The time when the scientific community denied the very fact of the reality of lucid dreams (LD) is a thing of the past. Today, researchers do not ask whether the LD phenomenon exists; they want to know how to induce and control it. Authors from China—Shuyue Tan and Jialin Fan— conducted a review of recent articles on LD techniques. Only nineteen articles were included in the sample due to the strict selection criteria: only peer-reviewed articles in English, based on experiments with LD induction techniques, involving more than five participants, published after 2010.
The researchers found a total of fourteen techniques:
1. Mnemonic induction of lucid dreams (MILD): waking up in the middle of the night, remembering the last dream, forming an intention to become conscious next time, and falling asleep again.
2. Reality checks: systematically asking yourself if you are in a dream throughout the day.
3. Dream journaling: recording your dreams every morning (this technique is usually used to improve dream memory).
4. Senses-initiated lucid dream (SSILD): waking up after five hours of sleep and focusing on vision, hearing, and bodily sensations.
5. Meditation.
6. A combined technique consisting of reality checks and auto-suggestion before trying to fall asleep.
7. External stimulation via various inputs: smells, sounds, visual or tactile signals.
8. Intake of substances: α-GPC (less side effects, but no significant results) or galantamine (the effectiveness depends on the dose, but there are side effects).
9. Electric current stimulation: alternating (no effect) or direct (mild effect).
The authors then analyzed each study and evaluated the technique in question as effective, insufficient/ambiguous, or ineffective. Only the MILD technique was rated “effective,” as it showed successful results across six experiments. The scientists considered reality checks, dream journaling, SSILD, the combined technique, visual and sound stimulation, as well as galantamine intake to be insufficient or ambiguous. The other methods received the verdict of “ineffective.”
As the researchers add, some techniques still seem very promising, even though the evidence regarding them is currently inconclusive. It is necessary to repeat experiments on these techniques in the future to make sure of their reliability.
What is the easiest technique for you to induce lucid dreaming?
The article was published in November 2022 in the Journal of Sleep Research.
Drugs and plants may have side effects and should only be used in consultation with a doctor. This article does not call for independent experiments.
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