American researchers conducted an out-of-body experiment in which 35 participants who had experience with lucid dreaming or meditation spent a night in a lab. The method involved meditation and light cues. Once lucid in their dreams, participants confirmed this in the classical way—by moving their eyes left and right. Meanwhile, scientists led by Teresa Campillo-Ferrer monitored the participants’ brain activity.
The authors introduce the concept of “unusual bodily experiences.” But this isn’t about drawing a strict line between sleep and wakefulness. The researchers believe such experiences can occur during dreaming, meditation, or even after taking psychedelics. Interestingly, an increase in alpha waves—which are typically associated with relaxation—doesn’t seem to play a key role. What matters more is a decrease in sleep-related brain activity (delta and theta waves) alongside an increase in wakefulness-related activity (beta and gamma), especially in the temporal lobes, which are responsible for bodily perception. But the most important factor is the spontaneity of the experience—it must feel real.
The study mentions a range of phase states, namely, out-of-body experiences, lucid dreams, and sleep paralysis, which are seen as different facets of a single “hybrid” state of consciousness. False awakenings are briefly noted as well. According to the authors, these phenomena are deeply interconnected through shared neural mechanisms.
Have you ever had an out-of-body experience while awake?
The preprint of the article was published in June 2025 on SSRN.
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