Am I dreaming, or does it just feel like it?: The impact of induced dissociation on sleep quality and memory consolidation
Open Access at Essex July 9, 2026 Camila Bottger Garcia Godos
Induced dissociative states, created using the Mirror Gazing Task (MGT), affected the consolidation of episodic memory but not autobiographical, procedural, or working memory, nor dreaming. A pilot study with 52 participants compared MGT durations of 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or three 10-minute sessions, finding the 30-minute protocol produced the strongest and longest-lasting dissociative state. A second study with 22 participants used 30 minutes of MGT versus control gazing, measuring memory and dissociative states before MGT, after MGT, and after a night of sleep. Dissociative experiences during dreams were also measured. The findings suggest acute dissociation may selectively impair episodic memory consolidation, informing clinical models of dissociative disorders.