Thread: Best sleeping posture for lucid dreaming

Is there a certain way to sleep that will increase chances of lucidity.. like sleeping on side or on back or on stomach...

Well this all depends because everyone is different, I believe the best way to sleep would be the way you sleep normally, however I have heard that sleeping on your back can induce sleep paralysis more easily although I am not sure about this.

Anything goes, really. Since lucidity isn't biological in the sense of what position you're sleeping in, I'm guessing it has more to do with your brain. And your brain isn't really affected by changes in sleeping position, unless you're hanging upside down.

I personally dont think that it really matters, as long as you go through the shift in consciousness. But every night, I prefer sleeping on my back, it keeps me focused, it is my "lucid dreaming posture" so that is why it keeps me focused.

I don't think there's anything that will increase your chances of lucid dreaming, but if you're trying to hit SP then you should start out of your back then go to your normal sleeping position. I sleep on my stomach naturally, and I have the occasional LD (about one per week), the average for most people.

It's actually highly unreccomended that you sleep on your stomach, so anything besides that I reccomend.

Originally Posted by LucidInvader

It's actually highly unreccomended that you sleep on your stomach, so anything besides that I reccomend.

I've slept on my stomach for the majority of lucids I've had. Maybe it's different for others?

It's probably just breathing that could have an affect with sleeping on your stomach.

I find i fall to sleep easy on my back.

I just can't fall asleep on my back.

I always have to be on my side facing my left while hugging something like a pillow.

If you are a male, sleep on your right side. If you are a female, sleep on your left side. Here is one explanation: Amazing Normal Dreams Another explanation I have heard is that your brain's hemispheres are different and when you are sleeping on your side either your left or right hemisphere gets more blood because of the gravity so that causes the thing..or something like that

After I first read that I noticed my next couple lucids occurred when I was sleeping on my right side (I'm a male). After that I totally forgot this thing.

Sleeping on your stomach is not recommended because it puts a lot of stress on your spine.

Originally Posted by menelvagor

Sleeping on your stomach is not recommended because it puts a lot of stress on your spine.

That makes no sense at all. It should be the reverse (at least in my mind), because the spine isn't being pressured by anything, as it's all going in the opposite direction of the spine (maybe). I'm not an expert in this, but I personally think you should rethink that.

Any position that you are more relaxed and comfortable.

It isn't my opinion, it is medical advice from my chiropractor. When you. Sleep onn your back the spine has direct support and natural weight distribution, and actually lengthens about half an inch during the course of the night, which is why its best to stretch or do yoga in the morning. If you sleep on your stomach not only is it harder to breathe so your body has to work harder to accomplish that,vbut you spine will be compressed in the lumbar reigon. And your neck will notnot be in its natural resting position but off to one side causing an imbalance and exra tension/ work for the body. So sleeping on your back is best, sides are okay too, stomach will aggrivate back issues and is dangerous for anyone overweight in particular. If antbody has proof that this incorrect I would be very grateful tto know but I believe it is true. Sorry for bad grammar typing on phone

edit- if you have a firm mattress then it won't matter quite as much, but if you have a softer/more padded mattress then it is certainly stressful to the spine

Most of the lucids I woke up from, I was lying on my stomach. All FILDs / CAN-WILDs were that way, too.

When i had my first LD using WBTB i was lying on my back but couldn't fall a sleep. i turned to my side and i had a LD

this is getting stupid.

Most people are saying laying on your belly helps so I would also suggest something like that as long as its comfortable, apparently it helps, maybe its the extra feeling in your body that comes with laying on the stomach? Something like that, I'm gonna try sleeping that way and see if it helps.

I don't remember where I heard about the right side... anyways, for me, if I sleep on my right side, I tend to get lucid more... but that's probably a placebo effect, because I never thought about it until I read that somewhere.

HOWEVER, the Lucidity Institute is actually doing a research experiment on which sleeping posture is best for lucid dreaming.

My most recent lucid dream and also a recent separation from body event both occurred when sleeping on my right side. Having said that, though, sleeping on my left side is by far my usual position, so it may be more about a new position (right) that triggered it, rather than any inherent value in right side sleeping.

In any case, I'm going to try right side sleeping for a while and see what happens.

I'm male, btw.

A note about stomach sleeping: the person above is correct. It creates compression on the lower spine just above the sacral. Not noticeable when younger, but becomes very noticeable as you age.