Does Lucid Dreaming Use More Energy than Regular Dreams?

[slyman]

like more nutrients and whatnot. or does it work your body/mind harder? what do you guys think?

[gab]

Not sure, but don't really think so. Our brain is already more active when we asleep than when we are awake. We dream every night. The only difference I see is, that when lucid, we are aware that the dream is happening right then, instead of remembering it only after we wake up. We catch it in the act, hehe. And I don't think body uses more energy, since body is asleep same way in lucid or in regular dreams. Anyway, that's what I think.

[Carrot]

I would think you might feel that your lucid dreams are taking up more brain activity when you first started lucid dreaming. But I know experience lucid dreamers would disagree on that.

[slyman]

i was just thinking about how at least for me my lucids are a lot more vivid than my regular dreams. i've had some non-lucids that were as vivid though. so i was wondering if your body works harder or whatever when having more vivid dreams

[StaySharp]

Usually when I wake up from a LD I feel really refreshed, like being lucid drastically improves my sleep quality. Just my personal experience but it sure is awesome to wake up like that.

[UcouldBdreaming]

maybe i dont think so its not like being awake cause your not useing energy to power your body or anything if anything after a good LD i feel really happy and find that im generaly more productive and awake

[Zoth]

Technically, yes we use more energy since some parts of our brain are more strongly activated, like you can see in the picture below: The difference on energy consumption should be minimal since we're already with an extremely active brain.