After a long, hard day of school and work, many students feel like sleep is another boring aspect of daily life. Lucid dreaming, a phenomenon that has been growing in popularity over the years, can make sleeping one of the most entertaining parts of the day. Lucid dreaming is the act of realizing that one is asleep while dreaming. It’s increased in popularity over the years is due to scientific studies that have confirmed its effectiveness. In a lucid dream the dreamer is aware that he or she is asleep and is able to control what happens in the dream. Even though lucid dreaming can happen spontaneously, it is very difficult to achieve. Techniques have been developed because of this to help improve the chances of inducing lucid dreams, one of which being reality testing. Reality testing is a popular method to help induce a lucid dream. This method involves performing regular reality checks such as pinching one’s arms or checking the surrounding for anything bizarre or out of the ordinary. By repeating these reality checks frequently, one may perform a reality check while dreaming, only to realize that the pinch didn’t hurt, or that the clock reads 17:63 and that he or she is actually dreaming. Once a person is in a dream that is lucid, the person can do anything he or she imagines. The dreamer could travel through time, fly, play a game of basketball with Michael Jordan, or even just sit down by a tree and watch the clouds pass. Studies have shown that lucid dreams can also be a great form of therapy and a medium for self-improvement. Through lucid dreams it is possible to conquer phobias by confronting fears in a controlled environment, boost creativity and problem solving abilities, and increase confidence. There have also been reports of lucid dreams helping to improve motor skills, athletic abilities, and even cure illnesses. Through all of the potential therapeutic effects of lucid dreaming, the fact still remains that lucid dreams are an extremely entertaining and liberating escape from the drags of the day. Thanks to the endless possibilities of a lucid dream (and the fact that it is completely harmless), lucid dreaming is becoming a very popular and mainstream trend. People are finally beginning to recognize its almost endless possibilities and benefits on everyday life. Books on lucid dream induction and its benefits can be found at most bookstores (including Borders and the Ames Public Library). So if you are ever feeling like sleep is an ineffective and boring part of the day, and if you ever wish that you could be doing other, more productive things while sleeping, then lucid dreaming may be just the thing for you. It’s perfectly safe and can even be used as a great conversation piece. Go ahead and start preparing for your next lucid dream tonight. What have you got to lose?