No Stupid Questions @lemmy.world XiELEd @lemmy.world 1 yr. ago

Is it possible to influence your dreams the next night?

Not referring to lucid dreaming, which is simply controlling your dream. I'd like to know how to control what I dream the next night, regardless if it ends up as a lucid dream.

I remember reading a portion of a book then dreaming about it the day later. I am also aware of the "shifting" community (though they want to go to an entire alternate universe) in which they script throughout the day and sometimes get dreams related to it. Is there an actual practice for this sort of thing? Or is this something that happens only randomly?

17 comments

With a dream journal, and setting intentions before sleep, you likely can increase the likelihood of influencing your dreams the following night.
- I kept a dream journal as a requirement for an undergrad class. Really interesting thing to do --- and it helped me to lucid dream a few times.
  
  Cool! Can you elaborate? What was the class? Do you remember the lucid dreams? What was the journaling process?
Very nice if we improve on this, but... :
https://xkcd.com/430/
Dreams are at least somewhat influenced by your recent thoughts and experiences. For example, many studies found that people dreamed more about disease and confinement during the pandemic (here's a medical journal article about it). You probably have a higher chance of influencing the subject of your dreams if you focus on the desired subject enough during the day.
- This explains why I had a dream about this person from work who is trying to take my job but pretending to be my friend.
  
  I wasn't feeling well yesterday and spent 8 hours on the couch, binge watching a trashy reality TV show that included a lot of jealousy and betrayal in a confined environment.
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I eat lots of cheese if want really weird/surreal dreams.
- I read that in Wallace's voice.
- Couple McChickens used to do the trick for me
I view dreams as your minds way of prepping you for varying circumstances. If you preoccupy your brain with something before you go to bed maybe that would help get you in a mind space you want?
When my kids have trouble falling asleep, we play a game where I’ll ask them what they want to dream about. I then whisper the words in their ear and place their hand on their ear.

I tell them if they sit up, the dream will fall out of their ear.

Anyway, they’ve never once told me it doesn’t work, so if you want to come round tonight I’ll tuck you in!
- That's so sweet!
- if they sit up, the dream will fall out of their ear.
  
  Please teach me all of your wisdom.
YMMV, but as the other commenter said, you can influence it. It never worked for me but I know people who can condition what they are going to dream about by thinking about it before falling asleep. It's not infallible and you would definitely need to practice a lot.

I never heard about the shifting community, time to suss them out for me I guess
Make sure to need the toilet before you wake up... although those dreams won't be fun
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