Inducing lucid dreams by olfactory-cued reactivation of reality testing during early-morning sleep: A proof of concept.
Daniel Erlacher, Daniel Schmid, Silvan Schuler, Björn Rasch
Consciousness and Cognition August 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.102975 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Male participants |
| Interventions | Wake-up-back-to-bed sleep protocol mnemonic technique odor presentation |
| Duration | Single night in sleep lab |
| Topics | Lucid dreaming |
| Keywords | Induction techniques Odor presentation Olfactory cue Reality testing Reflection technique Sleep interruption Wake-up-back-to-bed |
| Key findings | Adding an odor cue during sleep to a wake-up-back-to-bed and mnemonic technique induced lucid dreams in only 12.5% of participants, below the 50% rate of the prior study without odor. |
Abstract
The reliable induction of lucid dreams is a challenge in lucid dream research. In a previous study by our research group we were able to induce in about 50% of the participants a lucid dream in a single sleep laboratory night by combining a wake-up-back-to-bed sleep protocol and a mnemonic technique. In the present study, we extended our previous procedure by additional presentation of an odor during sleep to reactivate memory traces about reality testing. In total 16 male participants spent a single night in the sleep lab whereas the procedure induced in two participants a lucid dream (12.5%). The induction rate stays below the success rate of our previous study and therefore odor-cueing seems not a promising technique for inducing lucid dreams. Beside the odor presentation, several other methodological changes have been made, which will be discussed and hopefully help further dream engineering to improve induction techniques.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on lucid 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 |
| 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 | |
| Time for actions in lucid dreams: effects of task modality, length, and complexity Proficient lucid dreamers | 2014 | Experimental study | n = 21 |
| Combining presleep cognitive training and REM-sleep stimulation in a laboratory morning nap for lucid dream induction. Participants who came to the laboratory for a nap session at 7:30 am or 11:00 am,... | 2020 | Controlled laboratory experiment |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- A systematic review of new empirical data on lucid dream induction techniques. Journal of Sleep Research June 1, 2023
- Acetylcholine and metacognition during sleep. Consciousness and Cognition 2024
- Provoking lucid dreams at home with sensory cues paired with pre-sleep cognitive training. Consciousness and Cognition October 1, 2024
- Combining Wake-Up-Back-to-Bed with Cognitive Induction Techniques: Does Earlier Sleep Interruption Reduce Lucid Dream Induction Rate? Clocks & Sleep April 20, 2022
- Lucid and Liminal Dreaming for Creative Writing: Interdisciplinary Investigations and Experiments 2025
and 4 more in the library
Cites 13
- Lucid Dreaming Verified by Volitional Communication during Rem Sleep Perceptual and Motor Skills June 1, 1981
- Lucid Dreaming as a Learnable Skill: A Case Study Perceptual and Motor Skills December 1, 1980
- The Phenomenology of Lucid Dreaming: An Online Survey The American Journal of Psychology April 21, 2014
- Testing the involvement of the prefrontal cortex in lucid dreaming: A tDCS study Consciousness and Cognition September 8, 2013
- Frequency of Lucid Dreaming in a Representative German Sample Perceptual and Motor Skills February 1, 2011
and 8 more in the library