To what extent is lucid dreaming part of the standard sleep cycle of an average person? This is a highly important question, due to the obscure nature of lucid dreams being fairly untouched and undiscovered; there are a variety of theories that arise as many enjoy interpreting dreams and trying to find meaning behind them. But with advancement in technology, and further psychological studies, lucid dreams become less of a magical realm, and more of a realistic day to day occurrence. So it is crucial to understand what roles do lucid dreams play in our sleep routine, and how common they are. By understanding this phenomenon and its chances of occurring, we can create patterns and further develop our research on the human brain and the way it behaves, thus making this essay very significant.
Sleep Cycles:
A sleep cycle is a combination of 5 stages. Stage 1 is light sleep where drifting in and out can occur, and the person can be awakened easily. During this stage, the eyes move slowly and the muscle activity slows down. During this stage, many people experience sudden muscle contractions preceded by a sensation of falling (Sleepdex, "Stages of Sleep," par. 2). During stage 2, the eye movement stops and brain waves become slower with…show more content… Dreams can vary from being highly unrealistic, to very realistic and vivid, and most of the time, we don’t realise that we are actually dreaming. Lucid dreaming is defined by the effect of becoming aware and realising that one is dreaming, while asleep. During such occurrences, the dreamer can reason, remember factors from waking life and act freely as desired. There are a few key components to lucid dreaming such as, layers, dream characters, dream objects, the dreamer, waking world, dream world,