Nova Dreamer - ReviewLucid Dream Induction DeviceThere are number of devices on the market to assist gaining lucidity and hence lucid dreaming. The Nova Dreamer is probably the best well known of these lucid dream induction devices. I bought a Nova Dreamer when I first started trying to dream lucidly so I thought I'd write a brief review.The Nova Dreamer is a face mask that you wear whilst asleep. It contains a small amount of electronic circuitry driven by batteries. The principle behind the Nova Dreamer is to generate artificial dream signs. To this end the Nova Dreamer uses flashing lights and (optionally) sound. To use the Nova Dreamer you must first train yourself to notice flashing lights in the "real world". Whenever you see one, do a reality test. Once you've established the habit of checking for lucid dreams whenever you see a flashing light, you can start to wear the Nova Dreamer at night. The clever circuitry monitors your eye movements beneath your eyelids. When it determines that you are dreaming in REM state it flashes LEDs and - optionally - also makes a noise. The theory is that you will experience the lights and/or noise in the dream. Then you will do a reality check and become lucid. To assist further, the Nova Dreamer also comes with a big "reality test" button on the front. So, does it work? Well yes and no. Yes, technically it works. Everything can be adjusted, from the sensitivity of the monitor to the intensity of the lights. The controls are rather basic however they do the job. There's even a readout that tells you in the morning how many times the device was activated - this is useful for adjusting sensitivity and intensity. The problem for me was that it didn't suit my sleep pattern. The Nova Dreamer isn't uncomfortable, however it is a fairly chunky device. It isn't suited for use when sleeping on your stomach. I also found it awkward when laying on my side. I'm one of those irritating people who constantly moves around when asleep. During any one night I spend time sleeping on my back, on my stomach, on both sides. It wouldn't surprise me to wake up standing on my head! As a result my experience was that I'd wake up part way through the night with the Nova Dreamer feeling uncomfortable. My hands would then almost instinctively remove it and I'd wake in the morning with it laying on the floor. If you're one of those lucky people who can spend the night sleeping peacefully on your back then give the Nova Dreamer a try. If you're a fidget then I'd recommend borrowing one before splashing out.
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