Lucid dreaming – dreams of clarity

The concept of lucid dreaming was first named by Dutch psychiatrist Frederik Willems van Eeden in 1913, though descriptions of the phenomenon appear in Aristotle's writings. Modern research began in 1980 when LaBerge introduced a method for physiological investigation using eye signals. Current efforts aim to define the neurophysiological correlates of lucid dreaming, a goal not yet achieved. One application is in psychotherapy, mainly for treating nightmares, but other therapeutic potentials remain undiscovered and offer opportunities for future research.

Study at a glance

Abstract

AbstractAlthough the concept of ‘lucid dreaming’ was first coined by Frederik Willems van Eeden, a Dutch psychiatrist, and introduced at the meeting of The Society for Psychical Research held on 22 April 1913, the phenomenon of lucid dreaming was already known in earlier historical periods and its descriptions can be found in writings of Aristotle. However, modern lucid dreaming research was established only after LaBerge introduced his method for physiological investigation of lucid dreaming through eye signals in 1980. Current attempts in the field are directed at defining the neuro‐physiological correlates of lucid dreaming, an aim that still has yet to be achieved. One of the possible applications of lucid dreaming is in the field of psychotherapy where it is usually used in treating nightmares. However, other possible therapeutic potentials of lucid dreaming are still in the process of being discovered and therefore constitute a fertile area for future researchers. Copyright © 2009 British Society of Experimental & Clinical Hypnosis. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.