Findings From the International Lucid Dream Induction Study

Abstract

The International Lucid Dream Induction Study (ILDIS) investigated and compared the effectiveness of five different combinations of lucid dream induction techniques including reality testing (RT), Wake Back to Bed (WBTB), the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD) technique, the Senses Initiated Lucid Dream (SSILD) technique, and a hybrid technique combining elements of both MILD and SSILD. Participants with an interest in lucid dreaming (N = 355) completed a pre-test questionnaire and then a baseline sleep and dream recall logbook for 1 week before practicing the lucid dream induction techniques for another week. Results indicated that the MILD technique and the SSILD technique were similarly effective for inducing lucid dreams. The hybrid technique showed no advantage over MILD or SSILD. Predictors of successful lucid dream induction included superior general dream recall and the ability to fall asleep within 10 min of completing the lucid dream induction techniques. Successful lucid dream induction had no adverse effect on sleep quality. Findings indicated that the techniques were effective regardless of baseline lucid dreaming frequency or prior experience with lucid dreaming techniques. Recommendations for further research on lucid dream induction techniques are provided.

Validation of the Spanish Version of the Lucidity and Consciousness in Dreams Scale

“…Lucid dreaming is a specific phenomenon of dream consciousness that has been defined as the experience of knowing one is dreaming while one is dreaming ( LaBerge, 1985 , 2009 ). This has been described throughout human history and is a field of growing scientific interest ( Van Eeden, 1913 ; LaBerge, 1990 ; Harb et al, 2016 ; Saunders et al, 2016 ; Aspy, 2020 ; Yu and Shen, 2020 ; Ferreira et al, 2021 ).…”

“…It has been suggested that deliberate control is possible in approximately one-third of LDs ( Soffer-Dudek, 2020 ; for example, changing location and deliberately waking up; Aspy, 2020 ), although it seems to be dependent on specific aspects of control (e.g., whether controlling the dream body or the environment) where higher rates were found ( Stumbrys and Erlacher, 2017 ). Stumbrys and Erlacher (2017) pointed out that full control over the dream plot is possible in about two-thirds of cases, while control of the dream environment and the ability to maintain dream awareness are possible in less than half of cases, where the main predictors of LD control were higher LD frequency and dispositional mindfulness in wakefulness, as well as younger age.…”

“…While spontaneous LDs have been reported, their deliberate induction has also become widespread ( Soffer-Dudek, 2020 ), and several techniques have been proposed and tested (e.g., reality testing, mnemonic induction of lucid dreams technique, and incubation of external stimuli into dreams; Stumbrys et al, 2012 ; Mota-Rolim et al, 2019 ; Aspy, 2020 ).…”

Exploring the range of reported dream lucidity

“…Notably, lucid dreaming therapy has recently been scrutinized for its potential negative impact due to occasional sleep interruptions and/or reality-fantasy questioning (Soffer-Dudek, 2020;Vallat & Ruby, 2019). Our data shows no relationship between lucidity and negative affect or subjective sleep quality (as in Aspy, 2020;Ribeiro et al, 2020;Schadow et al, 2018;Schredl et al, 2020;Stocks et al, 2020), however we did not implement measures of psychosis, which will be important for future lucid dream induction studies.…”

Nothingness Is All There Is: An Exploration of Objectless Awareness During Sleep

“…Moreover, conducting this sort of research in an experimental setting will help by shortening the temporal lag between experience and report (see De Vignemont, 2013) and thus, to meet with the gold standard of dream research of facilitating reports that are as close to the experience as possible. Although this might prove challenging, given the rarity and spontaneity of these sorts of experiences, future studies should investigate whether possible forms of objectless awareness like the one described here can be trained or be induced, like lucid dreaming (Voss et al, 2014;Sparrow et al, 2018;Aspy, 2020;Blanchette-Carrière et al, 2020).…”