Travel Induced Lucid Dreams

[Moonbeam]

Whenever I travel, especially long driving trips, I have great dreams. Yesterday I drove 14 hours (after driving several the day before), got home and watched the bad news on TV for about an hour, then went to sleep and had one of the best nights of dreaming ever. I remembered 5 dreams, an FA, and had 4 periods of lucidity. I had pretty good control; remembering some of the things I've been wanting to try.

I wanted to remind everyone, especially before summer, to take advantage of travelling to induce LD's. There are lots of oppportunities for RC's, and the sleep deprivation causes good rebound REM. I tried to be aware of dreaming as much as possible during the trip, because I thought I might have a good chance when I got back, and it paid off big time!

[Adrenaline Junkie]

i've found this too in the past, i have been out in the car all day, i get back and i have a real long vivid dream, its strange, i got quite a few long travel opportunities coming up and i might just try this, good idea :)

[pj]

Traveling Moonbeam Induced Lucid Dreaming.

You should write a tutorial!

[Moonbeam]

WEll there's not much to it; you just do a lot of RC's because you're in different situations, and you get sleep-deprived so you have lots of dreams. When I closed my eyes I saw the highway as HI, very clear, I felt like I was still driving.

[pj]

WEll there's not much to it; you just do a lot of RC's because you're in different situations, and you get sleep-deprived so you have lots of dreams. When I closed my eyes I saw the highway as HI, very clear, I felt like I was still driving.[/b]

That gets really rough when it turns out you ARE still driving.

I'm not being facetious... you've reminded me of the "good old days" when I was gigging regularly. We would often return from a gig very late and very tired, when none of us had any business driving. I'm remembering some of the hallucinations I had - now I would recognize them as HI.

That phenomenon is really interesting to consider though. You essentially found yourself in a condition that allowed you to go into HI very easily while maintaining consciousness. Now to figure out what ISN'T needed in your combination of circumstances and experiences to get back into that same state. What are all the elements at work here:

- Always seeing the same kind of thing... the road coming at you and going by. Essentially hours staring at a hypnotic image
- Disruption in normal routine
- More RCs than normal (because of disruption in routine or because you have more time to focus on reality/dream state?)
- Sleeping in (somewhat?) unfamiliar places/beds
- Sleep deprivation
- Diet changes, perhaps? (I know my regular diet gets jacked when we travel.)
- Anything else?

**quick edit**

It occurs to me that I'm very deliberately getting "enough" sleep. Perhaps it is time to disrupt that sleep schedule and see what happens to my dreaming.

[Moonbeam]

That gets really rough when it turns out you ARE still driving.[/b]

LOL yea that sucks.

That phenomenon is really interesting to consider though. You essentially found yourself in a condition that allowed you to go into HI very easily while maintaining consciousness. Now to figure out what ISN'T needed in your combination of circumstances and experiences to get back into that same state. What are all the elements at work here:

- Always seeing the same kind of thing... the road coming at you and going by. Essentially hours staring at a hypnotic image
- Disruption in normal routine
- More RCs than normal (because of disruption in routine or because you have more time to focus on reality/dream state?)
- Sleeping in (somewhat?) unfamiliar places/beds
- Sleep deprivation
- Diet changes, perhaps? (I know my regular diet gets jacked when we travel.)
- Anything else?

**quick edit**

It occurs to me that I'm very deliberately getting "enough" sleep. Perhaps it is time to disrupt that sleep schedule and see what happens to my dreaming.[/b]

Yea, I think you extracted the important parts. The only other things I can add are that when I go to my Dad's house, I'm in the house I grew up in, seeing my old neighborhood, visiting friends and family that I don't often see but who show up in dreams a lot. So either a totally strange environment, or an old familiar one, may both add to the experience.

Unfortunately, the hours of hypnotic imagery may be difficult to duplicate. Maybe just a few minutes right before bed could simulate it a little. The sleep deprivation could work; that's a good idea, maybe just get a couple hours Friday night or whenever you know you can sleep extra the next night. Diet definitely; but I favor-home deprivation over travel- indulgence. Altho late night pizza can work wonders!

(Sounds like you're actively trying again! Couldn't stay away, could you? :wink: Good luck!)

[pj]

(Sounds like you're actively trying again! Couldn't stay away, could you? :wink: Good luck!)[/b]

No - not yet. But I'm actively THINKING about it... about how to go back into it in a way that fully encompasses my entire lifestyle. I've been very deliberately getting "enough sleep" for months now. It is one of the things I get very careful about when stress levels have the potential to rise dramatically. I find that the less sleep I get, the more my mind wanders, and thus the more difficult it is to control where my thoughts go. That results in anger, high BP, binge eating and worse.

When I get enough sleep, it is relatively easy for me to maintain disciplined (and thus happy and peaceful) thoughts.

[Moonbeam]

No - not yet. But I'm actively THINKING about it... about how to go back into it in a way that fully encompasses my entire lifestyle. I've been very deliberately getting "enough sleep" for months now. It is one of the things I get very careful about when stress levels have the potential to rise dramatically. I find that the less sleep I get, the more my mind wanders, and thus the more difficult it is to control where my thoughts go. That results in anger, high BP, binge eating and worse.

When I get enough sleep, it is relatively easy for me to maintain disciplined (and thus happy and peaceful) thoughts.[/b]

I know. Some things are more important than dreaming (obviously, but sometimes I forget that a little). I think you (everyone) shouldn't let trying to LD interfere with other things in life. Altho I have been guilty of that somewhat. But we have to protect our mental state for ourself and for those around us, and good sleep is one of the most important things when times are stressful. It is a luxury to have the lee-way to turn your nights into a playground instead of just relaxing and recharging yourself as much as possible. I think you're doing the right thing; I was just kidding that you couldn't stay away. It will come back; who knows, maybe taking a break will turn out to have great effects later.

[folded]

Well, I can tell you that with the jet lag I get from business travel, LDs are the last thing I would expect. Usually the exhaustion of the travel, plus the change of daylight hours is too much for my poor little brain to handle. My dream memory drops to zero -- in fact my short to mid term memory gets pretty cranky overall.

[Moonbeam]

Well, I can tell you that with the jet lag I get from business travel, LDs are the last thing I would expect. Usually the exhaustion of the travel, plus the change of daylight hours is too much for my poor little brain to handle. My dream memory drops to zero -- in fact my short to mid term memory gets pretty cranky overall.[/b]

I think you need a really good night's sleep after the deprivation. I was in the same time zone tho, so maybe that has something to do with it; maybe your brain chemistry, melatonin etc. gets too messed up with jet lag and interferes somehow. (That's the scientific explanation. :wink: )