sites that are distinct
from those for Acetylcholine and nicotinic agonists and
antagonists).  
  
[0019] Other strategies for potentiating Acetylcholine
function for dream lucidity enhancement, including the use
of other classes of compound working in similar ways should
be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration
of the enclosed descriptions.  
   
 


---

  
**Inducing and maintaining lucid dream state, uses stimulus
response for testing state of consciousness, psychological
conditioning and generating lucidity****DE19920376**  
Inventor(s):     HORNUNG HEINZ   
  
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for
achieving and maintaining a lucid dream state. The process /
device offers the possibility to achieve through the use of
technical means the state of lucid dreaming (lucid dream).
By this is meant that the dreaming of the state in which it
is located, is aware that he would say that his present
experience is a dream. This finding is a "normal" dreaming
inaccessible. Furthermore, it offers / her the opportunity
to retain or regain this status. First, the historical
development of lucid dreaming is appreciated: While in the
eastern culture very early discovered and applied the
possibility of lucid dream experience - for Example, in the
eighth century by Tibetan Buddhists, is this phenomenon in
western culture until much later - the end of the 18th
Century - at the moment few people attention. 1960-1970 was
only about this topic in the modern scientific research
input. In recent years, a relatively large number of related
publications, published in academic journals and in book
form. All methods for achieving lucid dreams described in
this literature is based on the following principle. By
frequently as possible (ideally permanent) Check the state
of consciousness in the waking state (for Example, with the
questions: Am I dreaming, I wake up? etc.) is a mental
conditioning can be achieved on these issues, ie a special
ability to buy this in the - that this finds its way into
the dream experience hope - legitimate. This approach may
thus lead to the desired result, namely the clear Will the
dream, if the dream I have the same questions is how
confident I am that day. However, experience shows that
these practices are extremely laborious, requiring a lot of
time, a very large degree of discipline and lead also
unfortunately only rarely successful. It should be added
that experience has shown that keeping the clarity of dream
is often more difficult than achieving the same. The clarity
is easily lost again and then you find yourself back in the
normal dream state.  
  
For the published prior art, the following is noted: From
U.S. 5,507,716, U.S. 5,551,879 and FR 2,699,412 Devices and
methods are known, with the help of lucid dreaming can be
caused when a sleeping person. Here, the sleeping person are
given through a face mask or a kind headband stimuli that
should trigger a review of the state of consciousness. These
devices offer the opportunity to register eye movements and
thus REM sleep phases (here are more common dreams) to
detect. If there is such, optical, or acoustic signals are
triggered. However, these devices affect the one hand the
sleeping person in their freedom of movement in no small
measure, on the other hand, and this is very much a
combination with the above described procedures appears (the
conditioning during the waking state) and only to a limited
extent, since they are not in the normal, everyday routine
can be integrated. This possibility, DE 196 47 019 (same
inventor / assignee as the present invention / application).
It is the closest prior art. Here, a method and an apparatus
is described which / to be applied during bedtime and waking
the whole of a person. During the waking state the person
(with the help of technical means, such, In the manner of a
wristwatch with a vibration signal) to any selected time
points (e.g. Example, using a random generator, so the user
completely unexpected) External stimuli supplied. The using
person checked at each stimulus their state of
consciousness, ie there is a conditioning to that stimulus
instead. If the person now mostly identical stimuli (which
are below their awakening threshold, and are preferably
added in the early morning hours because the longest and
most frequent REM periods occur) during sleep is supplied,
it will be on the learned on the day way (a conditioned
reflex after learning theory) respond to this stimulus,
namely by checking their state of consciousness, and they
will then conclude with a good chance that they are dreaming
must. At the times of the stimuli that are triggered in this
process during sleep, the following should be noted: The
charms can - take place in the (general) sleep state and may
not necessarily fall into a REM stage - at any time.  
  
According to recent findings of the suppression Fund dream
research is the equation of "dream sleep REM sleep equal"
wrong. It is dreamed in all the other stages of sleep. If
the stimuli do not fall into a dream state, the user notices
nothing flat, and only the stimuli that fall into a dream
state, lead to the desired effect. The proportion of time
spent dreaming periods of total sleep duration is so high
that even with a random choice of the timing of the stimuli
fall enough stimuli to dream phases. The applicability of
the first-mentioned three devices is essentially limited to
the bedtime of a person and is mainly based on the
scientifically validated knowledge that sleeping outside
stimuli register. Since, as mentioned, a conditioning to the
stimuli (light flashes, sounds) that are released from the
sleep mask / the headband in the guard time hardly seems
possible, the question remains on which way processes the
person these charms in her dream, that is, opportunity with
which these stimuli lead to a lucid dream. Significantly
better chance to really achieve a lucid dream state also
offers the DE 196 47 019 by the applicability of this device
is extended to the whole waking state. The desired response
in a dream to a stimulus (ie, checking the state of
consciousness) can now be learned easily in the waking
state. Based on this, the present invention seeks to provide
a method and apparatus that / the shortened compared to the
above methods / devices, the state of consciousness
verification time and relieved and / the total increases the
chance lucid dream states to reach. Furthermore, the / the
present method / device to hold, or recovering the clarity
in lucid dreams is to enable. This requirement of
maintaining the clarity and of recovering the same is taken
into account by any of the devices mentioned above. The
object is achieved by a method having the features of claim
1 and by an apparatus having the features of claim 23rd
Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent
claims.  
  
In DE 196 47 019 A method and apparatus is described in
which the user's response to a single stimulus outside the
review of the state of consciousness, ie, is a purely mental
activity (in the waking state and during sleep). It is a
simple, but fundamental difference between waking and dream
states is neglected here, namely, that action leads in the
waking state, as opposed to actions in the dream, to changes
in the real environment. This makes the / the present method
/ device advantage. It / she offers the user the opportunity
to advance in the specified Reizgebungsverfahren (ie, for
Example, when, how and how long stimuli are given) to
intervene at any time and to change it temporarily. The
basic function is not affected by the surgery and will
resume automatically once the operation is completed,
possibly with a lag. On the one hand, a stimulus (of which
the date for Was as specified by the base function) during
the period in which it acts on the person changed, eg As it
can be stopped by means of a special key, on the other hand
can be triggered randomly at any time an extra stimulus.
Trying to consciously acting to intervene in the
Reizgebungsverfahren will succeed in the waking state, of
course, but inevitably fail in the dream state. Thus, a
situation is created which allows an immediate and clear
assessment of the state in which it is located (waking state
or dream state). Succeed the test of the intervention (eg
Example, by stopping a currently occurring stimulus), one
knows one is awake. If you fail the test, you know that you
must be dreaming. The sometimes lengthy Check the currently
experienced situation with the doubts and uncertainties that
occur often omitted, the desired state assignment is
immediately possible and absolutely clear now. Become
stimuli triggered while the user is already in an at least
partially lucid dream state, in this case the failure of the
attempts at transforming the stimuli for strengthening,
recovering and maintaining the clarity will be extremely
helpful. A common, custom steady release of the above
mentioned extra stimulus in the waking state, the dream
state also lead to more frequent attempts to initiate this
stimulus. The inevitable failure of this option also allows
an immediate and clear state assignment. This increases the
chance again, using the / of the present method / device to
achieve or maintain lucid dream states. Even with these
extra stimuli is of course the possibility of change of
stimuli, which further increases the chances of success /
the method / apparatus. Very useful, the ability to trigger
an extra stimulus, also for the following reason.  
  
As already mentioned, the holding of clarity during a lucid
dream is often more difficult than achieving the same. Is
now in such a time of doubt and danger of losing the
clarity, trying to trigger an extra stimulus, the clarity is
either recovered immediately, or if, contrary to
expectations should not occur alone the associated view, the
feeling, the hands very helpful (when using the device in
the form of a wristwatch), since according to the initially
mentioned method for achieving lucid dream state is a very
important method for maintaining the clarity without
technical aids viewing and feeling of the hands.  
  
This is equally well with the above-mentioned possibility of
change (eg Example of stopping) of a single stimulus of
importance. The / the inventive method / device offers a
more substantial relief to preserve the clarity. It / she
offers the possibility to follow up on every single stimulus
automatically in certain, freely selectable intervals other
stimuli. Thus, a single stimulus of such B. 5 to 10 sec
Duration at a distance of, for As one or two minutes a
further stimulus 5-10 sec Duration done, etc. Instead of a
single stimulus is now seen as a consequence of stimuli
(duration, for B. 5 to 10 min) cast. Here, (abandonment of a
single stimulus) also such a sequence of stimuli to be
completed (while awake) with the above-mentioned stop
button.  
  
As in the dream state, such a termination is not possible,
such a sequence of stimuli, if the clarity threatens to be
lost, be very helpful to keep or regain this.  
Can reaching the clarity such a sequence of stimuli to be
extremely helpful, if first stimuli should not have led to
the desired effect, if such B. did not fall into a dream
state, or the clarity was only partially achieved.
Furthermore, such a sequence of stimuli - according to the
way the individual stimulus - be triggered at an arbitrarily
selectable time. This may, for As happened with a special
key. Here, an arbitrary delay (for , 5 to 30 min) to the
first stimulus of the sequence begins, can be specified.
Pressing this hot key so leads with a time delay to a
sequence of individual stimuli.  
  
It is known that the falling-asleep, whether in the evening,
with interruptions (especially in the early morning hours)
or during an afternoon nap in a special degree to is to
achieve a more or less direct transition from twilight in a
lucid dream. Here, such a sequence of individual stimuli be
with delayed onset a very big help to achieve the clarity
and keep. According to one embodiment, each breaks again
press this button, the currently running special sequence of
stimuli, even during the lag phase, from, and will
automatically reboot with the given initial conditions. This
is very useful if you are not asleep during the selected
time delay. The very significant advantage of this
opportunity, a sequence of stimuli delayed the onset of a
stimulus sequence, is that herewith - as opposed to random
on the night distributed stimuli or stimulus sequences - a
triggering stimuli to times when the chances of success very
high are is selectively enabled. The device, as described in
DE 196 47 019 can also be combined with other devices, and
give due to physiological measurement data stimuli or
stimulus consequences. These measurement data of the other
devices may be, for Example, to rapid eye movement (REM),
act REM sleep EEG, heart rate increase, etc.. Additional
devices may be external or integrated in the device, for
Example, as a heart rate monitor. Default settings for the
device, such As stimulus duration, stimulus timings etc. can
be preset, on the device itself, or for B. also be a
connection to a PC with appropriately developed software to
be entered or changed. For the purpose of / the method /
apparatus following may be cited: First, it should be
mentioned here that so far are not aware of any negative
side effects of lucid dreaming. Experiencing a lucid dream
is consistently (which incidentally mentioned very clearly
is) very pleasant and dream about the experience, as well as
in the subsequent memory in the waking state, as experienced
"mind-expanding". This alone makes the commercial utility of
this device, specifically for home users, more than clear.  
  
Furthermore, there are many possible applications in the
field of epistemological research, especially of
consciousness research, as well as in use in the
psychotherapeutic treatment (eg Example, nightmares).
Further details of the procedure, in particular for
education of the stimuli, and the device, in particular for
the design of the sensor and the controller, the combination
possibilities of the device with other devices 196 47 019
A1, seen from DE, which is fully incorporated by reference.  
The encoder of the present devices has all the properties
described in DE 196 47 019....  
  
 


---

  
**Method of obtaining lucid dreaming condition****DE19647019**  
Inventor(s):     HORNUNG HEINZ DR  
  
The method involves giving a number of stimuli to a person,
which can be recognised through one of his senses. The
person's response to the stimuli give proof of the conscious
state of the person and conditions the person's response, as
a conditioned reflex. When this person is in a state of
sleep, the same stimuli are given to him to evoke the same
responses as those which were obtained while he was awake.
The response to the stimuli bring about a state of lucid
dreaming in which the person knows that what he experiences
is a dream.  
  
DESCRIPTION DE19647019  
  
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for
achieving a lucid dream state.  
The / be presented, the novel method / device for the first
time offers the opportunity through the use of technical
means the state of lucid dreaming (lucid dream) reach.  
By this is meant that the dreaming of the state in which it
is located, is aware that he would say that his present
experience is a dream.  
This finding is a "normal" dreaming inaccessible.  
  
Historical development of lucid dreaming   
  
While in the eastern culture very early discovered and
applied the possibility of lucid dream experience - for
Example, in the eighth century by Tibetan Buddhists
(Gillespie, G. (1988) Lucid dreams in Tibetan Buddhism. In:
JI Gackenbach and S. LaBerge (Eds.), Conscious Mind,
Sleeping Brain: Perspectives on Lucid Dreaming. New York:.
Plenary) - takes place this phenomenon in western culture
until much later - the end of the 18th Century (LaBerge, S.
(1985) Lucid Dreaming. New York: Ballantine Books. German
edition: Wide awake in a dream. Munich: mvg-Verlag, 1991) -
at the moment few people attention. Increased interest in
scientists and philosophers since the end of the 19th
Century determine (Hervey de Saint-Denys, MJL (1987) Les
RA"ves et les Moyens de les things. Paris: Amyot. Reprinting
1964: Cercle du Livre Precieux, Paris. Abers V McCreery.
Engl Edition: Dreams and How to Guide Them, Translator v. N.
Fry. London: Duckworth, 1982; Myers, FWH (1887) Automatic
writing - III. Proceedings of the Society for Psychical
Research, 4 Part II, 209-261; Delage, Y. (1919) Le RA"ve.
Paris: Les Presses Universitaires de France, Arnold Foster,
M. (1921) Studies in Dreams. London: Allen & Unwin;
Brown, AE (1936) Dreams In Which the dreamer knows he is
asleep. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 31, 59-66; Moers
Messmer, H. von (1938) Dreams with the simultaneous
realization of the dream state (Dreams with concurrent
knowledge of the dream state). Archives of Psychology, 102,
291-318). Since 1970 this topic is in the modern scientific
research input (Green, CE (1968) Lucid Dreams. London:
Hamish Hamilton). In recent years, a relatively large number
of related publications - in scientific journals and in book
form - appeared (range: Tholey, P. (1983) Techniques for
inducing and manipulating lucid dreams. Perceptual and Motor
Skills, 57, 79-90; Tholey, P. (1988) A model for lucidity
Training as a Means of self-healing and psychological
growth. In: Gackenbach and see LaBerge, LaBerge (1985);
Brylowski A. (1986) H reflex in lucid dreams. Lucidity
Letter, 5 (1), 116-118; Brylowski, A. (1990) Nightmares in
crisis: clinical applications of lucid dreaming techniques.
Psychiatric Journal of the University of Ottawa, 15, (2),
79-84; Gillespie (1988), and J. Gackenbach Bosveld J (1989)
Control your Dreams. New York: Herper & Row. German
edition: ruler of the realm of dreams. Brunswick. Aurum
Verlag, 1991, Hearne, KMT (1990) The Dream Machine: Lucid
Dreams and how to control Them. Wellingborough,
Northamptonshire: The Aquarian Press, Green, CL and Charles
McCreery (1994) Lucid Dreaming, London, Routledge. German
edition: Navigate dreams consciously, Frankfurt, Wolfgang
KrA1/4ger Verlag, 1996). Unfortunately, research has almost
exclusively in the English language with lucid dreaming, but
there are German translations of some books before that, for
the German research and public Currently, however, still
receive little attention.  
  
State of "technology" to achieve the lucid dream state  
  
The previously known and applied by few persons methods to
achieve lucid dreams are all based on autosuggestion. The
ability to dream lucid (clear, ie conscious) can be only one
"work on themselves" are obtained in the waking state. The
principle underlying all these methods is the following: By
frequently as possible (ideally permanent) Check the current
state of consciousness - the real experience - a day (for
Example, with the following questions: Am I dreaming? I wake
up? Where am I? How old am I? Is it the person with whom I
speak at the moment in my current life, or was there it at
an earlier time? Do I have to wonder about anything? Etc
...) to a mental conditioning to be made on these issues, ie
a special ability to buy and this in the hope that this
finds its way into the dream experience. This hope is
justified, since it is known that recur both everyday and
especially intensely felt experiences of the day as
so-called day residue in dreams (Freud, S. (1925) The
Interpretation of Dreams, after the issue of 1972. Frankfurt
am Main: Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, 1991; dressing and
Riemann (1994) Diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.
Stuttgart Jena: Gustav Fischer Verlag Lauer et al. (1987)
Shortened REM latency: A Consequence of psychological
strain. Psychophysiology 24, 262-271). This approach may
thus lead to the desired result, namely the clear Will the
dream, if the dream I have the same questions is how
confident I am that day (detailed explanation and
description of these procedures is given, for Example, Green
(1994)).  
  
These procedures are according to experience extremely
laborious, requiring a lot of time, a very large degree of
discipline and lead also, unfortunately, only very rarely
successful. A good result means that one will reach a few
times a month, the state of lucid dreaming . One author
reported three lucid dreams in eight years constant effort
(Myers (1887)). From U.S. 5,507,716 Devices and methods are
known, with the help of lucid dreaming can be caused when a
sleeping person.  
Here, the sleeping person will be given a sleeping mask
stimuli that should trigger a review of the state of
consciousness. Such a mask affects the sleeping person in
their freedom of movement in no small measure.  
  
The role and application of / the inventive process / device
Based on this, the object of the invention to provide a
method and apparatus that facilitate the achievement of
lucid dream states or allow much in the first place. The
object is achieved by a method having the features of claim
1 and by an apparatus having the features of claim 14
Advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent
claims. The above-described "work itself" is very much
facilitated by the / the inventive method / device.  
Many people will this / allow s method / device to achieve
lucid dreams in the first place. The / the new process /
device based on principles of learning theory, it is a
training for practicing a conditioned reflex (eg Textbook
example of the psychology of Medinzinischen sink, H. et al
(1977), Munich, Vienna, Baltimore: Urban and Schwarzenberg;
psychology textbook by Zimbardo / Ruch (1978), Berlin,
Springer Verlag).   
  
In the waking state are the using person - given stimuli
whose time points for - preferably from outside As
determined by a random generator. The individual charm
reminds the person from their current intense state of
consciousness (I watch? Am I dreaming? Etc ...) to question,
ie the using person conditioned to this stimulus, in other
words, it learns in the waking state to a certain stimulus
with a very specific answer to respond, namely by
questioning their current state of consciousness intense.
This requires only a period of a few seconds. These charms
are for both day , 10 to 20 times repeated during a more or
less constant repetition is necessary in the methods used so
far. According to scientific learning theory can be no doubt
about the success of the vorzustellenden method. It may be
mentioned here because of its popularity, the experiment of
Pavlov.  
This has the concept of classical conditioning, ie the
formation of a conditioned reflex, already in 1900 set up
(animal experiments).  
  
Many subsequent studies have confirmed the validity of this
learning principle for humans (Textbook of Medical
Psychology, Enke, 1977; psychology textbook, Zimbardo /
Ruch, 1978). The basic idea of the method / apparatus based
on the fact that the learned in the waking state conditioned
reflex can also cause during a dream, as the ability to
react to stimuli, obtained even in the absence waking
consciousness is like the dream research proves (shrub /
Meier (1992) The dreams on the track. Results of
experimental dream research, Bern: Verlag Hans Huber). For
these reasons, there can be no doubt about the success of
the vorzustellenden method.  
  
For the purposes of / the method / apparatus does this mean
the following. During sleep preferably identical outer
stimuli are as given in the waking state. The intensity of
the external stimuli is determined by the using person in
the waking state so that these stimuli remain under their
awakening threshold, but are nevertheless perceived by her
in the dream state. (Ie, checking the state of
consciousness, which with very good chance now leads to the
conclusion that the dreamer on the basis of diverse
absurdities of dream events come to the conclusion that he
must be in a dream) allows the learned in the waking state
response to this stimulus so the transition to the lucid
dream experience. As with any technology device, and A
method (for As cycling, driving a car), the handling must
therefore be learned here, with the effort to keep
discipline, effort and time with the / procedures / device
within narrow limits. According to the current state of
knowledge of research on the learning of a conditioned
reflex is the first occurrence of lucid dreams after days,
or later than expected a few weeks, depending on the
susceptibility of using person. In the further application
of the device, the user will in many cases after a certain
time can (with increasing learning effect) waive the
application of the waking state.  
  
The purpose  of the apparatus  
  
First to be on negative effects of lucid dreaming, which
could possibly be feared, received here. A short-term risk
factor could be seen in an impairment of the normal recovery
function of sleep. Furthermore, would imagine that lucid
dreaming could in the longer those for user people have a
negative effect on the attitude towards daily life.  
The current state of knowledge, the research provides no
evidence for both fears (for detailed discussion on the
subject in Green 1994). Experiencing a lucid dream is
consistently experienced by lucid dreamers to be very
pleasant and as for the waking experience and the dream
experience as "mind-expanding". This already established the
existence of a commercial utility of this / method /
apparatus, since it opens up the possibility connected with
very little effort, a new "dimension" of experiencing
interested persons, and thus can also offer the opportunity
for personal development. Moreover, great opportunities in
the epistemological research and consciousness research
results. Likewise, several possibilities are conceivable to
incorporate lucid dreaming into the psychotherapeutic
treatment of patients. So good results in the treatment of
nightmares have already shown that in patients with
nightmares of unknown cause in patients with post-traumatic
appearance (such Example, after an accident, rape, torture,
etc.), and do not forget to children and young people who
often suffer from nightmares, lucid dreaming could be a very
promising treatment approach (detailed in Green 1994). But
here it is again emphasized that the vorzustellende
invention can be applied by anyone without risk, so it is an
invention for personal use and not a medical device.
Overall, let the many possibilities that could provide lucid
dreaming, according to experts at the time not yet
foresee...  
   
 


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**Equipment and methods used to induce lucid dreams in
sleeping persons****US5507716**  
Inventor(s):     LABERGE STEPHEN P [US]; RICH
ROBERT S [US]; WRIGHT DAVID K [US]; KOTTKE DANIEL G [US] +
(LABERGE, STEPHEN P, ; RICH, ROBERT S, ; WRIGHT, DAVID K, ;
KOTTKE, DANIEL  
  
Equipment and methods employed to assist people to achieve
lucid dreams (dreams in which one is aware that one is
dreaming) function by detecting and monitoring the eye and
head movements of sleeping persons for the presence of
sufficient eye movement activity in the absence of head
movement to indicate the presence of REM sleep and then
applying sensory stimuli to sleepers in REM sleep, which if
incorporated into their dreams, can cue them that they are
dreaming without producing awakening. With this equipment
and methods, people are able to have more lucid dreams than
they otherwise would. A preferred embodiment includes a face
mask that contains two infrared emitter-detector pairs, one
for sensing eye movements and one for sensing body
movements, a state-test button, and components that produce
low intensity sensory stimuli such as light and sound. A
microprocessor monitors the fluctuating voltage from the
infrared pairs for the occurrence of a predetermined
sequence of voltages, adjustable in software, and when the
correct sequence occurs, triggers the stimuli-producing
components in the mask into activity, to cue the sleeper to
become lucid. The methods include many procedures and
adjustable parameters for optimizing the timing of the
application of the sensory cues to the sleeper. Among these
procedures and parameters are those used to locate the time
in the sleeper's REM periods when the cue will be most
effective, and those used to apply the sensory stimuli at
these optimal times.  
  
**BACKGROUND**  
As set forth in the book entitled Exploring the World of
Lucid Dreaming, written by Stephen LaBerge and Howard
Rheingold, the idea of cultivating a state of mind while
awake for the purpose of carrying it into a dream state as a
means of inducing lucid dreams, has been used by Tibetan
Buddhists for more than a thousand years. However as
recently as the late 1970's, experts were convinced that
dreaming with consciousness that you were dreaming was a
contradiction in terms and therefore impossible. At this
recent time Stephen LaBerge began his Ph.D. studies of lucid
dreams at Stanford University to establish proof that lucid
dreaming was real, by obtaining evidence from the dream
world that a person knew he or she was dreaming during
sleep.  
  
During his studies, he, with the assistance of other
persons, has developed experimental testing equipment for
helping him and other persons to obtain such evidence from
the dream world. In so doing, the developed experimental
testing equipment, in many embodiments, has also been
designed and built to help persons who are lucid dreamers,
or wish to try to become lucid dreamers, to have lucid
dreams and to have them more often and to have them more
effectively. These lucid dreamers are referred to as being
Oneironauts.  
  
Also other persons have developed equipment, such as Keith
M. T. Hearne who illustrated and described his respiratory
measuring device in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,001 of 1983. His
device sensed temperature changes of a person's respiration
in his or her breathing passageway, or in airflows to and
from his or her breathing passageway. Thermistors were used,
in an electrical circuit, to sense the temperature changes
of the person's respiration. When the rate of these
temperature changes reached a high predetermined level, the
signals created in the electrical circuit initiated an
audible sound, either to help arouse a sleeping person from
an unpleasant dream by awaking them or to help them enter
into a lucid dream state.  
  
At this time, a number of different techniques have been
used to monitor sleep, in both the quiet phase and active
phase, the latter also being called the rapid eye movement
phase of sleep and referred to as REM sleep. These
techniques include applications of: electrodes for EEG, ECG
and EMG; infra-red sensing; and respiration measurement with
strain-gauges or thermistors. Among these techniques,
Stephen LaBerge and those helping him sought a method to
reliably sense the presence of REM sleep, so that a device
could automatically signal to a sleeper that he or she is
dreaming. The requirements for such a device were
portability, ease of use, low cost, and above all
reliability and the successful induction of lucid dreams,
which are those dreams wherein one is aware that one is
dreaming.  
  
**SUMMARY**  
Stephen LaBerge and those helping him created better methods
to help persons lucidly dream, and, in so doing, he and
those helping him developed various embodiments of
experimental test equipment that is used to make sleeping
persons aware they are in the active phase of their sleep,
and they are having a dream, while they still continue to
dream or become lucid, and such equipment senses eye
movements. They selected sensing movements of a person's
eyes, via movement of his or her eyelids, because by using
eye movement sensing, especially when combined with body
movement sensing, and thereafter accounting for such body
movements, to thereby ascertain accurately eye movements,
per se, they developed very reliable test equipment for
detecting the phases of sleep, and especially the active
phase of sleep, called the rapid eye movement phase, which
is further conveniently referred to as being REM sleep.  
  
Their development of their methods and the experimental test
equipment centering on eye movement sensing, undertaken by
sensing eyelid movements, which so indicate eye movements,
extended over a considerable period of time. Now equipment
is soon to be made available for many persons to use in
practicing their methods. In respect to a preferred
embodiment of the equipment each person, during his or her
sleep, is provided with a comfortably worn face mask
covering face portions, and a headband supports the face
mask about the person's head. The face mask, in turn,
supports components of this equipment, which sense a
person's eyelid movements during sleep, and which, then at
the proper time, signals the person that he or she is
dreaming, and thus should be able to be lucidly dreaming.
The signal, preferably a light signal, occurs without
awaking the person. Also a sound signal is selectively and
optionally used.  
  
The sensing components supported on the face mask utilize a
low level infrared emitter positioned on the face mask to
direct infrared light to the eyelid of a sleeping person,
and a low level infrared detector to receive the reflections
of this infrared light from the surface of this eyelid of
this sleeping person. The signalling components supported on
the face mask preferably utilize small flashable lights
and/or small speakers to signal the sleeping person that he
or she is dreaming, and thus should be able to be lucidly
dreaming, without awaking the person.  
  
A like arrangement of a low level infrared emitter, also
positioned and supported on the face mask, but over a part
of a person's face, which does not necessarily move with a
person's eyelids, is also used with a low level infrared
detector also positioned and supported on the mask, to
detect face, head, or body movements, which are independent
of a person's eyelid movements. These body movements are
accounted for to avoid erroneous conclusions as to the
eyelid movements, per se, and thereby to accurately
determine whether or not a person is dreaming, or could be
lucidly dreaming.  
  
The other components of this preferred embodiment of the
equipment are arranged together as a shelf or table
supported subassembly, with circuitry extending to the
sensing and signalling components supported and positioned
on the face mask, These other components include: analog
signal conditioning group of components, in turn including
alternating current coupling, a preamplifier, a low pass
filter, a computer gain setting unit, and an integrating
unit to receive signals from the infrared detector detecting
eyelid movements; an analog-digital converter for converting
the analog signals of the eyelid movements into digital
signals; analog signal conditioning group of components, in
turn including an alternating current coupling, a
preamplifier, a low pass filter, a computer gain setting
unit, and an integrating unit to receive signals from
another infrared detector, detecting face, head, and/or body
movements; an analog-digital converter for converting the
analog signals of the face, head, and/or body movements into
digital signals; a computer to receive the digital signal
information from both the analog-digital converters, to
receive signals via software instructions, to direct data to
data storage, to direct signals to activate sensing lights,
and to activate sensing speaker sounds...  
  

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