Lucid dreaming, where dreamers know they are dreaming and can control dream content, may help people with nightmare disorder by allowing them to transform nightmares into normal dreams, improving sleep. A review of the existing literature found that lucid dreaming may reduce nightmare frequency, intensity, and psychological distress, but the available studies are scarce and yield inconsistent results. More research is needed to determine the effectiveness of lucid dreaming as a treatment for nightmares in clinical practice.
In a survey of 5,580 adolescents (average age 18 years; 3,711 females, 1,869 males), females reported recalling dreams more often than males and felt dreams had a stronger impact on their following day. Females also described themselves as more creative and reported more sleep complaints and perceived stress. Statistical analysis showed that female gender, better sleep quality, and higher creativity independently predicted more frequent dream recall, while perceived stress, nighttime awakenings, and sleep duration did not. The findings mirror patterns seen in adults and suggest that recalling dreams is linked to health and well-being, unlike nightmares.