Self-perceived effects of lucid dreaming on mental and physical health
Daniel Erlacher, Michael Schredl, Tadas Stumbrys
BORIS October 9, 2020 DOI: 10.11588/ijodr.2020.2.75952 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Randomized Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 386 |
| Population | Participants who had lucid dream experiences |
| Topics | Lucid dreaming Meditation Dreaming |
| Keywords | Mental health Physical health Trait Test biology Clinical psychology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key findings | About 90% of participants reported some benefit of lucid dreams on their waking life, including mental and physical health, and this benefit was related to higher lucid dream frequency, trait mindfulness, and spirituality. |
Abstract
Anecdotal evidence that lucid dreaming might contribute to mental and physical health has been widely reported in the literature. Empirical research, though, is scarce. A brief questionnaire eliciting self-perceived benefits of lucid dreaming on mental and physical health had been completed by 386 participants who had lucid dream experiences. About 90% of the participants reported some benefit of lucid dreams on their waking life including mental and physical health. This benefit was related to higher lucid dream frequency, trait mindfulness, and spirituality. These promising results should encourage researchers to develop a manualized lucid dream therapy and test its effect on physical and mental health in a randomized waiting-list pre-post design. Qualitative research can answer questions regarding the specific mechanisms, i.e., how does lucid dreaming contribute to well-being in waking life in the long run.