The short answer
Dream interpretation is not prediction and not diagnosis. This article separates what sleep research observes from what popular interpretation associates with the theme.
A lucid dream is a dream in which you realize you are dreaming while the dream is still going on. Sometimes you can change the scene, fly on purpose or wake yourself up. It is a fairly common experience, studied in sleep labs, and there is nothing supernatural about it.
Read also: Dreams about flying and Why do we dream.
How many people have had one
A meta-analysis covering 50 years of research estimated that just over half of people, about 55%, have had at least one lucid dream in their lives. A smaller group, around 23%, report having them once a month or more.
What happens in the brain
In the lab, trained volunteers can signal that they have entered a lucid dream using agreed-upon eye movements, which show up on sleep recordings. Using this method, German researchers measured brain activity and found that lucid dreams happen during REM sleep but with an in-between pattern, combining features of sleep and wakefulness, especially in the front of the brain.
The most studied techniques
| Technique | How it works |
|---|---|
| Reality testing | During the day, ask "am I dreaming?" and check something, like reading text twice or looking at your hands. The habit tends to carry into dreams. |
| Wake back to bed | Wake up after a few hours of sleep, stay up briefly and go back to sleep, when REM periods are longer. |
| Mnemonic induction (MILD) | As you fall back asleep, repeat the intention to notice you are dreaming and picture a recent dream, this time lucid. |
An Australian study combining these techniques found more lucid dreams in some participants during the test week. Results vary a lot from person to person.
Source: Aspy et al., Reality testing and the mnemonic induction of lucid dreams, Dreaming, 2017.
Precautions
- Do not sacrifice sleep: waking up in the middle of the night often can leave you more tired during the day.
- If you already sleep poorly: people with insomnia or other sleep problems should talk to a professional before trying techniques that interrupt sleep.
- Sleep paralysis: some people report episodes when trying to enter lucid dreams. See what sleep paralysis is.
Lucid dreams and nightmares
Realizing you are dreaming can take some of the fear out of a nightmare, which is why lucidity is studied as a support in nightmare treatment. The treatment with the strongest evidence, however, is still imagery rehearsal therapy. See how to have fewer nightmares and why some dreams keep coming back.
Source: Morgenthaler et al., Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2018.
What popular culture says
In mystical traditions and some spiritual practices, lucid dreaming is linked to "astral travel" or messages from the unconscious. These are cultural readings. For science, it is a REM sleep state with more awareness than usual. Flying is one of the most common scenes in these dreams, as explained in dreams about flying.
Sources
- Saunders DT, Roe CA, Smith G et al. Lucid dreaming incidence: A quality effects meta-analysis of 50 years of research. Consciousness and Cognition, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2016.06.002
- Voss U et al. Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming. Sleep, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/32.9.1191
- Aspy DJ et al. Reality testing and the mnemonic induction of lucid dreams: Findings from the national Australian lucid dream induction study. Dreaming, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1037/drm0000059
- Morgenthaler TI et al. Position Paper for the Treatment of Nightmare Disorder in Adults: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Position Paper. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2018. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7178
Frequently asked questions
What is a lucid dream?
It is a dream in which you realize you are dreaming while it is happening, and sometimes you can influence the scene.
Are lucid dreams common?
A meta-analysis estimated that about 55% of people have had at least one, and around 23% have them monthly or more.
Can you learn to lucid dream?
Techniques such as reality testing and mnemonic induction increased lucid dreams in some participants of one study, but results vary.
Is lucid dreaming harmful?
Not in itself. The main caution is not to disrupt sleep with frequent awakenings, especially if you already sleep poorly.
