Sleep and Dreams as Reflected by Science Fiction Literature and Films—Anything to Learn From?
Journal of Sleep Research August 21, 2025 Dieter Riemann, Christoph Nissen, Pierre A Geoffroy et al.
Science fiction frequently uses sleep and dreams to probe questions about consciousness, reality, and technology. This article identifies recurring Sci-Fi themes such as hypno-pedagogics, space hibernation, brain-machine interfaces, electrostimulation, genetic engineering, and the effects of substances on sleep and dreams. The authors compare these fictional concepts with current sleep science to assess their future feasibility. They also examine whether Sci-Fi has inspired real sleep research or merely mirrors existing scientific topics with added fiction.