Sleep paralysis and nightmares can be turned into lucid dreams, allowing the dreamer to control the narrative. Scientists from the US, led by Jennifer Mundt and with the participation of Karen Konkoly, Remington Mallett, and Ken Paller (who are frequent researchers in this field), conducted a course of therapy on seven narcoleptics, as this group constantly suffers from both sleep paralysis and nightmares.
The work was carried out during the day: the scientists decided that narcoleptics would be able to fall asleep at any time of day. While awake, participants kept a dream diary and regularly listened to a special sound that was broadcast as a reminder to become lucid when they entered REM sleep. Participants were also trained to move their eyes to confirm lucidity.
Overall, the results were positive. For all participants, except one participant who dropped out of the treatment, nightmares and sleep paralysis declined, though each participant did report a couple of cases in which the number of nightmares increased. These cases were due to stress in real life or watching horror movies. Although daytime sleepiness did not disappear, the participants learned to manage its symptoms.
Have you ever used lucid dreaming as medicine?
The article was published in October 2024 in the Journal of Sleep Research.
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