Lucid dreaming can be beneficial for psychological well-being, with combatting nightmares being the most popular application. However, an international group of scientists led by Sofia Tzioridou, with the participation of Martin Dresler, a regular researcher in this field, raised questions about the potential risks of lucid dreaming’s applications.
For example, a person may start to confuse dreams with reality, sometimes to the point that a person’s control over reality is affected. In particular, people with a predisposition to psychosis and dissociative disorders are at risk. Whereas the natural amnesia that we experience in regular sleep may reduce the likelihood of confusing dreams and reality, remembering dreams contributes to the practice of lucid dreaming.
The authors add that our daytime emotions carry over into our dreams. For instance, a person who is depressed or anxious in reality will experience similar feelings in their dreams. Although nightmares are associated with stress, they also serve as a mechanism for coping with it.
Have you ever confused a dream with reality?
The preprint of the article was published in September 2024 on OSF.
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