Induction of lucid dreams: a systematic review of evidence.
Tadas Stumbrys, Daniel Erlacher, Melanie Schädlich, Michael Schredl
Consciousness and Cognition September 1, 2012 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2012.07.003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Lucid dreaming |
| Key findings | None of the induction techniques were verified to induce lucid dreams reliably and consistently, although some appear promising. |
Abstract
In lucid dreams the dreamer is aware of dreaming and often able to influence the ongoing dream content. Lucid dreaming is a learnable skill and a variety of techniques is suggested for lucid dreaming induction. This systematic review evaluated the evidence for the effectiveness of induction techniques. A comprehensive literature search was carried out in biomedical databases and specific resources. Thirty-five studies were included in the analysis (11 sleep laboratory and 24 field studies), of which 26 employed cognitive techniques, 11 external stimulation and one drug application. The methodological quality of the included studies was relatively low. None of the induction techniques were verified to induce lucid dreams reliably and consistently, although some of them look promising. On the basis of the reviewed studies, a taxonomy of lucid dream induction methods is presented. Several methodological issues are discussed and further directions for future studies are proposed.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on lucid dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid dreaming incidence: A quality effects meta-analysis of 50 years of research | 2016 | Meta-analysis | |
| A systematic review of new empirical data on lucid dream induction techniques. Peer-reviewed studies on lucid dream induction techniques | 2023 | Systematic review | n = 19 |
| The effectiveness of lucid dreaming therapy in patients with nightmares: A systematic review. Adults with chronic and recurring nightmares | 2023 | Systematic review | |
| Testing Precognition and an Altered State of Consciousness with Selected Participants in the Ganzfeld Participants selected for self-reported creativity, prior psi experience or belief, or... | 2020 | Prospective meta-analysis | n = 60 |
| The relationship between mindfulness and lucid dreaming: A systematic review. | 2025 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 112
- The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews March 14, 2019
- Lucid Dreaming in Narcolepsy Sleep February 27, 2015
- 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
- My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? Frontiers in Psychology 2019
and 107 more in the library
Cites 33
- Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Sleep September 1, 2009
- Neural Correlates of Dream Lucidity Obtained from Contrasting Lucid versus Non-Lucid REM Sleep: A Combined EEG/fMRI Case Study Sleep June 29, 2012
- Lucid Dreaming Verified by Volitional Communication during Rem Sleep Perceptual and Motor Skills June 1, 1981
- Lucid Dreaming Treatment for Nightmares: A Pilot Study Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2006
- Lucid Dreaming as a Learnable Skill: A Case Study Perceptual and Motor Skills December 1, 1980
and 28 more in the library