Dream recall depends on shared mechanisms between sleep and wakefulness for encoding and retrieving episodic memory, as well as on higher cortical activation. Individual trait-like structural differences and state-like functional neural activity both affect dream features, and brain maturation across the lifespan also explains differences in dream experience. Despite advances, a unifying theory of dream recall mechanisms remains lacking.
Lucid dreaming—becoming aware that one is dreaming while continuing to dream—is a notable exception to the typically poor self-reflective consciousness during sleep. Once met with skepticism, it now receives increasing attention for its relevance to the neuroscience of consciousness. This review provides an overview of neuroscientific literature on lucid dreaming and discusses clinical and practical applications. Recent findings highlight lucid dreaming's emerging potential as a methodology for consciousness research within sleep science.