Sudden Increase In Lucid Dreams Since Turning 50

Good Evening All!

I recently learned about this site from Robert Waggoner’s book, which I am still in the process of reading. It is delightful to find a place where one can return to the style of the “old” Internet! I missed these sorts of forums.

Anyways, I have been keeping a detailed dream journal since 2002, and have had occasional lucid experiences over the decades. Not seeking them out as such… they would just happen. I learned to stay emotionally calm in-dream if I wanted to remain asleep and not wake up. I’d usually lose lucidity fairly quickly or get stuck navigating dark and crowded hallways, though.

For whatever reason, I have lately been having far more lucid dreams than before, and have been able to really stay aware in them. I turned 50 in late August. Maybe it is a coincidence, or maybe that milestone shook something loose… or perhaps some other factor entirely is in play. I truly do not know. I have also had more pleasant and genuinely fun dreams than was often the case in the past.

This is why I bought Robert Waggoner’s book. I used to be a bit reluctant to dive deeply into lucid dreaming, as I have a Jungian streak and did not want to “interfere” with the subconscious (even though my dreams have often tended towards the annoying and/or nightmare-ish!). However, his explanation of how we can lucid dream respectfully and even ask dream figures what they mean and why we are seeing them has helped immensely! I had a real catharsis at the end of August from asking a dream-figure attacker who he was and hearing his answer (a private revelation, but the technique sure worked).

Wanted to take this chance to say hello here. I also wonder if others have had an uptick in lucid dreams recently? That would be quite interesting.

Cheers and happy dreaming!

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Some suggestions:

You could consider journaling not only the dreams but your reflections on them: How do they relate to your waking life? What parts of yourself might they represent?

Asking questions to other dream figures, even inanimate ones like landscapes or objects such as a mirror, could lead to interesting insights.

Welcome in!

I haven’t been having more lucid dreams than usual lately, but maybe my time will come? Who knows.

Happy dreaming!

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I had a period in my life about 3 to 4 years ago when I had considerably more lucid dreams than the rest of my life. And in general I would also say that dreams were more fun at that time, too, just like you described. I tried to analyze what was different but couldn’t really find anything conclusive. So my guess is just that I spent more time and energy on dreaming in that period. But that doesn’t seem to be the case for your sudden lucid dreaming spring? I’m also still quite a bit far from 50, so that can’t be it, either.

I think a lot of people have oscillating frequencies of lucid dreams throughout their lives. I think this merits research, but is probably quite hard to crack.

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