Light Sleeper, Heavy Dreamer: A Neuroscientific Perspective of Lucid Dreaming

Lucid dreaming—being aware of dreaming during a dream—has been studied for 50 years using polysomnography and fMRI. This review describes distinct neural features of lucid dreaming, including brain electrical activities, activated cortical regions, and related neural substrates. Lucid dreaming is linked to high-level cognitive functions such as metacognition, offering insight into the neural mechanisms of consciousness. Beyond basic research, lucid dreaming has applications in clinical therapy, motor skill training, and human-computer interaction, indicating its potential in neuroscience and everyday life.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Lucid dreaming, the experience of being aware of dreaming in the dream, offers a unique window for neuroscientific research. In the last 50 years, the study of lucid dreaming has developed rapidly due to the advances in neuroscience, especially polysomnography and fMRI. This review highlights the neuroscientific basis of lucid dreaming about distinct neural features, varying from brain electrical activities to activated cortical regions and related substantial neural basis of lucid dreaming. Such results give us a whole picture of lucid dreaming from a neuroscientific perspective. Furthermore, lucid dreaming is related to high-level cognitive functions, such as metacognition, partly suggesting the neural mechanism of consciousness, as well as giving us a platform to delve further into it. Apart from basic studies, lucid dreaming has applications ranging from clinical therapy to motor skill training and human-computer interaction. These findings suggest the great potential of lucid dreaming in both neuroscientific research and everyday scenarios.