Studies with lucid dreaming as add-on therapy to Gestalt therapy

Objectives: The aim of the present exploratory clinical study was to evaluate LD as an add-on therapy for treating nightmares.

Methods: Thirty-two subjects having nightmares (ICD-10: F51.5) at least twice a week participated. Subjects were randomly assigned to group: A) Gestalt therapy group (= GTG), or B) Gestalt and lucid dreaming group therapy (= LDG). Each group lasted ten weeks. Participants kept a sleep/dream diary over the treatment. Examinations with respect to nightmare frequency and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) were carried out at the beginning, after five and ten weeks and at a follow-up three months later.

Results: Concerning nightmare frequency, a significant reduction was found in both groups after the ten-week-study and at the follow-up (Wilcoxon test: P ≤ 0.05). Significant reduction in dream recall frequency could only be observed in the GTG (Wilcoxon test: P ≤ 0.05). For subjects having succeeded in learning lucid dreaming, reduction was sooner and higher. Sleep quality improved for both groups at the follow-up (P ≤ 0.05, Wilcoxon test). Only the LDG showed significant improvement at the end of therapy (P ≤ 0.05).

Conclusion: Lucid dreaming, in combination with Gestalt therapy, is a potent technique to reduce nightmare frequency and improve the subjective quality of sleep.