Just sorta wondering...

[ninjaLder1]

Is it easier for an older or younger person to have lucid dreams...??

[Leo Volont]

That's a complex question. Are we speaking of being able to learn Lucid Dreaming... to pick it up after never having been able to do it before. Or are we speaking of ease in inducing Lucid Dreaming over the years. There the question is complicated by the possibility that Lucid Dreaming may only be a Stage in Development. What if Something Else should develop after one has become proficient at Lucid Dreaming. if such were the case, then continuing on and on with Lucid Dreaming would not be so much a sign of progress as one of retardation or failure to thrive. People have asked what Lucid Dreaming is for? Its Purpose. Well, I have been supposing that Lucid Dreaming is intented to Integrate the Waking Self with the Dreaming Persona which would otherwise remain pre-civilized, primitive and not just a little bit barbaric. But, then, when the Dreaming Persona IS finally fully integrated with the Waking Self, then what is Lucidity but a break in the continuity of a Dream. Dreaming DOES have a purpose. But so very often when we become Lucid, then suddenly the dream we were in is suddenly not good enough any more and we wonder off. More often then not people wonder off into Pure Silliness. Lucid Control which for most people is nothing more than pulling rabbits out of hats in one's dreams. Or finally getting laid. In such ways many people use Lucid Dreaming in order to escape from the benefits that ordinary dreaming is intended to bring to them.

[PenguinLord13]

Originally posted by ninjaLder1 Is it easier for an older or younger person to have lucid dreams...?? While i don't know about learning Lucid Dreaming, I know that it is not uncommon at all for kids to have Lucid Dreams often, but not know what it is and just wake themselves up, and then later on in life (like in their 20s) they find a site like this, and discover what LDing is, but by then they have lost the ability to LD. So I would have to say that younger people have an easier time having Ludid Dreams, and I would guess they also learn it easier as it is known that younger people have an easier time learning. Also, in response to what Leo is saying, there is know need to worry about this danger, as there is no scientific evidence to support it. While I believe that if you took control of every dream, and spent half the night, every night Lucid and controlling your dreams, then it may be unhealthy, as dreaming does have the purpose of sorting out your memories and experiences, and getting everything in your head organized, and sometimes to tell you something. The thing is I don't believe that anyone who isn't a natural LDer who can get Lucid in every single dream (there are plenty of those, but they are still very uncommon) gets Lucid every dream they have, and those who get Lucid frequently generally don't stabilize and take control of every Lucid dream. Also, if you are having a very important dream, then your mind generally forces it to play out, and even if you know you are dreaming, you can't do anything. Because of this, I don't believe that you can hurt yourself LDing, as your subconscious blocks you from killing your mind through excessive Lucid Dreaming.

[Tornado Joe]

Hi Ninja - and welcome Is it easier for an older or younger person to have lucid dreams...?? [/b] I'll just stick to a little bit more of a scientific answer for you ( I think the other guys covered the rest). There is some reserach being done by a well known lucid dreaming expert who believes that there are certain chemicals in our brains which actually help with the ability to become lucid in dreams. The way this chemical effects lucid dreaming isn't really all that clear, but it definitely has something to do with increasing memory (being used in treatment for alzheimer's) This chemical (acetylcholine) decreases in levels as a person gets older. It's at it's highest levels in late teens to twenties (if i remember correctly) and then drops off throughout the thirties and so on. This might explain why so many of the members on this site seem to fall right within the teen and twenties range. There are supplements which can raise the levels of acetylcholine and after participating in one of these experiments I have personally concluded that it has definitely effected my dreams - not guaranteeing lucidity - but having an effect nonetheless.

[PenguinLord13]

Awesome, where can I get acetylcholine supplements? Finally some hard evidence to contradict the theory of Lucidity being unhealthy for you. Seems it's the other way around; if you are able to get Lucid, then there's a good chance you have higher acetylcholine, and better memory sounds good to me any day.

[Tornado Joe]

Heh, well, the supplement itself isn't acetylcholine - it's something else that helps restore and also prevent the breakdown of it. I'll PM it to you. But who the hell says lucidity is unhealthy?

[PenguinLord13]

Originally posted by Tornado Joe But who the hell says lucidity is unhealthy? You'd be surprised. I won't give names, but many people say that dreaming has a purpose, and that by controlling your dreams and doing stupid random fun stuff you are interfering with you subconscious's goal in giving you that dream, or something like that. My personal opinion is that this isn't true as generally when dreams have a purpose (I believe most don't), and are really important, then your brain will force you not to control the dream.