Image zoom If you've ever had a dream in which you knew you were dreaming, congratulations! You've experienced the elusive phenomenon known as lucid dreaming. While some people may periodically have lucid dreams without trying, others achieve them using various techniques. Here's everything else you want to know about this altered state of reality — and how to lucid dream yourself, if you so wish. What Is a Lucid Dream? Lucid dreaming is like a state of consciousness between dreaming and wakefulness in which you're aware that you're dreaming. Although lucid dreaming may sound new-age, it's actually a scientifically studied process. "From a physiological perspective, electrical recordings of the brain wave patterns in individuals lucid dreaming reveal that it's a state of hybrid consciousness with features of both REM sleep and the waking state," says Kristen Willeumier, Ph.D., neuroscientist and author of Biohack Your Brain.