Failure at Lucid Dreaming

This transpired last week but I totally forgot to blog about it: I was in a dream study. I was recruited because I frequently have what they call “lucid dreams,” in which you realize you are dreaming and can control the content to some extent. Months ago they did an MRI of my brain, and last week they asked me to come into the sleep lab to try to have a lucid dream in a controlled environment. I had to be hooked up to a veil of sensors to track my brain waves and eye movements, but the bed was surprisingly comfortable and I had only a small amount of trouble sleeping, mostly with waking up now and then. When I finally awoke completely, the graduate student who was monitoring me asked if I had dreamed, and at first I said no, but then I remembered a dream about an evil guy breeding violent cats, dogs, and monkeys. I was supposed to give a signal in my sleep if I realized I was dreaming by looking left, then right, then left, then right. Unfortunately, I did not give the signal, so I am a failure at lucid dreaming on command. However, you can enjoy this photo of me wearing the veil of sensors. Doesn't it look conducive to a good night's sleep?

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