Eli5: What is the difference between sleeping/lucid dreaming and just laying still and letting your thoughts wander

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I know that it’s got something to do with your subconscious, but why does sleeping and dreaming, even lucid dreaming where one is absolutely aware and “conscious” provide me with rest and happy feelings and just laying awake but with closed eyes and just letting your thoughts wander for several hours always leaves me tired and sad? Even if I reach a sort of state where my wandering thought get weird and random and are clearly influenced by my subconscious.
Where is the difference?
Is it really just the deep sleep phases that give me rest? Are REM phases even necessary then?

(Yes I have trouble sleeping sometimes. Yes I know the reason. Yes my doctor knows. Please do not comment on that or give advice with that. I really just want an answer to my question.)

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2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Your submission has been removed because questions regarding dreams tend to be very subjective, and can vary vastly between one person and the next.

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