Despite the fears of some scientists about the possible negative impact of lucid dreaming on people’s physical and mental health, actual practitioners are increasingly sharing amazing stories of how their lives have changed thanks to the influence of lucid dreams. Thus, according to a 2016 survey, 40% of practitioners said they use lucid dreams for physical or mental healing.
The study’s authors, led by Daniel Erlacher of the University of Bern in Switzerland, recently published new data. It was found that out of 386 survey participants who practice lucid dreaming, 90% feel the beneficial impact of the practice on their mental and physical health. Moreover, more than half of the participants experience lucid dreams more often than once a month. According to scientists, these promising results are associated with the participants’ increased awareness.
The scientists also note that experiments on the use of lucid dreaming for inner growth and self-healing have shown positive results since the 1980s. The practice of lucid dreaming develops mindfulness and openness; it teaches us to cope with difficult situations, which has a beneficial effect on dreamers’ self-esteem.
In the future, for the sake of evaluating the qualitative aspect of this effect, the authors propose to conduct an experiment on long-term lucid dreaming therapy, with an assessment of the participants’ state before and after. This kind of study can be conducted in rehabilitation programs, for example, to test whether the practice of lucid dreaming can accelerate the process of physical and mental recovery.
The study was published in October 2020 in the International Journal of Dream Research.
