What is a Circadian Rhythm? 

The Sleep Foundation describes the circadian rhythm as  “24-hour cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock, running in the background to carry out essential functions and processes. One of the most important and well-known circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle” 

Healthline states that, “Your circadian rhythm helps control your daily schedule for sleep and wakefulness. This rhythm is tied to your 24-hour body clock, and most living things have one. Your circadian rhythm is influenced by outside things like light and dark, as well as other factors. Your brain receives signals based on your environment and activates certain hormones, alters your body temperature, and regulates your metabolism to keep you alert or draw you to sleep” 

It is a well-known fact that the Circadian rhythms exists in all living organisms and is the key to nurturing life itself. Take for example, the opening and closing of certain flowers at the right time of the day to let bees pollinate – that is the circadian rhythm at work! 

Effects of the Circadian Rhythm on an adult human body 

A fully functional adult faces body tiredness between 2 AM to 4 AM and between 1 PM to 3 PM in the evening. A consistent circadian rhythm is achieved by healthy, ritualistic habits. Most adults are able to achieve the right sleep-wake cycle by practicing sleep meditation and keeping a well-practiced sleep hygiene. The most prominent circadian rhythm is the sleep-wake cycle and each individual has their own individual pattern when it comes to ascertaining one’s circadian rhythm! 

The Sleep Foundation opines the very fact that, “when people talk about circadian rhythm, it’s most often in the context of sleep. The sleep-wake cycle is one of the most clear and critical examples of the importance of circadian rhythms.

During the day, light exposure causes the master clock to send signals that generate alertness8 and help keep us awake and active. As night falls, the master clock initiates the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep, and then keeps transmitting signals that help us stay asleep through the night”

What leads to a disruption in the Circadian Rhythm? 

Various sleep analysts have observed in recent times that the circadian rhythm just does not affect our sleep-wake cycle but also metabolism and blood sugar levels. Certain internal biological disorders have the power to disrupt an individual’s circadian rhythm. Some of the most common disorders that affect the circadian rhythm are : 

• Advanced  Sleep Phase Disorder, wherein an individual feels tired, sleeps early in the evening and is awake and active at the crack of dawn. This disruptive disorder is rare and affects only 1% of the middle aged population. 
• In Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder, an individual sleeps quite late in the night and wakes up later in the day. This disruption is seen amongst 16% of teenagers mainly. 

Effects of an out-of-whack Circadian Rhythm

Lifestyle choices and sleeping patterns tend to push an individual’s circadian rhythm out of sync. A disrupted circadian rhythm can greatly affect the quality of life. A strained sleep-wake cycle can cause serious sleeping disorders. If the body does not receive the signal to sleep right on time, then it becomes difficult to fall asleep at the right time. 

It has also been discovered that a disrupted circadian rhythm is one of the leading causes of obstructive sleep apnea, a sleeping disorder that paves the way for radical mental and physical complications. 

All in all, a disrupted circadian rhythm affects our sleeping patterns the most. It is of utmost importance to maintain the right sleep-wake balance in order to keep our bodily functions at pace and at an optimum level. 

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The past 20 years have been tremendously conducive to the growth of sleep science. Sleep science can be broadly classified as an understanding process of what happens when we fall asleep. Sleep science studies the consequences of what sleeping does to the human body, physically as well as mentally. 

In order to fulfill and understand the importance of a regulated sleeping pattern and hygiene, it is essential to get the basics straight. To inculcate a healthy sleeping schedule into one’s life it is necessary to let go of certain sleeping myths and notions that might just hinder the progress subconsciously. 

In 2019, the Sleep Foundation put together an expert panel to solely identify the most common myths that can tend to create problematic views on any sleep-related activity. The Sleep Foundation observes that ‘reviewing these and other myths is an opportunity to learn the facts, set the record straight, and find ways to help get the sleep that you need’

So, what are the most popular sleeping myths that absolutely need to be debunked? 

1. Myth: It is easy to catch up on sleep. 

Turns out, this is the most commonly believed and practiced belief. We must all take into consideration that when it comes to sleep – time is money. There is no way to compensate for lost sleep by sleeping an extra 3-4 hours. A one or a two-hour nap might just rejuvenate you, but sleep experts do not recommend this as sleeping during odd hours can mess up your levels of focus and concentration. 

• Myth: The older you get, the lesser is your need to sleep. 

Absolutely NOT. An adult body requires at least 7-8 hours of not just good, but a great night’s sleep! Major wear and tear happen during the deepest phase of your sleep and it is more than required to get an undisturbed night’s sleep, even if you are a young adult or old. 

• Myth: Reading induces sleep.

Love taking a book to bed? Well, this one might hit hard then. If specialists are to be believed, no external activity should be conducted after you’ve hit the bed, other than lying down and falling asleep. The more you keep your brain active, the more difficult it gets to ‘fall asleep’ Maintaining clear, clean sleep hygiene is sufficient enough to get good sleep. 

• Myth: The more you sleep, the better it is. 

Years of research indicate that most Americans fall short of the required 7-8 hours of sleep. Barring that, there is a percentage of Americans who get close to 10-11 hours of sleep daily. Even so, sleep experts do not see this as a good sign. Excessive sleep is often linked to diabetes, heart trouble, and obesity. WebMD observes that ‘long sleepers were 

25 percent more likely to gain 11 pounds over six years than people who slept the average amount. If you notice yourself clocking more sleep than usual, it’s a good idea to see your doctor for a checkup’ 

• Myth: Dreams occur during the deepest state of sleep ONLY. 

It is commonly accepted that dreams happen during the REM stage of sleep i.e, the deepest stage of sleep. While the most theoretically intense dreams do occur during the REM stage, but dreaming tends to occur at every sleep stage with varying intensity and vividness. 

• Myth: Good sleep is usually characterized by zero movements.

The Sleep Foundation clearly states that ‘movements during sleep are generally only a concern if they are one or more of the following:

• Prolonged or chronic
• Abnormal (such as sleepwalking)
• Aggressive or violent
• Bothersome to a bed partner
• Causing nighttime awakenings’ 

• Myth: The brain is inactive during all stages of sleep. 

 Again, this one is the most commonly believed and accepted myth across the globe! In fact, since decades ago, research in sleep science has proven the fact that the human brain remains quite active at every stage of sleep. This helps in body repair work as well as inducing lucid dreaming voluntarily or involuntarily. 

The quality of sleep depends on innumerable factors. Counting the number of hours is just not enough to ensure that. Guided sleep analysis preferably by an expert or a sleep aid device has proven to be quite beneficial in today’s time. Sleep analysis helps identity abnormalities at an early stage, giving an individual ample time and space to make it alright. 

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As per the World of Lucid Dreaming, ‘the history of sleep and dreaming goes back to the BC era when ancient Greeks and Egyptians were the leading technological force.

The Egyptians analyzed the meaning behind dreams and they analyzed dream symbols, searching for prophecies from the gods. They believed in three bodies: Shat (the corpse body), Ka (the living physical body), and Ba (the soul)’ 

The Dream Studies Organisation further observes that, The first known textual description of lucid dreaming dates to before 1000 BCE from the Upanishads, the Hindu oral tradition of spiritual lessons, philosophy, and proverbs. The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra is another ancient Hindu tract that describes how best to direct consciousness within the dream and vision states of sleep’ 

Lucid Dreaming in the ancient world 

The ancient Hindu practice of Yoga Nidra which dates before 1000 BCE,  advocates the concept of being aware of the fact that an individual is in a state of dream. Cultivation of this very ability in order to ‘heal’ a yogi’s mental and physical health was/is at the very core of Yoga Nidra. Soon enough, this practice of cultivating the ability to be awake while dreaming found its way into ancient Buddhist literature and the Tibetian practice of ‘Dream Yoga’ which roughly translates to Yoga Nidra itself! 

Tibetian Buddhists learned to control dreams, which is now wildly popular as WILD (Wake Induces Lucid Dreaming) WILD helps you slip into a dream state with a continued sense of being fully conscious. 

Lucid Dreaming In The 17th Century 

In the 17th Century, the world witnessed the acceptance of the idea of being able to control one’s dreams amongst physicians, scientists, and a few psychologists as well. Sir Thomas Browne, a philosopher, and physician studied the reasonings behind dreaming and was already making a record of his ability to be awake whilst dreaming. 

Lucid Dreaming in the 20th Century 

Fredrik Van Eaden, a dutch psychiatrist coined the term ‘Lucid Dreaming’ He is also known to be one of the pioneers in dream study, thanks to his treatise named, ‘A Study Of Dreams’ 

The World Of Lucid Dreaming.com further puts forth an excerpt that from this very book published in the year 1913 : 

“The seventh type of dreams, which I call lucid dreams, seems to be the most interesting and worthy of the most careful observation and study. Of this type, I experienced and wrote down 352 cases in the period between January 20, 1898, and December 26, 1912.

In these lucid dreams, the reintegration of the psychic functions is so complete that the sleeper remembers day-life and his own condition, reaches a state of perfect awareness, and is able to direct his attention and to attempt different acts of free volition. 

Yet the sleep, as I am able confidently to state, is undisturbed, deep, and refreshing. I obtained my first glimpse of this lucidity during sleep in June 1897, in the following way. I dreamt that I was floating through a landscape with bare trees, knowing that it was April, and I remarked that the perspective of the branches and twigs changed quite naturally. 

Then I made the reflection, during sleep, that my fancy would never be able to invent or to make an image as intricate as the perspective movement of little twigs seen in floating by.”

Lucid Dreaming in recent times

In the late 1960s, Celia Green successfully classified this phenomenon scientifically. Then came the historic year of 1975. The year 1975 is extremely significant for lucid dreaming as it was the first time, lucid dreamer Alan Worsley and researcher Stephen LaBerge successfully proved the phenomenon in a laboratory setting. FYI, LaBerge continues to be a pioneer in the study of lucid dreaming! 

Dream analysis – be it lucid or non-lucid is a vast universe in itself and many researchers, scientists, dream analysts are slowly discovering the significance of being able to lucid dream and its mental health benefits. Technology also plays a vital role when it comes to increasing awareness around lucid dreaming. It is a well-known, proven fact that lucid dreaming can help overcome minor sleeping disorders. As a result, a great number of people invest in sleep aid devices that help induce lucid dreaming via audio-visual cues that can customized as per your convenience. 

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It is a well established, much-ignored fact that a good night’s sleep is the answer to most of your nascent, underlying mental and physical health problems. But is merely sleeping 8 hours enough? Of course not. The quality of sleep is of vital importance including the part of how and when you wake up. 

More often than not, we tend to dismiss ‘sleep inertia’ as waking up on the wrong side of the bed aka feeling groggy and lethargic the whole day. Sleep inertia occurs when you wake up in the REM stage of your sleep cycle, which is acknowledged to be the deepest sleep an individual could be in. It is essential to wake up in the lightest stage of your sleep, in order to avoid sleep inertia completely. 8 hours of uninterrupted, sound sleep is what helps repair the wear and tears of our bodies. 

How does iBand+ work? 

The iBand+ is a non-invasive headband that is equipped to sense your brainwaves and head movements. Thanks to its smart auto-learning algorithm, It intelligently understands your sleeping pattern and cycle. Then, accordingly adjusts the music and volume as you fall asleep.  Thus making you fall asleep easily and wake naturally. The iBand+ makes clever use of soothing music, an age-old technique to guided forms of meditation, relaxation, and sleep therapy. The whole idea is to enable you to sleep better and not longer! 

The iBand+ comes with a high-fidelity, compact pair of speakers that go underneath your pillow with ease. The RGB LEDs on the headband plus the speakers work seamlessly together to deliver audio-visual stimuli, keeping in mind the comfort of the user: 

• The music played via the pillow speakers soothes the mind and induces sleep stages naturally. 
• Once you enter the deep stage from light, the music is slowly turned down and white noise is introduced to help deepen sleep. This masks any surrounding distraction and helps you achieve that desired optimal level of deep sleep. 
• The iBand+ elevates and prolongs the REM phase of your sleep cycle, thus automatically improving the quality of your deep sleep stage. 

Know More About Your Sleep!

The Sleep Foundation right states that ‘sleep duration is important, but it’s not the end-all, be-all. Sleep quality is another critical factor to consider, and it is closely connected with sleep continuity and avoiding sleep disruptions. Fragmented sleep marked by numerous awakenings can interfere with the ability to properly move through the sleep cycle, decreasing time spent in the most restorative stages of sleep’ 

When it comes to regulating sleeping patterns, knowledge is power. The more you are familiar with your sleeping patterns, irregularities and trends the better it is to rectify any anomalies that might just be causing mental and physical health issues. The iband+ helps you understand your sleep hygiene in an effective manner you can most ardently act upon. Right before you go to sleep, select your preferred audio from pre-loaded instrumental, nature, and water tones – all included n the iBand+ app! 

Electroencephalography (EEG) is an electrophysiological monitoring method to record the electrical activity of the brain. The iBand+ uses this very technology non-invasively of course, that senses your brainwaves and then adjusts the audio-visual cues to suit those very needs, simply put! It is also possible to view this data in real-time, even during sleep meditation. 

Learn more about your sleep the way you’ve probably never thought of before. A productive day starts with a great night’s sleep. Improved sleep greatly improves the quality of life. Invest in a sleeping aid high-tech that not just helps you sleep, but also elevates its quality to let you lead a balanced life. 

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Sleep Inertia and the traditional ‘alarm clock’ 

Sleep inertia is often described as the ‘heavy’ feeling that we often experience right after we wake up. Prolonged sleep inertia can often leave you feeling groggy the whole day, leading to hampering the quality of sleep and eventually,  life. 

Valley Sleep Centre opines “the majority of people who use a regular alarm clock often experience trouble waking up in the morning. Sleep Inertia often appears as the feeling of incomplete awakening and grogginess that reduces your ability to perform even simple tasks. Part of your body is actually still in a sleep state”

The Healthline observes that “That heavy feeling right after you wake up is called sleep inertia. You feel tired, maybe a little disoriented, and not quite fully ready to hit the ground running. It can affect anyone. Sleep inertia usually doesn’t last that long, but some people experience a version that lasts longer, known as prolonged sleep inertia” 

The National Centre For Biotechnology (NCBI) states that  “sleep inertia refers to the transitional state between sleep and wake, marked by impaired performance, reduced vigilance, and a desire to return to sleep” 

It is inferred that sleep inertia is caused due to the sudden awakening during the REM stage of sleep. It is of utmost importance to waking up at the most optimal level of your sleep cycle. So, what is the most optimal level of your sleep cycle for waking up and why is it important? 

Sleep Stages And The Best Time To Wake Up! 

Think about your sleep as the time of being under maintenance! As it has been made abundantly evident, a normal sleep cycle occurs in 3 broad stages. Namely, light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. Ideally, our body passes through these stages several times during the course of the night. Waking up in the lightest stage of your sleep has proven to provide the best of the best ‘ wake up call’ 

A traditional alarm clock goes off at the time you set it without any or adequate knowledge about what stage of the sleep cycle you might be experiencing. Are we right or are we right? Consideration of what sleep stage you are in while being woken up is vital to fending off any chances of sleep inertia or ‘sleep intoxication’ Abrupt awakening during the REM stage of sleep leads to grogginess and the need to go back to bed and sleep more, irrespective of the amount of time you’ve slept in! Thus, making the traditional alarm clock quite redundant. Enter, iBand+,  with its one-of-a-kind smart alarm that helps you wake up not just effectively but also efficiently. 

The iBand+ featuring the Smart Alarm 

Considered as the most advanced feature of this EEG Brain Sensing Headband that wakes you up slowly, steadily with simulated sunlight, sounds at the most optimal period of your sleep cycle. Setting up the smart alarm is a mere two-step routine. Imagine, getting the best out of your sleeping time in nothing but two simple steps with the iBand+ App : 

• Setting up the alarm time – which is roughly the time you would want to wake up. 
• Setting up the smart wake window, which is a time frame of 15,20,30, or even 40 minutes before your alarm time. 

The iBand+ tracks your brain-waves and head movements throughout the night and is aware of what exact part of the sleep cycle you are in. It triggers the smart alarm at the optimal, light sleep period during the smart wake window. Brilliant stuff isn’t it? The AI-powered iBand+ functions in such a way, that it has entire knowledge about your sleep cycle. The iBand+ intelligently adjusts audio-visual signals to induce lucid dreaming, making you fall asleep easily and eventually paving the way to wake up naturally and fresh!

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If there is even an inkling or a shred of doubt in your mind that you are suffering from certain forms of sleeping disorders, guided sleep meditation along with clinical treatment is the answer you’ve been looking for. Living with a sleeping disorder or even disturbed sleep for that matter, for more than 30 days can prove to be quite detrimental to your mental as well as physical health. 

Sleep hygiene is extremely vital to get a non-intrusive, undisturbed sleep. Time, bedroom settings, food consumption, the way you wake up,  play an important role in maintaining sleep hygiene. Meditation can be an added, much-needed tool in your sleep hygiene arsenal. 

What is Sleep Meditation?

Healthline observes that ‘when you meditate, a variety of physiological changes occur. These changes initiate sleep by influencing specific processes in your body. 

For example, in a 2015 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine Trusted Source researchers analyzed how mindfulness meditation affected 49 adults with moderate sleep issues. The participants were randomly assigned 6 weeks of meditation or sleep hygiene education. At the end of the study, the meditation group experienced fewer insomnia symptoms and less daytime fatigue’ 

Marie Claire suggests that ‘sleep meditation is a state between being awake and sleeping, where you put yourself in a ‘yogic sleep’, essentially a state in which the body is completely relaxed but mentally aware. Known as Yoga Nidra (meaning sleep in Sanskrit), it is used as a relaxation method (or meditation) for the mind, body, and soul’ 

Yoga International weighs in by stating that ‘Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep as it is commonly known, is an immensely powerful meditation technique, and one of the easiest yoga practices to develop and maintain. While the practitioner rests comfortably in savasana (corpse pose), this systematic meditation takes you through the pancha maya kosha (five layers of self), leaving you with a sense of wholeness’ 

The key difference between meditative sleep and normal sleep is that your subconscious mind takes over when you sleep without practicing sleep meditation. The ancient Hindu practice of ‘Yoga Nidra’ (roughly translated as sleep meditation) aims to keep the conscious mind awake while in a state of sleep. Yoga Nidra follows the workings of the mind, thus paving the way for organically induced sleep. 

Training your mind 

Sleep meditation is easy to practice a form of meditation that eventually trains your mind. It is of extreme importance to know that there is a virtual, no ‘wrong’ way of practicing sleep meditation. Individuals aged 5 to 75 can practice this as it has zero side effects and the efforts needed to take are minimal and wholly satisfying. 

There are various ways to practice sleep meditation and training your mind to do so. Yoga International simplifies it by suggesting the following practice: ‘as you lie down, supported in savasana, all you have to do is follow the voice that is guiding you. It’s likely that you will remember certain parts of the meditation and not others. Every time you come to the practice you encounter a new experience—none of which is wrong. Falling asleep is okay too, as you will still receive benefits while the unconscious mind is absorbing the practice’ 

The above-mentioned method can possibly take a while to master and incorporate in day to day life. Even so, thanks to technological advances there are certain devices that can not only help you practice sleep meditation daily but also help you track sleeping patterns. Take, for example, the iBand+ : 

Practicing Sleep Meditation with the iBand+ 

The iBand+ consists of various features that can help induce an undeterred sleep. And not just that, the iBand+ helps you wake up peacefully without the dreaded snooze-sleep-snooze ritual! 

• Relieve your mind and body of everyday stress by relaxing using the sleep meditation technique of the iband+ Increase your sense of calm by listening to soothing sounds and visuals that can be customized as per your mood and vibe!
• Prepare yourself for lucid dreaming with the iBand+ sleep meditation feature with brainwave entrainment audio-visual technique. 
• Are you looking to inculcate lucid dreaming in your sleep/dream schedule? With sleep meditation define the dream cues, set the dream intention, and increase self-awareness in your dreams – crucial preparation tactics to become and stay lucid in your dreams.

As you foray into the depths of sleep meditation, it is important to be aware of the fact that – the whole objective behind sleep meditation is to achieve a state of calm that eventually puts you off to sleep. The ability to control your mind and stay lucid whilst sleeping in order to improve the health of the mind is the agenda.

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What exactly can be classified as sleeping disorders? 

Healthline states that ‘sleep disorders are a group of conditions that affect the ability to sleep well on a regular basis. Whether they are caused by a health problem or by too much stress, sleep disorders are becoming increasingly common in the United States’ 

The Sleep Foundation goes a step further into details – ‘ These disorders can contribute to other medical problems, and some may also be symptoms for underlying mental health issues.

In 1979, the American Sleep Disorders Association published the first classification system dedicated to sleep disorders. Our knowledge and understanding of sleep health have evolved over the past four decades. More than 100 specific sleep disorders have been identified’ 

The Cleveland Clinic sums it up by stating that ‘Sleep disorders are conditions that impair your sleep or prevent you from getting restful sleep and, as a result, can cause daytime sleepiness and other symptoms. Everyone can experience problems with sleep from time to time. However, you might have a sleep disorder if: 

1. You regularly experience difficulty sleeping.
2. You are often tired during the day even though you slept for at least seven hours the night before.
3. You have a reduced or impaired ability to perform regular daytime activities’

Types of sleeping disorders that you should definitely know about: 

Sleeping disorders can be of varying characteristics and nature. Some may be inherently severe and some may become severe or even fatalistic in nature caused by complications arising from the disorder itself. Some of the most common sleeping disorders can be classified as : 

• • Insomnia is the lack of ability to fall or remain asleep. 50% of the adult American population is known to suffer from one of the most common sleeping disorder
  • Sleep Apnea is characterized by a ‘pause’ in breathing while an individual is asleep. 
  • Parasomnias are abnormal behaviors ( sleepwalking, sleep talking, bed-wetting) during the course of sleeping. 
  • Narcolepsy occurs when one suddenly falls asleep while awake cause of extreme fatigue or tiredness

What are the most experienced signs and sleep disorder symptoms?

As research suggests, one can experience certain sleeping problems at least once or twice during their lifetime. But, how much is too much? When it comes to identifying a sleeping disorder, prevention is always better than a cure! If you are experiencing the following symptoms for more than 30 days continuously, it is time you schedule an appointment with your physician, who will suggest the best course of action: 

•  Disrupted sleep and sleeping pattern 

Trouble falling or staying asleep irrespective of you cutting down the caffeine and practicing sleep hygiene? Time, you look closely at it, as a symptom! 

•  Fatigue 

The most common symptom is daytime fatigue. Feeling tired like you just ran a marathon everyday needs immediate medical attention. 

•  Lack of focus and poor concentration

This one is the most commonly ignored symptom of a sleeping disorder. This very occurrence need not always because ‘you just don’t feel like it’ 

• Frequent napping or wanting to nap

Feel the need to take frequent naps on a regular basis? It might just be more serious than you think. 

• Inexplicable weight gain 

Inexplicable weight gain is said to be an underlying symptom of an already existing sleeping disorder. Recording and weight-watching is a must, especially if you are not sleeping fine and right for a lengthy period of time. 

• Irritability and anxiety 

Feel like you’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed, every day? Chances are, these conditions are brought upon by an underlying sleeping disorder. 

• Unusual breathing patterns

Heavy breathing, obstructive breathing, breathing through the mouth can occur because of a very nascent sleeping disorder like sleep apnea. 

So, what causes a sleeping disorder and how can you overcome it? 

The best way to overcome a sleeping disorder is self-observation leading to an early diagnosis. Sleep disorder symptoms like chronic pain, underlying conditions/diseases, traumatic events, emotional and mental upheavals, stress, depression, and anxiety are the most common causes that end up paving the way for sleep disturbances and disorders. 

Lifestyle changes can also act as a catalyst for overcoming minor sleeping disorders. A regulated sleep schedule that determines the right pattern is necessary for that ‘good’ night’s sleep every day. Investing in a device that does the work for you, is also a tried and tested method to knowing more about how to ‘sleep effectively’ Sleep information related to self is of utmost importance in order to identify problems with sleeping and eventually finding a way to act on them.

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Dreams.co.uk states that ‘Lucid dreaming, also referred to as ‘conscious dreaming’, is the practice of becoming conscious within your dreams. A lucid dream is one in which you realize you’re dreaming and can still remain asleep. Once you become conscious within a dream, you can then interact with it and direct it at will, communicating directly with your unconscious. These are often particularly vivid dreams that you can remember the following day’ 

Research and data suggest that 50% of our population has had a lucid dream at least once in their lifetimes. Even so, some studies suggest that some individuals experience lucid dreaming more often than others. Lucid dreaming has roots in ancient civilizations, dating back to as far as 471 AD. Traces of the practice of lucid dreaming have also been found in ancient Hindu and Tibetian civilizations. Although, the area of lucid dreaming is yet to be explored all the more and there are certain aspects of lucid dreaming that still remain a mystery. 

So if that is the case, then where do you begin? 

The world of lucid dreaming can consume you to no extent, leaving one utterly clueless. But if it is treated just like any other phenomenon, then there is no other way but to – practice. Yup, just like any form of meditation! Training your mind is of the utmost importance when it comes to reaping the benefits of lucid dreaming. Regulated sleep hygiene is essential to practicing lucid dreaming on a regular basis. The easiest way to begin is, by mindfully paying attention to the frequency of remembering your dreams – whether they are new, old, or even recurring. One must always remember that lucid dreaming is nothing but being conscious and aware of the fact that you are dreaming. Once we train our mind to believe that very fact, controlling self in one’s dream surrounding becomes extremely easy. 

Dreams.co.uk puts that very fact quite succinctly – ‘Scientific research shows that lucid dreams occur in the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of sleep, which is one of the deepest stages of sleep. The Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry discovered that during lucid dreaming, part of the brain reactivates allowing you to experience the dream state consciously with self-reflective awareness. Therefore, despite common belief, you’re not half awake while lucid dreaming. You’re completely out for the count, except for the part of your brain that has become reactivated’ 

Tried and tested techniques tell us that keeping a dream journal is the stepping stone into the world of lucid dreaming. It simplifies remembering your dream, the frequency of those dreams and even gives great insight into your subconscious mind, thus making it easier to keep a track of what is going on in your dream world, literally! The easiest way to do this is by keeping a small notebook next to your bed, so it gets easier to journal. Scientifically put, this helps your mind create a ‘dream recall’ 

Investing in a device that aids lucid dreaming is also quite popular in today’s times. As, these devices are equipped with sleep trackers/monitors, customization of audio-visual cues to induce lucid dreaming, and other such features that help regulate your sleeping patterns, thus maintaining automatic sleep hygiene! 

The most common techniques that have the ability to trigger lucid dreams on a frequent basis: 

• A healthy sleeping schedule in comfortable, dark surroundings to boost REM sleep state, wherein most lucid dreaming can occur. 
• Use accessories like a sleeping mask, blackout curtains, and earplugs to block any unwanted noises in the background. 
• Research on the MILD and WBTB that have proven to be highly effective. These techniques rely on our ability to ‘remember’ things and have seen high success rates. 
• Maintain a dream journal. Revisit the journal on a regular basis to get accustomed to what you are dreaming about and identify common patterns. 
• Play video games! Studies have shown that it affects the frequency and control over dreaming in general. 

It is always better to adopt methods that suit you the best. Each individual has a different psyche and that is what matters the most when you are a novice in the world of lucid dreaming! 

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A brief history of lucid dreaming

The study of lucid dreaming has been conducted for a long, long time. Traces of the origin of the knowledge of lucid dreaming dates back to as long as 415 AD. It is widely believed and accepted that the ‘art of lucid dreaming’ was central to the Hindu religion based practice of ‘Yoga Nidra’ as well as the Tibetian Buddhist practice of ‘dream Yoga’ 

Ancient Greek writings and philosophies also point towards the acknowledgment of inducing lucid dreaming practices. In fact physician, Galen of Pergamon is known to have used lucid dreaming as a form of therapy. 

The 20th century witnessed the coining of the term ‘lucid dreaming’ by dutch writer and psychiatrist Frederik Van Eaden. As scientific research delved deeper into the study of dreams, Celia Green concluded the difference between an ordinary and a lucid dream. That conclusion paved the way for modern, alternative theories of the induction and benefits of lucid dreaming in treating various mental and physical challenges. Currently, the biggest challenge faced by lucid dreaming researchers and technicians is to find an effective, simple way to induce lucid dreams. 

Popular techniques that induce lucid dreaming 

23% of people experience lucid dreaming at least once or more in a span of 30 days. Some may experience a high frequency of lucid dreaming, while some may experience a relatively low frequency of lucid dreaming. As reported in the National Institute of Biotechnology, lucid dreams stem from non-lucid dreams. Here are a few tried and tested methods that have known to induce lucid dreaming more often than without: 

• Ground reality testing 
• Keeping a Dream Journal 
• Maintaining a regulated sleep hygiene 
• Wake-back-to-bed 
• MILD technique 
• Devices 

ResearchGate suggests that ‘LD also has potential clinical applications, such as the treatment of recurrent nightmares in post-traumatic stress disorder (Aurora et al., 2010; Mota-Rolim and Araujo, 2013; Morgenthaler et al., 2018). This has attracted the attention of high-tech companies, which have been launching portable LD induction devices commercially available to the general public’ 

For most of the population, the phenomenon of lucid dreaming can prove to be pleasurable, but it is also quite rare. This essentially captured the attention of tech companies as the only loophole wherein they could most possibly act upon and help consumers reach the level of an avid lucid dreamer. The most commonly found features of any lucid dreaming devices are:

• Audio-visual stimuli 
• EEG detectors
• Self-timers and alarms 
• Brainwave entrainment 

The primary goal of these devices is training your mind and then moving on to the induction of lucid dreaming as a part of your sleep cycle. Take, for example, the iBand+ This device is an active sleep inducer. It plays music through pillow speakers that calm the mind and induces sleep. As soon as you fall asleep, it introduces white noise for you to achieve an optimum level of sleep. iBand + improves the quality of your sleep thus extending the REM phase. The better you sleep, the easier you can lucid dream! 

Sleep meditation and lucid dreaming 

Many lucid dreaming devices sideline the fact that the main factor of lucid dreaming induction is formed in the minds of the sleepers themselves. Sleep meditation can prove to be highly beneficial in the process of introducing lucid dreaming on a regular basis. Thus, always keep an eye out for devices that support sleep meditation techniques. As not only will they speed up lucid dreaming induction, but also help you maintain adept sleep hygiene practices, thus making it a lot more reliable. For example, the iBand+ lets you define the dream cues, set the dream intention, and increase self-awareness in your dreams – crucial preparation tactics to become and stay lucid in your dreams. 

To conclude, the ability of an individual to lucid dream depends entirely on the individual’s ability to train their mind. Just like any other tech device, a lucid dreaming device can have a list of pros as well as cons. For such a device to work, the consumer has to be fully aware of the world of lucid dreaming and how it works. After all, practice, patience, and perseverance can also work wonders, when it comes to inducing lucid dreaming. A lucid dreaming device can most definitely boost your induction practices, but only if you choose the one that in turn helps you train, hone and sharpen your mind through achieving an optimum level of great sleep hygiene! 

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Extensive research tells us that our body repairs its wear and tear on a daily basis while we are asleep and that an average adult needs 8-9 hours of undisturbed, sound sleep to function at an optimum level. 

That includes all the vital organs of the body including our very own skin. Need your skin to stop breaking out? Sleep at least 7-8 hours and see the results for yourselves. Want to rid yourselves of progressive acid refluxes and regular indigestion? Go to bed at a designated, reasonable hour every night and mark the difference in a week! Working out proving not as effective for weight-loss? Get that good night’s sleep every day of the week and expect great results coupled with balanced mental and physical health. 

The Sleep Foundation right states that ‘sleep duration is important, but it’s not the end-all, be-all. Sleep quality is another critical factor to consider, and it is closely connected with sleep continuity and avoiding sleep disruptions. Fragmented sleep marked by numerous awakenings can interfere with the ability to properly move through the sleep cycle6, decreasing time spent in the most restorative stages of sleep’ 

Our brain merely does not ‘shut down’ during sleep as per popular myths, but shifts in brain activity during sleep are believed to be part of why sleep is critical to effective thinking, memory, and even emotional processing. 

Waking up – the most important part of your sleep cycle! 

The optimal duration of a sleep cycle is divided into 3 stages – light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement. The body tends to pass between these stages a number of times during the tenure of our sleep cycle. Did you know waking up in the lightest stage of your sleep is the BEST time to wake up? If this does not occur, we tend to wake up on the ‘wrong side of the bed’ Irritability, lack of focus, fatigue is usually associated with waking up suddenly from a deep sleep. The solution to this is NOT setting an alarm on your smartphone, but rather relying on a sleep device like the iBand+ The problem with waking up to your phone’s alarm is that the device is not aware of the sleep stage you might just be in. 

That’s where the Smart Alarm feature of the iBand+ comes into play. This feature is one of the most advanced alarm features available in the market right now. This alarm wakes you up at a gradual speed with simulated sunlight and sounds at the most optimal hour of your sleep cycle, so you wake up as fresh as a daisy, devoid of any sort of groggy, sluggish feeling. 

Find the best way to go to sleep!

Did you know – sleeping to soothing music is one of the oldest sleep-inducing techniques known to mankind? Soothing, celestial music is also used for relaxation and achieving a meditative state of mind. The iBand+ comes with high fidelity compact and slim pillow speakers that go underneath your pillow.  The purpose of these speakers is to play soothing music that calms your mind and eventually puts you to sleep on a gradual note. Thanks to the iBand+’s smart auto-learning algorithm, it tracks your brainwaves,  head movement, and intelligently adjusts the volume of the music.  All this is happening, while you fall asleep! Brilliant, isn’t it? The iBand+ plays upon your sleep stages. As you enter from the light to the deep stage of your sleep, it then gently introduces white noise that cancels out any distractions ensuring a sound, able sleep that actually helps. Bid adieu to want ‘more sleep’ and make way for better sleep, which is exactly what we need to lead a healthy, wealthy life. 

Knowing  your sleep hygiene with the iBand+ 

Brainwaves

Electroencephalography (EEG) is an electrophysiological monitoring method to record the electrical activity of the brain. The iBand+ uses this very technology non-invasively of course, that senses your brainwaves and then adjusts the audio-visual cues to suit those very needs, simply put! It is also possible to view this data in real-time during sleep meditation. 

Brainwave entrainment is the ability of the brain to naturally synchronize brain waves with steady rhythmic external stimuli like light and sound. iBand+ sleep meditation with brainwave entrainment conditions your brain to associate these rhythmic audio-visual stimuli with your dreams. 

iBand+’s  Sleep Meditation feature with the brainwave entrainment technique is an excellent way to train your brain for lucid dreaming. This self-awareness in dreams is the key to lucid dreaming, and iBand+ is your perfect guide to achieve it!

Sleep insights 

Sleep information related to self is of utmost importance in order to identify problems with sleeping and eventually finding a way to act on them. The iBand+ presents this information on a daily basis and makes it extremely easy to interpret and act upon. 

Customizations 

When it comes to sleep optimization with the iBand+, customization of audio-visual cues is key. LED light patterns, colors can all be set according to the way you prefer!

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