The Psychology of Lucid Dreaming

Lucid dreaming is an interesting concept; simply put, lucid dreamers experience the ability to control their dreams while in a sleep state. No concrete proof of this phenomenon exists, but researchers such as Stephen Le Berge, Ph.D., have utilized a psycho physiological approach to confirm the existence of lucid dreaming.

The challenge in proving a concept like lucid dreaming scientifically is that there is no way for others to see inside an individual's dream, which necessitates a high dependence on subjective accounts. Critics of lucid dreaming have pondered whether or not individuals who claim to be able to control their dreams are actually in a sleep-wake state.

According to Wikipedia, Celia Green's 1968 study of lucid dreams acknowledged the potential of the concept in the scientific realm, and she discovered that this kind of dreaming is often occurs in the rapid eye movement or REM stage of sleep. REM sleep, as well as being the state most conducive to lucid dreaming, is also the phase in which the mind is most capable of synthesizing diverse ideas

Dr. Berge’s research has furthered the concept of lucid dreaming in the public eye, and it has also shed light on some of the benefits of this unique ability. Now that scientific evidence supports the assertions of lucid dreamers, a much wider array of people are likely to take an interest in seeking out this experience for themselves. It is said to foster creativity, as lucid dreaming allows an individual to focus more fully on creative problem solving, because of the dreamer's freedom from distractions.

One way to test the validity of lucid dreaming is to provide test subjects with certain instructions before they go to sleep during the assessment. These instructions are given so that subjects can communicate their awareness that they are dreaming, and show that they are capable of remembering and following these instructions when in a dream state.

Interesting findings of various research studies on lucid dreaming were that subjects were able to indicate their perceptions of the passage of time while in their dream, and this perception was roughly comparable to the actual passage of time, which indicates that they were truly asleep and not in contact with normal sensory stimuli. The possibilities associated with lucid dreaming are limitless; more research needs to be done before humans can harvest the power of this ability.

This post is brought to you by Argosy University. Drawing upon our more than 30-year history of granting degrees in professional psychology, Argosy University has developed a curriculum that focuses on interpersonal skills and practical experience alongside academic learning. Because getting a degree is one thing. Succeeding, quite another.