Lucid dreaming treatment for nightmares: A series of cases.
Victor I. Spoormaker, Jan Van den Bout, Eli J. G. Meijer
Dreaming September 1, 2003 DOI: 10.1023/a:1025325529560 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 8 |
| Population | Participants with nightmares |
| Intervention | Lucid dreaming treatment |
| Duration | One-hour individual session, two-month follow-up |
| Topics | Dreaming Lucid dreaming |
| Citations | 54 |
| Key findings | Lucid dreaming treatment decreased nightmare frequency and slightly improved sleep quality, but did not affect state or trait anxiety. |
Abstract
Goal of this series of cases was to investigate lucid dreaming treatment for nightmares. Hypotheses were that lucid dreaming treatment would decrease nightmare frequency and state/trait anxiety, and improve the quality of sleep. Eight participants received a one-hour individual session, which consisted of lucid dreaming exercises and discussing possible constructive solutions for the nightmare. Nightmare frequency and sleep quality were measured by a sleep questionnaire, anxiety was measured by the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory. At the follow-up two months later the nightmare frequency had decreased, while the sleep quality had increased slighty. There were no changes on state and trait anxiety. Lucid dreaming treatment seems to be effective in reducing nightmare frequency, although the effective factor remains unclear.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on lucid dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming as a Learnable Skill: A Case Study The author | 1980 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Lucid Dreaming as a Treatment for Recurrent Nightmares People with recurrent nightmares | 2010 | Case study | n = 5 |
| Lucid dreaming: Correspondence between dreamed and actual events in one subject during rem sleep A lucid dreamer | 1984 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Nightmares in the Context of PTSD Treated with Psychoeducation Regarding Lucid Dreaming 39-year-old male with a history of suicide attempts and psychiatric admissions | 2010 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Epigenetic Repair of Terrifying Lucid Dreams by Enhanced Brain Reward Functional Connectivity and Induction of Dopaminergic Homeostatic Signaling. Patients with known histories of substance abuse, childhood abuse, and PTSD | 2021 | Case series | n = 8 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 33
- Lucid Dreaming Treatment for Nightmares: A Pilot Study Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2006
- Lucid dreaming incidence: A quality effects meta-analysis of 50 years of research Consciousness and Cognition June 20, 2016
- My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? Frontiers in Psychology 2019
- A cognitive model of recurrent nightmares heiDOK (Heidelberg University) 2008
- Increased Lucid Dreaming Frequency in Narcolepsy Sleep April 30, 2015
and 28 more in the library
Cites 7
- Lucid Dreaming as a Treatment for Recurrent Nightmares Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics February 18, 2010
- The Beneficial Effects of One Treatment Session and Recording of Nightmares on Chronic Nightmare Sufferers Sleep September 1, 1992
- Imagery rehearsal therapy for chronic nightmares in sexual assault survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA August 1, 2001
- A controlled study of imagery rehearsal for chronic nightmares in sexual assault survivors with PTSD: a preliminary report. Journal of Traumatic Stress October 1, 2000
- Imagery rehearsal treatment for chronic nightmares. Behaviour Research and Therapy September 1, 1995
and 2 more in the library