Phenomenology of lucid dreaming, sleep paralysis, and false awakenings: Encounters with the Self
Reean Jyka Purisima Corral
University Library Heidelberg December 29, 2025 DOI: 10.11588/ijodr.2026.1.114820 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative phenomenological analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Filipina dreamer |
| Topics | Lucid dreaming Dreaming Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Phenomenology philosophy Liminality Sleep paralysis Situated Interpretative phenomenological analysis Self Narrative Cognitive psychology Lived experience Transpersonal Dilemma Sleep system call Epistemology |
| Key findings | Lucid dreaming, sleep paralysis, and false awakenings may form an interrelated sequence rather than isolated phenomena, particularly during intermediate states between REM sleep and wakefulness. |
Abstract
Lucid dreaming (LD), sleep paralysis (SP), and false awakenings (FA) are liminal sleep phenomena that are often studied independently, despite evidence suggesting that they may arise from overlapping states of consciousness. Within Filipino cultural contexts, such experiences are frequently interpreted through folklore and superstition, such as bangungot, rather than through scientific or phenomenological frameworks. This paper presents a qualitative, phenomenological analysis of LD, SP, and FA through the first-person account of a Filipina dreamer, integrating personal experience with existing sleep research. Drawing on dream journaling and subjective interpretation, the study introduces the concept of the false awakening loop as a proposed theoretical framework describing consecutive false awakenings occurring within a single sleep episode. The findings suggest that LD, SP, and FA may form an interrelated sequence rather than isolated phenomena, particularly during intermediate states between REM sleep and wakefulness. By situating individual experience within both cultural and scientific contexts, this paper highlights the value of phenomenological approaches in understanding liminal dream states and underscores the need for further qualitative research on false awakening loops and culturally situated dream experiences.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on lucid dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-Level Control in Lucid Dreams Adults who experience at least one lucid dream per year | 2020 | Qualitative study | n = 107 |
| Dreamers as agents making strategizing efforts exemplify core aggregate of executive function in non-lucid dreaming Archived cross-cultural dreams | 2012 | Qualitative study using grounded theory | |
| Lucid music – A pilot study exploring the experiences and potential of music-making in lucid dreams. Musicians who reported lucid dreams involving playing instruments and singing | 2018 | Qualitative study | n = 5 |
| Exploring the range of reported dream lucidity Participants who implemented mnemonic training lucid dream induction methods at home | 2021 | Observational study with qualitative component | |
| Methods of Exploring Transpersonal Lucid Dreams: Ineffability and Creative Consciousness | 2020 | Mixed methods (quantitative, phenomenological, art-based inquiry) |