Exploring the therapeutic potential of lucid dreaming

a comprehensive review of the sleep cycle, dream theory, and nightmare treatment

Abstract

Sleep is essential for the proper functioning of the mind and body. However, despite its significance there is an aspect of sleep that remains a mystery: dreams, and, more specifically, lucid dreams. This paper compiles an array of research on the sleep cycle, dreaming, lucid dreaming, and lucid dreaming as a therapy for patients struggling with nightmares. Section one discusses the sleep cycle and our slow descent into deep sleep. It reviews the physical indications of each sleep stage, and also mentions how each stage benefits us. Section two aims to explore the physical changes that characterize dreaming, and the functions of dreams through the lens of two theorists, Carl Jung, and Sigmund Freud. Lastly, section three provides an in depth review of lucid dreaming before transitioning into explaining research that has investigated lucid dreaming therapy as an effective treatment for nightmares. There are countless questions surrounding the land of dreams, and more specifically lucid dreams. With further research, harnessing the power of lucid dreaming could cure millions of people who suffer from recurrent nightmares. This research review synthesized various articles and provided evidence that lucid dreaming therapy has reportedly reduced frequency and severity of nightmares. In addition to this, a study showed that lucid dreaming therapy also had the possibility of reducing symptoms of PTSD such as anxiety and depression. Much more research needs to be done in order to confidently say that lucid dreaming therapy is directly responsible for reduced frequency and severity of nightmares, but this possibility opens many doors for lucid dreaming research.