What Is "Conscious Sleep" & Should You Try It? Experts Weigh In

Author of From Fatigued to Fantastic Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., defines conscious sleep as "the ability to be aware of the self, but not of our body or surroundings, during different stages of sleep." Western scientific studies have focused predominantly on this state during REM sleep and how a person can tap into their consciousness and experience lucid dreaming, Teitelbaum tells mbg.

However, conscious sleep is possible in non-REM sleep as well. In fact, in Eastern meditation traditions, conscious sleep is taught as a way to maintain self-awareness, but without being aware of the body or environment, during deep non-dream sleep, Teitelbaum explains over email. 

According to a review1 published in the journal Progress in Brain Research, the concept of conscious sleep was highlighted by Elmer and Alyce Green of the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kansas. The couple teamed up with the Indian master of yoga meditation Swāmī Rāma at the time, to further explore how a person could find themselves in their deepest, non-REM sleep but still have a sharp awareness of their surroundings.

Indian yoga guru and founder of the Isha Foundation Jagadish "Jaggi" Vasudev, affectionately known as Sadhguru, says the key to unlocking a state of conscious sleep is to "distance yourself from your physical nature," and this is possible through meditative practice.

To improve your odds of reaching this level of deep meditation, sleep expert Virginia Blackwell, M.D., of Dofeve.org tells mbg you must first have healthy sleep hygiene. This can include avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed, taking a sleep supplement, engaging in stress-relieving activities (i.e., taking a bath, performing a relaxing yoga sequence, going through a mindful skin care routine, etc.), and shutting down your devices for a much-needed break from blue light exposure.*

Next, focus on ridding yourself of any psychological clutter clouding your mind. According to CEO and founder of YogaFit Beth Shaw, without any mental blockage, your mind is able to wander toward a higher awareness of your physical and emotional bodies. By quieting the mind, calming the body, and entering a deeper inner peace and mental state, you are able to succumb to a complete physiological and psychological reset

While more research needs to be done on the subject of conscious sleep outside the realm of REM and lucid dreaming, sleep experts and yogis agree there are benefits to falling into a non-REM conscious sleep state, too. 

For example, Teitelbaum tells mbg that the process of conscious sleep can be worthwhile as it gives you the opportunity to break out of your daytime point of view. "This can dramatically expand our awareness," he says, "and help us to not take things too seriously in life."