Relational hypnotherapy, lucid dreaming, and sleep paralysis: A case study
Carlos A. Ramos
American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis April 3, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2026.2661649 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 62-year-old white male with sleep paralysis and recurring waking nightmares |
| Interventions | relational hypnotherapy lucid dreaming suggestions |
| Topics | Lucid dreaming Dreaming |
| Keywords | Sleep system call Electroencephalography Sleep stages Polysomnography Cognitive psychology Developmental psychology |
| Key findings | Lucid dreaming interventions can be included with hypnotherapy to transform waking nightmares into preferred dream experiences. |
Abstract
Sleep paralysis (SP) is understood as a form of temporary muscle paralysis that occurs during the transition between rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and wakefulness. SP is normally associated with vivid, fear-provoking hallucinations such as being threatened or attacked by home invaders and paranormal encounters like alien abductions. SP affects about 20% of the population, and it is a common symptom of narcolepsy, a disorder that disrupts regular sleep cycles and causes sleep deprivation. This article is intended to illuminate the use of relational hypnotherapy in conjunction with lucid dreaming suggestions with a 62-year-old white male suffering from SP in the form of recurring, waking nightmares that affected his overall mental health. Although clinical hypnosis has been used to treat SP, little to no research has explored the connection between hypnosis and lucid dreaming as a means of altering SP. Lucid dreaming, an individual's ability to realize they are dreaming, has been shown to reduce nightmares and distress, and improve sleep quality. This article will demonstrate how lucid dreaming interventions can be included with hypnotherapy and discuss how a lucid dreaming experience can transform waking nightmares into preferred dream experiences.
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 |
| Lucid dreaming treatment for nightmares: A series of cases. Participants with nightmares | 2003 | Case series | n = 8 |
| 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 |
Citations in the library
Cites 12
- The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews March 14, 2019
- Lucid dreaming incidence: A quality effects meta-analysis of 50 years of research Consciousness and Cognition June 20, 2016
- Studies with lucid dreaming as add-on therapy to Gestalt therapy Acta Neurologica Scandinavica January 30, 2015
- Combining presleep cognitive training and REM-sleep stimulation in a laboratory morning nap for lucid dream induction. Psychology of Consciousness Theory Research and Practice April 13, 2020
- Are sleep paralysis and false awakenings different from REM sleep and from lucid REM sleep? A spectral EEG analysis. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine April 1, 2021
and 7 more in the library