Lucid Dreaming and the Feeling of Being Refreshed in the Morning: A Diary Study.
Michael Schredl, Sophie Dyck, Anja Kühnel
Clocks & Sleep March 1, 2020 DOI: 10.3390/clockssleep2010007 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal cohort (dream diary study within a lucid dream induction study) Cross-sectional Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 149 |
| Population | Participants keeping a dream diary for five weeks |
| Duration | 5 weeks |
| Topics | Lucid dreaming Dreaming |
| Keywords | Nightmares Sleep quality |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key findings | Having a lucid dream does not reduce the feeling of being refreshed in the morning; instead, the feeling of being refreshed was higher after a night with a lucid dream compared to a night with a non-lucid dream. |
Abstract
REM periods with lucid dreaming show increased brain activation, especially in the prefrontal cortex, compared to REM periods without lucid dreaming and, thus, the question of whether lucid dreaming interferes with the recovery function of sleep arises. Cross-sectional studies found a negative relationship between sleep quality and lucid dreaming frequency, but this relationship was explained by nightmare frequency. The present study included 149 participants keeping a dream diary for five weeks though the course of a lucid dream induction study. The results clearly indicate that there is no negative effect of having a lucid dream on the feeling of being refreshed in the morning compared to nights with the recall of a non-lucid dream; on the contrary, the feeling of being refreshed was higher after a night with a lucid dream. Future studies should be carried out to elicit tiredness and sleepiness during the day using objective and subjective measurement methods.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on lucid dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Neural Correlates of Dream Lucidity Obtained from Contrasting Lucid versus Non-Lucid REM Sleep: A Combined EEG/fMRI Case Study Experienced lucid dreamers | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 4 |
| Real-time dialogue between experimenters and dreamers during REM sleep. Individuals during REM sleep, including frequent lucid dreamers, a novice, and a... | 2021 | Observational study | n = 36 |
| Lucid Dreaming in Narcolepsy Consecutive patients with narcolepsy and healthy controls | 2015 | Case-control study | n = 106 |
| Metacognitive Mechanisms Underlying Lucid Dreaming Human participants split into high- and low-lucidity groups based on reported dream... | 2015 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 18
- Dream lucidity is associated with positive waking mood. Consciousness and Cognition August 1, 2020
- Benefits and concerns of seeking and experiencing lucid dreams: benefits are tied to successful induction and dream control. SLEEP Advances 2022
- Is There a Link Between Frequency of Dreams, Lucid Dreams, and Subjective Sleep Quality? Frontiers in Psychology 2020
- Exploring the range of reported dream lucidity Philosophy and the Mind Sciences April 15, 2021
- The Effects of Lucid Dreaming and Nightmares on Sleep Quality and Mental Health Outcomes. Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2025
and 13 more in the library
Cites 12
- Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Sleep September 1, 2009
- Neural Correlates of Dream Lucidity Obtained from Contrasting Lucid versus Non-Lucid REM Sleep: A Combined EEG/fMRI Case Study Sleep June 29, 2012
- Lucid dreaming incidence: A quality effects meta-analysis of 50 years of research Consciousness and Cognition June 20, 2016
- Frequency of Lucid Dreaming in a Representative German Sample Perceptual and Motor Skills February 1, 2011
- Terror and bliss? Commonalities and distinctions between sleep paralysis, lucid dreaming, and their associations with waking life experiences Journal of Sleep Research July 27, 2016
and 7 more in the library