Hi everyone,
I have had less work to do over the last weekend than even usually on weekends (uni will do that for you), and spent significantly more time playing video games with a friend. Almost immediately, my dream recall took a dive. On account of the pandemic I work on my computer all day anyways, so that can't have impacted it.
Have any of you had similar experiences? What could be the cause behind it?
Let's discuss!
I keep seeing this topic and still nobody has bothered to reply so here's my 50 cents. Perhaps others will join in afterwards so the poor thing doesn't have to remain answerless any longer. 😀
I'm an avid gamer and play plenty games. My dream recall fluctuates, but I haven't noticed a correlation with playing games. If anything at all, if a game keeps me very occupied then I frequently dream about it. It would be a great opportunity to become lucid but so far I wasn't able to pull it off. It's a work in progress...
The biggest danger I see is in becoming so absorbed that you spend a couple hours "lost in thought" and therefore not very lucid - not questioning what is happening, just accepting everything as it is. Exactly what we want to avoid as lucid dreamers. But you can counter that, of course. When I play, I will frequently stop, get up and move away from the screen, doing my state testing routine. I do a reality check when something happens that makes me angry or something I didn't expect / see before in a game.
Daniel mentioned on some video a reality check you can incorporate into your gaming habit is to frequently check whether the controller feels the same, whether all the buttons are still in place, and so on. Also, if you play a lot of games in 3rd person there's a chance you'll dream in 3rd person, too, but there are reality checks that work even then (like looking at something, looking away and willing its colour to change and then check to see whether it worked).
Another thing is that blue light that screens can emit could disturb your sleep and that could also trouble your recall. Although, if you sit in front of a screen all day or have blue light filters it might not be an issue at all.
I hope more gamers will join the discussion now and share their experiences, I'm curious to hear them, too!
By the way, Turambar, I like your name. 😎
Good night, fellas.