Im not into the sciences, but I have dreamt lucid for most nights of my life. I think I have a sleeping disorder that causes it but what I know is I've never met anyone else who lucid dreamt as much as I have so it was mostly a solo journey. I want share a few tips if it helps anyone.
The reaction I get from most people is that lucid dreaming is cool and exciting. For me, I'd say yes but..when it's every night it's not always fun. I have felt mentally exhausted, like you never sleep, you only wake up in another world, one that's very extreme at that, and when you fade from that you wake up again in the real world feeling like you just went to Hogwarts for a whole semester in one night and have to get up and brush your teeth now in reality. Everyday.
When I originally discovered the malleability of lucid dreaming I did some research and experimenting. At first I was interested in out of body experiences because people said lucid dreaming could do that but I can't say that's something I ever really accomplished in the classical sense of an OBE. I did however go deep in the dream world. Though I read techniques of trying to remember your dreams, write them down etc, that never really helped me. Big dreams can be remembered like a memory.
Some caution : most think lucid dreaming is fun and games because the idea is you can "control" dreams. You might be able to control certain elements in dreams, but being aware in a dream is not the same as controlling or manipulating elements in dreams, and you can't control the subconscious. Not only can you not control it, I have reason to believe it doesn't like it too much when you try.
Also, subconscious dream suggestion is very influencial on others. Just reading about, sharing or knowing the techniques to dreams can open doorways. Be cautious about sharing these ideas with someone unless they're ready, the doors can be hard to close once they're open or be a potentially frightening experience.
My go to lucid checks - I used to check my hands, the time, try to read, try to count, all basic weird things in the dream construct to do a lucid check. Best method for me is to look at my feet, because they usually aren't there. Floating like an apparition. Try to jump and if you float that's a big giveaway. Unless you live in a space station.
I don't actually recommend doing a lot of checks that can replicate reality if you're a frequent or daily lucid dreamer like counting, reading or time checking. It can backfire and confuse you that the dream is real and turn into what I like to call a dream trap.
Dream entry
Watching and feeling yourself enter a dream takes patience but it's worth it, even to nail it once or twice. Take an opportunity when you're so tired your body is just shutting down. Lay down with your eyes closed and squeeze your eyes til you see swirls. Keep the swirls going and don't mentally drift but watch them like a movie til they form shapes and open into a dream scenario.
Your eyes and emotions change the dream
Blinking, squeezing, or movement with your dream eyes can change or manifest things in the dream world pretty easily. Like blink and open your eyes to standing on the beach.
If you have a scary dream you may need to shift the energy before you can change scenes. Push yourself to think of something funny or a joke and the dream scene will likely shift.
Try to use open and bright fields, skies, and spaces to be lucid in, a cluttered dark space is distracting.
Waking up
If you really dont want to be in a stressful or paralyzing dream you might try to wake yourself. Screaming doesn't work well tho we try it for some reason. Taking in a deep sharp breath or kicking works well.
Recurring dreams are puzzles
They are important messages from your subconscious for you to uncover. Try to face the dream or do something different. Try to talk and ask questions in these dreams.
Flying
Look up or forward instead of down to sustain flying sensation. It also helps to embody a flying animal or instrument since humans don't really fly and our brain might think we're gonna fall.
There's a lot more to share but that's plenty for now, good luck and dream safe!
You mention sometimes not waking up rested - I wonder what would happen if you lay down and tried to go to sleep… or perhaps go somewhere peaceful and meditate, I wonder if that would help you wake feeling rested…
It's true, last night I had to so much time to kill in my dream I decided to design some home interiors. But weird dream things still happen like the walls start talking to you and then you're like oh boy 😅. I do think getting down dream entry isn't talked about much also and is one of the most interesting dreaming experiences, sort of like Alice falling down the rabbit hole or neo taking the red pill out of the matrix, it has definitely made dream awareness easier for me and could recommend it to those trying to broaden that 🤙
Hi! A different perspective from what most of us, since we're all trying to have more lucid dreams! Daniel mentioned how people who get lucid all the time actually don't love it as much as we'd think, as you say, wake without feeling as rested... Cool that you have such great recall, I'm working on that!
Anyway, cool stuff, thanks for sharing!