Waves

Video Gamers Can Control Dreams, Study Suggests | LiveScience

Playing video games before bedtime may give people an unusual level of awareness and control in their dreams, LiveScience has learned.

That ability to shape the alternate reality of dream worlds might not match mind-bending Hollywood films such as "The Matrix," but it could provide an edge when fighting nightmares or even mental trauma.

Dreams and video games both represent alternate realities, according to Jayne Gackenbach, a psychologist at Grant MacEwan University in Canada. But she pointed out that dreams arise biologically from the human mind, while video games are technologically driven by computers and gaming consoles.

Cool implications

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The_Jester

I've actually noticed this! cool article.

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In LOVING kindness,

The forum fool.

The Rev

Until they have a videogame where I can tap nubile celebs, this article proves of no use to me in my lucid dreaming efforts.



The Rev

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Geeno

I used to have the most intense halo 2 dreams ever. Like I'd wake up because I'd be jumping out of my bed dodging a sticky grenade on zanzibar. I fucking loved it.

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Mafoo

i have call of duty dreams almost every time i play for a few hours

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PLUR
For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return

Bearsy

I dreamed I was Gordon Freeman last night.

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Dantastic

if i played a long session of gta3 or 4 id dream about it, same with the burnout games.

I also recently screened the series of the sopranos and it gave me nightmares...lame...

BibleGuy

Very interesting! I've noticed with my boys how when they play their games they actually seem to "become" their character in the game. They're not thinking about the mechanics of the controls on the gamepad - they're beyond that, mentally "in" the game and are oblivious to anything beyond the TV screen. They are, in essence, somewhat tranced and are living in their virtual world which is usually very violent but completely non-threatening in any real sense. So they can, and do, do anything. Respawning when they get hit is understood and expected, hence there is no real death/danger but only change.

Perhaps dreams are perceived by the dreamer much like the alterable "reality" of their games and that's why they respond with lucid awareness and control?

Would anyone say that video games are similar to a guided meditation?

Bearsy

I went lucid for the first time in months last night!

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Lloydy

I get that, fun dreams

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Keep the red flag flying high

Psilly

Finally a game I'm good at!!

I wonder if it works both ways, like if you lucid dream alot you'll get better at being able to shut the xbox off and go play outside.

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If I had known it was Harmless,
I Would have killed it myself.

lil_skeeter360

interesting... I don't believe I've ever had a video game dream... I used to study lucid dreaming and I always thought of it as the ultimate video game though. I hear xbox is coming out with a sensor that reads your body's motions and reacts to it rather than having a controller. I bet that would definitely cause some interesting dreams huh?