For years, the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD) technique has been hailed as the go-to technique for aspiring lucid dreamers. Yet, many of us find ourselves following the step-by-step, method only to get very limited results. With so many sites and courses claiming it's effectiveness, we're left wondering: "Why isn't the MILD technique working for me?"
If you've been struggling with this popular approach, you're not alone. Let's take a look at why the MILD technique doesn't work for everyone and explore the science behind its limitations.
Developed by Dr. Stephen LaBerge, a pioneering lucid dream researcher, the MILD technique relies on prospective memory (that’s our ability to remember to do something in the future). There's some nuance, but the basic idea is to set an intention to remember you're dreaming while you're actually in the dream state. Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, it's not always that straightforward.
The crux of why the MILD technique doesn't work for many people, lies in its heavy reliance on prospective memory. Dr. Daniel Erlacher, a lucid dream researcher at the University of Bern, explains: "Prospective memory is notoriously unreliable, even in waking life. Expecting it to function flawlessly in the bizarre landscape of dreams is often asking too much."
Consider how often you forget to pick up milk on the way home, or messaging that friend back, despite setting a mental reminder. Now imagine trying to remember a complex task like recognizing you're in a dream while your conscious mind is effectively offline. It's a tall order, to say the least.
Another reason why the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams doesn't work consistently is the paradoxical nature of dream awareness. Dr. Tadas Stumbrys, from Vilnius University, points out: "To become lucid, you need to question your reality. But in dreams, our critical thinking facilities are often suppressed, making it difficult to engage in the kind of metacognition necessary for lucidity."
This suppression of critical thinking is why we often accept absurd dream scenarios without question. The MILD technique assumes we can overcome this natural tendency, but it isn’t something you can improve your ability with directly. You're relying on a behaviour being driven from the subconscious i.e. recognising a dreamsign while in a non-lucid state, in order to activate the parts of the brain which are responsible for that critical thinking skill.
Simply put, you don't have conscious control over the process.
When exploring why the MILD technique isn't working for you, it's crucial to consider individual differences. Dr. Michael Schredl, a sleep researcher at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, emphasizes: "Dream recall frequency, sleep patterns, and even personality traits can influence the effectiveness of lucid dreaming techniques."
Some people naturally have higher dream recall or are more prone to metacognitive thoughts during sleep. For others, the MILD technique might be swimming against the tide of their natural sleep patterns.
This is especially true when it comes to your prospective memory.
If you naturally have a good prospective memory, there's a good chance MILD works well for you. If you don't, if you're always forgetting something from your shopping list once you get to the store, or forgetting to call that person back that you meant to. There's a good chance, it isn't the best fit for you.
It's not that you can't train, prospective memory, you absolutely can. But if it isn't naturally strong for you, you're swimming upstream, and it's going to take longer for you to get to the point where MILD is effective at inducing lucidity.
This means you’re likely going to be putting in a lot of effort and not seeing much in return.
The MILD technique undoubtedly works for some people, but it's clear that it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. So, if you've been wondering why it doesn't work for you, remember that you're not alone, and it's not a reflection of your capacity to achieve lucidity.
The MILD technique is over 40 years old, and the field of lucid dreaming research has been continually evolving in this time, with new techniques are being developed and refined. If MILD isn't working for you, it might be time to explore some alternative approaches that could be better suited to your individual needs.
If you're ready to see what those researchers uncovered and try a more effective method for inducing lucid dreams, then Click here to discover a better way to lucid dream.
1. Erlacher, D. (2020). Personal communication during the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) annual conference.
2. Gackenbach, J., & LaBerge, S. (2018). Conscious Mind, Sleeping Brain: Perspectives on Lucid Dreaming. Springer.
3. Saunders, D. T., Roe, C. A., Smith, G., & Clegg, H. (2016). Lucid dreaming incidence: A quality effects meta-analysis of 50 years of research. Consciousness and Cognition, 43, 197-215.
4. Schredl, M. (2019). Researching Dreams: The Fundamentals. Palgrave Macmillan.
5. Stumbrys, T. (2021). Lucid dreaming: Neural mechanisms and clinical applications. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 55, 101376.
6. Stumbrys, T., Erlacher, D., Schädlich, M., & Schredl, M. (2012). Induction of lucid dreams: A systematic review of evidence. Consciousness and Cognition, 21(3), 1456-1475.
7. Voss, U., Holzmann, R., Tuin, I., & Hobson, J. A. (2009). Lucid dreaming: a state of consciousness with features of both waking and non-lucid dreaming. Sleep, 32(9), 1191-1200.
8. Voss, U. (2020). Lucid dreaming: A state of consciousness with features of both waking and non-lucid dreaming. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 44, 101-110
