Dream content and slow waves benefit prey against predator in a video game confrontation
Daniel Soares Brandão, Rafael N. B. Scott, Ernesto Soares, Natália Bezerra Mota, Sidarta Ribeiro
Scientific Reports March 13, 2026 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-42759-7 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subjects experimental study with between-subjects role assignment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | 30 adult human pairs |
| Intervention | nap |
| Duration | Nap duration not specified; two game rounds before and after nap |
| Topics | Lucid dreaming Dreaming |
| Keywords | Predation Proxy statistics Content measure theory Video game Sleep system call Apex predator Cognitive psychology Ecology Mental state Slow-wave sleep |
| Key findings | Slow wave activity and game-related dream content predict post-sleep performance gains only for individuals in a prey-like, low-agency role. |
Abstract
Every studied animal species exhibits some form of sleep, a state evolved under the sustained influence of prey and predator behaviors. Dreams have been proposed to have evolved as offline mental simulations able to warn against impending threats from the environment, such as predators. To assess how the ecological roles of prey and predator interact with sleep and dreaming, we used a first-person shooter game as a proxy for predator-prey confrontations. Electroencephalographic (EEG) and electrocardiographic (ECG) signals were simultaneously recorded from 30 human adult pairs while (1) playing a video game round against each other, (2) taking a nap, (3) reporting dreams and/or thoughts, and (4) playing another round. We found that the participants in the prey role were highly affected by sleep and dreaming. Their score gains were positively correlated with slow wave activity during the nap, with how much the dreams were related to the game, and with heart rate variability during the first round. In contrast, no significant correlations were found for participants in the predator role. The results suggest that slow wave activity and task-related dream content predict the post-sleep performance of individuals under stressful, low-agency, prey-like situations.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming Verified by Volitional Communication during Rem Sleep Selected subjects proficient in lucid dreaming | 1981 | Experimental study | n = 5 |
| Incorporation of concern- and nonconcern-related verbal stimuli into dream content. Seven male subjects studied during sleep Stages 2 and REM | 1981 | Experimental study | n = 7 |
| Lucid Dreaming and Alpha Activity: A Preliminary Report Good dream recallers | 1982 | Experimental study | n = 10 |
| Lucid dreaming during NREM sleep: Two case reports | 2012 | Sleep laboratory study | |
| The Dream Catcher experiment: blinded analyses failed to detect markers of dreaming consciousness in EEG spectral power. Human participants during sleep | 2020 | Experimental study with blinded classification | n = 9 |
Citations in the library
Cites 19
- The threat simulation theory in light of recent empirical evidence: A review The American Journal of Psychology April 1, 2009
- Dreaming during the Covid-19 pandemic: Computational assessment of dream reports reveals mental suffering related to fear of contagion PLoS One November 30, 2020
- A Novel Approach to Dream Content Analysis Reveals Links Between Learning-Related Dream Incorporation and Cognitive Abilities Frontiers in Psychology August 6, 2018
- Benefits and concerns of seeking and experiencing lucid dreams: benefits are tied to successful induction and dream control. SLEEP Advances 2022
- Psychosocial treatments for nightmares in adults and children: a systematic review BMC Psychiatry April 21, 2023
and 14 more in the library