Is it possible to control our dreams? Find out what science says

When you are sleeping, in a dream, anything is possible. However, normally, the dreamer is a hostage of his own mind, which can surprise with a very good dream, or a nightmare that makes you break into a cold sweat.

It would be perfect if we could control our dreams, to make whatever we want happen when we sleep, even if the events aren’t real. But is it possible?

According to science, yes! The so-called “lucid dream” happens when a person is aware that they are dreaming. In other words, it is the lucidity of dreaming, with the possibility of action/direction on the dream.

According to sleep doctor Patrícia Andrada Rodrigues Pimenta, the phenomenon occurs due to the stimulation of brain areas related to consciousness and reflection that are not activated in non-lucid dreams.

“A lucid dream can be preceded by a sign of the dream, something bizarre, that causes strangeness, leading to reflection on the situation and the conclusion that it could only happen in a dream”, explains the doctor.
According to Andrada, there are some techniques for inducing lucid dreams (see below what these techniques are). However, the doctor warns that it is necessary to be careful when practicing these techniques, so that they do not interfere with sleep hygiene and, consequently, cause harm to the quality of rest.

“While lucid dreaming is associated with positive effects, inappropriate techniques can lead to negative outcomes such as sleep paralysis and distressing dreams. They can also worsen some mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, psychosis and bipolar disorder, leading to an increase in delusions and hallucinations,” he says.

On the other hand, the doctor explains that lucid dreams can improve specific skills and help treat nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. “They are also associated with improved performance in physical activities and creative capacity,” she says.

Seems easy, but it is not

Although there are techniques for controlling dreams, having lucidity during sleep is not as simple as it seems, nor common. According to professor and researcher at the University of Brasília (UnB) Nonato Rodrigues, a specialist in sleep medicine, not everyone can have lucid dreams.

He explains that, normally, those who manage to “wake up” during dreams have a type of biological anomaly, still unknown to science.

“For a person who has a certain tendency to already do this [controlar os sonhos] Naturally, it can work, but for people who don’t have it, it’s very difficult for there to be a valid dream control process”, says the researcher.

Dreaming is most associated with the phase of sleep known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM). REM is also sometimes called desynchronized sleep, as it can mimic some of the signals when the body is awake (see video above).

Nonato Rodrigues says it’s as if dreams were video games played in first person. The game’s script is established by each person’s personal experiences, whether good or bad.

“These experiences often happen despite ourselves. We do not have an instruction manual. So, we cannot establish what to do in all situations. […] Can you influence the challenges that Super Mario faces? No, because the video game is already programmed,” he explains.