Hi Pam -
Did you know that some lucid dreamers actually set their alarms for four in the morning — just before the great avalanche of REM sleep is poised to begin — and drink a tall glass of water so that they will have the same dream you describe? Believe it or not, it’s actually one of the most effective techniques for inducing lucid dreams… Here’s why:
If our bladder is full while we are asleep and dreaming, it is common for us to “incorporate” our need to use the bathroom into the story of our dream. Accordingly we dream that we are looking for a bathroom, or even dream of going to the bathroom, and this focus on having to go to the bathroom is the clue which lucid dreamers train themselves to recognize as the sign that they are dreaming. You are correct in suggesting that people occasionally will wet their beds doing this experiment, but usually what happens is that we dream of going to the bathroom for a long time... but we don't experience any relief. Or we search and search for a bathroom in some strange building but never seem able to find it.
Next time you have this dream, and lead yourself through the pinch/awake test, try to enjoy the fact that you are dreaming for awhile before you awaken yourself physically. You have succeeded in inducing a lucid dream, and now you will want to explore the dream a bit while you still are in it. Try not to let the feeling of urgency to use the bathroom take over all your thought! You can get up in a minute. But for that brief time, look around, perform experiments, walk through a wall, visit an old friend, say a prayer for a loved one, visit a beautiful ocean, or ask for guidance on a problem you need to solve.
Sweet dreams! We look forward to hearing back from you!
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