Would exercise in a lucid dream give real world benefits?

**Dom20002005** · 01-07-2011 09:04 PM

If I did aerobic exercise such as running in a lucid dream would this make me fitter in real life? Wat about doing weights?

**TheOrator** · 01-07-2011 09:16 PM

I don't think it would, or people would use it as an instant weight loss since you can't get exhausted here unless you don't believe you can't

**kookyinc** · 01-07-2011 09:23 PM

According to Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming, when you move in a dream, your brain makes connections with your muscles. In his own words, "the neural impulses from the brain to the body are still active and quite similar, if not identical, to those that wold accompany the same acts in waking." The muscles don't really move due to sleep paralysis, but apparently the nerve pathways are strengthened. My thoughts are that exercising in an LD would not make you stronger in real life, but it may make difficult or complex tasks easier to do (such as batting in baseball, playing golf, throwing basketballs, tennis, etc.).
However, you could practice fine motor skills while dreaming, like writing or typing, and improve them in real life since you're strengthening the neural pathways.
tl;dr:
No, you won't get stronger, but it'll help anyway.

**Dom20002005** · 01-07-2011 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by kookyinc

According to Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming, when you move in a dream, your brain makes connections with your muscles. In his own words, "the neural impulses from the brain to the body are still active and quite similar, if not identical, to those that wold accompany the same acts in waking." The muscles don't really move due to sleep paralysis, but apparently the nerve pathways are strengthened. My thoughts are that exercising in an LD would not make you stronger in real life, but it may make difficult or complex tasks easier to do (such as batting in baseball, playing golf, throwing basketballs, tennis, etc.).
However, you could practice fine motor skills while dreaming, like writing or typing, and improve them in real life since you're strengthening the neural pathways.
tl;dr:
No, you won't get stronger, but it'll help anyway.

Ah yes this makes sense, as u are not actually using your muscles, your muscles fibres cannot split and therefore the muscles doesnt get stronger...but u can improve your co-ordination as its related to your nerves. Great post

I wonder if this applies to your heart? I would assume if your heart rate increases in a lucid dream then it would increases in real life? Therefore would it not be possible for exercise in a dream to have the same cardiovascular benefits (increase heart size and strength but, not weight loss) as exercise in the real world?

**IAmCoder** · 01-07-2011 09:41 PM

There was once a guy who went to prison as an amateur golfer. Every day he played golf in his mind (not in dreams - just visualizing). Apparently when he came out of prison he was a lot better. His name escapes me right now?

**Matte87** · 01-07-2011 10:12 PM

I thought about snowboarding alot and imagined how it would feel to be on one, I hadn't been on one for 5 years. When I finally went snowboarding again, I was a god compared to before. Exercising skills is fully possible in dreams. But for you to lose weight or get physically stronger, you need to exercise your muscles. You can't burn calories if the muscles aren't using them as fuel. And no I don't think it's possible to train your heart either. If your heart starts pumping, you will start to wake up shortly. Taking one flight of stairs would probably work better.

**kookyinc** · 01-08-2011 02:03 AM

Originally Posted by Matte87

And no I don't think it's possible to train your heart either. If your heart starts pumping, you will start to wake up shortly. Taking one flight of stairs would probably work better.

I agree. Your heart rate slows down greatly during sleep anyway, even during exciting dreams. I doubt one would be able to speed it up adequately to build up muscle without waking. Sorry.