Can Lucid Dreaming Help Our Mental Health?
The land of dreams is full of mystery, but research suggests lucid dreaming may benefit our waking lives.
In ancient cultures such as Greece, Egypt, India and Tibet, the art of lucid dreaming has been practised for thousands of years.
Different from dream control — where we can control our dreams — lucid dreaming is the art of being aware that we are dreaming, although the two often work together.
Lucid dreams can be induced by implementing practices such as dream journaling and performing “reality checks” when awake, or using techniques such as waking up intermittently during sleep, for example.
While research is currently limited, some studies show that lucid dreaming may have benefits for our wellbeing, helping to reduce symptoms of mental health conditions such as anxiety and PTSD.
The Science On Lucid Dreams
In a recent review of studies, researchers suggest that the level of conscious awareness in lucid dreams could be harnessed for therapeutic potential.
In particular, the review found that they may have clinical potential for nightmare disorder, which causes symptoms such as depression and insomnia, and increases risk of suicide.
The authors suggest that lucid dreams may help nightmare disorder as, depending on the level of control a dreamer has when they are lucid, they may be able to alter distressing content in their dreams.
During a lucid dream, an individual can access effective methods for processing trauma and grief, overcoming phobias, and even forming new patterns for healthier behavior.
For the same reason, the review found that the practice may help people living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma-related disorders.
“Lucid dreaming sits in an odd but fascinating space as you are asleep, yet part of your mind realises you are dreaming,” says Dr Pamela Walters, Medical Director at Eulas Clinics.
“That bit of awareness can give people a sense of control, which sometimes helps them rework distressing dreams or at least feel less trapped in them. The safest way to explore it is gently.”
For anxiety, the review suggests that lucid dreaming may enable the dreamer to reduce anxiety in dreams, strengthen emotional regulation skills and build confidence.
Being able to face something in a dream that you have been avoiding when awake can be quite powerful.
Dr Walters, who is interested in how lucid dreams might support emotional processing, says that not all positive outcomes are achieved through lucidity, and there is currently no conclusive evidence supporting the therapy’s superiority over established interventions.
However, Dr Walters does believe that lucid dreaming may have use in cases where other behavioural treatments fail.
“Early research on lucid dreaming for wellbeing looks encouraging, but it is still a poorly researched space and more research is needed before lucid dreams become mainstream therapy,” says Dr Walters.
Dreaming Of Better Health
Dr. Sydney Ceruto, Founder and CEO of MindLAB Neuroscience, highlights that lucid dreaming is becoming an increasingly popular way to treat mental health issues.
“When someone recognizes they are dreaming and can affect what happens in their dreams, the transformation happens,” says Dr. Ceruto.
“This information can help people who have lost someone or been through a traumatic event to calm their nerves, and help people who have difficulties sleeping due to nightmares.”
In her work, Dr. Ceruto explains that lucid dreaming helps her clients deal with dangerous or stressful situations in a safe way, as when people can change the course of a nightmare or revisit a bad memory with greater control, their daytime worry often diminishes with time.
“People who have been through trauma or have PTSD can learn new ways to respond in lucid dreams that their brains usually don’t use in real life,” says Dr. Ceruto.
“They wake up with that sensation of control, which makes them feel more confident and better equipped to deal with stress in their daily life.”
How To Give Yourself Lucid Dreams
Lucid dreams can be safely induced through different practices. Juliet Annerino, a hypnotherapist at Silverlake Hypnotherapy implements techniques for helping people access states of lucid dreaming.
“Learning to dream lucidly is a skill that may take some longer than others to learn,” says Annerino.
“Keeping a dream diary and forming the habit of immediately waking after a dream, then writing it down, are part of this process. Using a scene cue, such as remembering to look at one’s hands in a dream, is another tactic I teach my clients for lucid dreaming.”
Annerino says she provides clients with direct suggestions during hypnotherapy sessions for lucid dreaming, enabling them to continue accessing the subconscious “for the release of anxiety, closure in relationships, and healing of past trauma.”
“During a lucid dream, an individual can access effective methods for processing trauma and grief, overcoming phobias, and even forming new patterns for healthier behavior — in dreams first and continuing into waking life,” says Annerino.
“As the lucid dreamer acts more as a “director” than as an “actor” in their dreams, scenes can be experienced second-hand, giving the dreamer a once-removed and safe distance for emotional processing.”
This sense of control helps quell feelings of anxiety and helplessness, instilling instead a feeling of peace and serenity, she explains.
Dr. Ceruto suggests checking reality during the day, or using light cues that gently rouse you awake during REM sleep. “So far, studies look positive, but it’s still early, however, early studies show that people who used these methods regularly had fewer nightmares and better sleep.
“There is still a lot to learn, and this method won’t replace all other kinds of therapy. Some people who feel stuck or confined by speech therapy alone are finding that lucid dreaming is a new method to recover and learn about themselves.”
People can also help to trigger lucid dreams by doing daytime reflection and avoiding anything that disrupts sleep, Dr Walters says.
“Being able to face something in a dream that you have been avoiding when awake can be quite powerful.”
