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Daniel Erlacher - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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wake up work on Dreams back to bed and Lucid dream a sleep laboratory study
Frontiers in Psychology, 2020Co-Authors: Daniel Erlacher, Tadas StumbrysAbstract:Lucid dreaming offers many opportunities to study consciousness processes. However, laboratory research in this area is limited because frequent Lucid dreamers are rare. Several studies demonstrated that different methods of induction could increase the number of Lucid Dreams. In four field studies, a combination of a wake-up-back-to-bed (WBTB) sleep protocol and a mnemonic technique (MILD) showed promising results. To further investigate the effectiveness of this combined approach, we conducted a sleep laboratory experiment with four different conditions. The general experimental procedure was the following: Participants were awakened after 6 h of sleep from a subsequent REM period and kept awake for 30 or 60 min, during which they were asked to practice MILD or a control task (e.g., reading). Then they returned to bed for a morning sleep period. In the first condition eleven sport students, who attended a seminar on sleep and Dreams, spent one night in a sleep laboratory. To avoid biases due to the seminar attendance (e.g., higher motivation), in the second condition 15 participants who did not attend the seminar were recruited. In the third condition, 14 sport students were tested with a shorter awakening period (30 min). Finally, the fourth condition served as a control condition, whereas eleven sport students slept two non-consecutive nights in a laboratory. Instead of MILD, in one night the participants read a book (fiction, unrelated to Dreams), while in the other night they played a Nintendo Wii video game. In the first three conditions, six (54%), eight (53%), and five participants (36%) reported Lucid Dreams during the morning sleep period, whereas three, (27%), four (27%), and two participants (14%) produced PSG-verified eye signals. In contrast, in the reading condition, only one (9%) participant reported Lucid Dreams and no eye movements. No Lucid Dreams were observed in the Wii condition. The findings of the present study show that by using a combination of WBTB and MILD, Lucid Dreams can be effectively induced in people who are not selected for their Lucid dream abilities.
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Inducing Lucid Dreams by olfactory-cued reactivation of reality testing during early-morning sleep: A proof of concept.
Consciousness and cognition, 2020Co-Authors: Daniel Erlacher, Daniel Schmid, Silvan Schuler, Björn RaschAbstract:The reliable induction of Lucid Dreams is a challenge in Lucid dream research. In a previous study by our research group we were able to induce in about 50% of the participants a Lucid dream in a single sleep laboratory night by combining a wake-up-back-to-bed sleep protocol and a mnemonic technique. In the present study, we extended our previous procedure by additional presentation of an odor during sleep to reactivate memory traces about reality testing. In total 16 male participants spent a single night in the sleep lab whereas the procedure induced in two participants a Lucid dream (12.5%). The induction rate stays below the success rate of our previous study and therefore odor-cueing seems not a promising technique for inducing Lucid Dreams. Beside the odor presentation, several other methodological changes have been made, which will be discussed and hopefully help further dream engineering to improve induction techniques.
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Lucid dream induction by auditory stimulation and reality testing during early-morning sleep
International Journal of Dream Research, 2020Co-Authors: Daniel Schmid, Daniel ErlacherAbstract:One challenge in Lucid dream research executed in a laboratory setting is the reliable induction of Lucid Dreams. A possible way to solve this issue is the combination of already known and effective induction techniques (Stumbrys, Erlacher, Schadlich, & Schredl, 2012). The present study combines the wake-up-back-to-bed sleep protocol (WBTB) with reality testing and acoustic stimulation by music. The following question was posed: would repeating the same music presented during the waking dream work session during the subsequent REM sleep increase the chance of a Lucid dream experience. In total 21 participants spent a single night in the sleep lab. The whole procedure induced in 3 participants a Lucid dream (14.3%), however none of those Lucid Dreams were verified by LRLR eye signal. The success rate of a combination of auditory stimulation with reality testing thus lies below the success rate of other induction techniques. The incorporation of music as a theme was found in 9 (19.6%) out of 69 dream reports which is in accordance with previously reported incorporation rates. Beside the music presentation, other methodological adjustments were made (e.g., shortening of the first part of the night to 4.5 h), which will be discussed and hopefully help further research to increase Lucid dream induction rate.
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Self-perceived effects of Lucid dreaming on men-tal and physical health
International Journal of Dream Research, 2020Co-Authors: Daniel Erlacher, Michael Schredl, Tadas StumbrysAbstract:Anecdotal evidence that Lucid dreaming might contribute to mental and physical health has been widely reported in the literature. Empirical research, though, is scarce. A brief questionnaire eliciting self-perceived benefits of Lucid dreaming on mental and physical health had been completed by 386 participants who had Lucid dream experi-ences. About 90% of the participants reported some benefit of Lucid Dreams on their waking life including mental and physical health. This benefit was related to higher Lucid dream frequency, trait mindfulness, and spirituality. These prom-ising results should encourage researchers to develop a manualized Lucid dream therapy and test its effect on physical and mental health in a randomized waiting-list pre-post design. Qualitative research can answer questions regarding the specific mechanisms, i.e., how does Lucid dreaming contribute to well-being in waking life in the long run.
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complicated movements should be practiced in Dreams paul tholey about sports Lucid Dreams and consciousness
International Journal of Dream Research, 2018Co-Authors: Daniel ErlacherAbstract:Paul Tholey (1937-1998) was one of the pioneers of modern Lucid dream research and he had a tremendous impact on Lucid dream research in general and on my own work. Therefore, it is a pleasure to write a review about the edited book by Gerhard Stemberger (2018), which covers a collection of eleven papers written by Tholey. Stemberger and Tholey knew each other very well and this book was a long-planned project. Together with Tholey, when he was still alive, they decided on the selection of papers included in this work. In this book review, I would like to introduce and review the edited book and the papers of the collection, give some background information on Tholeys work, mainly in the context of Lucid dream research, and finally add some personal notes.
Michael Schredl - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Self-perceived effects of Lucid dreaming on men-tal and physical health
International Journal of Dream Research, 2020Co-Authors: Daniel Erlacher, Michael Schredl, Tadas StumbrysAbstract:Anecdotal evidence that Lucid dreaming might contribute to mental and physical health has been widely reported in the literature. Empirical research, though, is scarce. A brief questionnaire eliciting self-perceived benefits of Lucid dreaming on mental and physical health had been completed by 386 participants who had Lucid dream experi-ences. About 90% of the participants reported some benefit of Lucid Dreams on their waking life including mental and physical health. This benefit was related to higher Lucid dream frequency, trait mindfulness, and spirituality. These prom-ising results should encourage researchers to develop a manualized Lucid dream therapy and test its effect on physical and mental health in a randomized waiting-list pre-post design. Qualitative research can answer questions regarding the specific mechanisms, i.e., how does Lucid dreaming contribute to well-being in waking life in the long run.
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Effects of Lucid dream induction on external-rated Lucidity, dream emotions, and dream bizarreness
International Journal of Dream Research, 2018Co-Authors: Sophie Dyck, Michael Schredl, Nina Kummer, Nina König, Anja KühnelAbstract:Lucidity is a rare phenomenon, thus different induction techniques are used to increase the frequency of Lucid dreaming. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Lucid dream induction (three different cognitive methods: Dream diary, Wake-up-back-to-Bed, and reality testing/reflection) on external rated Lucidity, dream length, overall emotional tone, and bizarreness. Overall, 110 participants completed the three-week study protocol. Results showed only few external-rated Lucid Dreams compared to the high percentage Dreams including some form of self-rated Lucidity. The small effect of increasing positive dream emotions during the course of the study fit in with the framework of the Imagery Rehearsal Therapy. No effects on dream length and dream bizarreness were found.
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Lucid Dreaming Frequency and the Big Five Personality Factors
Imagination Cognition and Personality, 2016Co-Authors: Gabriela Hess, Michael Schredl, Anja S. GöritzAbstract:Lucid dreaming frequency varies strongly among individuals and, thus, research has focused on identifying what factors affect this phenomenon. The present study, an online survey (N = 2,492), focused on the relationship between the Big Five personality dimensions and Lucid dreaming frequency. Additionally, the personality correlates of the age of the first Lucid dream were investigated. In our sample, a small but substantial portion of individual differences concerning Lucid dreaming frequency was explained by the Big Five personality factors. Openness to experiences correlated positively with Lucid dreaming frequency, whereas the correlation was negative for agreeableness. The relationship between neuroticism and Lucid dreaming frequency disappeared when nightmare frequency was controlled. Future researchers should examine the relationship of the Big Five factors with the attitudes toward and the contents of Lucid Dreams. Moreover, longitudinal studies should investigate the Lucid dream socialization of ...
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Lucid dreaming and personality in children/adolescents and adults: The UK library study
International Journal of Dream Research, 2016Co-Authors: Michael Schredl, Josie Henley-einion, Mark BlagroveAbstract:Research that has focused on the relationship between the Big Five personality dimensions and Lucid dreaming frequency has been restricted to student samples. The present study included adolescents and adults (N = 1375). i.e., the sample included a large range of ages. Lucid dreaming was more strongly related to openness to experiences compared to previous findings. The small but significant negative correlation between conscientiousness and Lucid dreaming should be followed up by studies relating the Big Five personality factors to the contents of Lucid Dreams.
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effectiveness of motor practice in Lucid Dreams a comparison with physical and mental practice
Journal of Sports Sciences, 2016Co-Authors: Tadas Stumbrys, Daniel Erlacher, Michael SchredlAbstract:AbstractMotor practice in Lucid Dreams is a form of mental rehearsal where the dreamer can consciously rehearse motor skills in the dream state while being physically asleep. A previous pilot study showed that practice in Lucid Dreams can improve subsequent performance. This study aimed to replicate those findings with a different task (finger-tapping) and compare the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice (LDP) not only to physical but also to mental practice (MP) in wakefulness. An online experiment was completed by 68 participants within four groups: LDP group, MP group, physical practice (PP) group and control (no practice) group. Pre-test was accomplished in the evening, post-test in the next morning, while the practice was done during the night. All three practice groups significantly improved their performance from pre-test to post-test, but no significant improvements were observed for the control group. Subjective sleep quality was not affected by night practice. This study thus corroborates the p...
Tadas Stumbrys - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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wake up work on Dreams back to bed and Lucid dream a sleep laboratory study
Frontiers in Psychology, 2020Co-Authors: Daniel Erlacher, Tadas StumbrysAbstract:Lucid dreaming offers many opportunities to study consciousness processes. However, laboratory research in this area is limited because frequent Lucid dreamers are rare. Several studies demonstrated that different methods of induction could increase the number of Lucid Dreams. In four field studies, a combination of a wake-up-back-to-bed (WBTB) sleep protocol and a mnemonic technique (MILD) showed promising results. To further investigate the effectiveness of this combined approach, we conducted a sleep laboratory experiment with four different conditions. The general experimental procedure was the following: Participants were awakened after 6 h of sleep from a subsequent REM period and kept awake for 30 or 60 min, during which they were asked to practice MILD or a control task (e.g., reading). Then they returned to bed for a morning sleep period. In the first condition eleven sport students, who attended a seminar on sleep and Dreams, spent one night in a sleep laboratory. To avoid biases due to the seminar attendance (e.g., higher motivation), in the second condition 15 participants who did not attend the seminar were recruited. In the third condition, 14 sport students were tested with a shorter awakening period (30 min). Finally, the fourth condition served as a control condition, whereas eleven sport students slept two non-consecutive nights in a laboratory. Instead of MILD, in one night the participants read a book (fiction, unrelated to Dreams), while in the other night they played a Nintendo Wii video game. In the first three conditions, six (54%), eight (53%), and five participants (36%) reported Lucid Dreams during the morning sleep period, whereas three, (27%), four (27%), and two participants (14%) produced PSG-verified eye signals. In contrast, in the reading condition, only one (9%) participant reported Lucid Dreams and no eye movements. No Lucid Dreams were observed in the Wii condition. The findings of the present study show that by using a combination of WBTB and MILD, Lucid Dreams can be effectively induced in people who are not selected for their Lucid dream abilities.
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Self-perceived effects of Lucid dreaming on men-tal and physical health
International Journal of Dream Research, 2020Co-Authors: Daniel Erlacher, Michael Schredl, Tadas StumbrysAbstract:Anecdotal evidence that Lucid dreaming might contribute to mental and physical health has been widely reported in the literature. Empirical research, though, is scarce. A brief questionnaire eliciting self-perceived benefits of Lucid dreaming on mental and physical health had been completed by 386 participants who had Lucid dream experi-ences. About 90% of the participants reported some benefit of Lucid Dreams on their waking life including mental and physical health. This benefit was related to higher Lucid dream frequency, trait mindfulness, and spirituality. These prom-ising results should encourage researchers to develop a manualized Lucid dream therapy and test its effect on physical and mental health in a randomized waiting-list pre-post design. Qualitative research can answer questions regarding the specific mechanisms, i.e., how does Lucid dreaming contribute to well-being in waking life in the long run.
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Mindfulness and Lucid Dream Frequency Predicts the Ability to Control Lucid Dreams
Imagination Cognition and Personality, 2016Co-Authors: Tadas Stumbrys, Daniel ErlacherAbstract:In Lucid Dreams, the dreamer is aware that one is dreaming; however, this does not necessary imply that the dreamer has complete control over the ongoing dream narrative. The present study explored...
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Applications of Lucid Dreams and their effects on the mood upon awakening.
International Journal of Dream Research, 2016Co-Authors: Tadas Stumbrys, Daniel ErlacherAbstract:In Lucid Dreams the dreamers are aware that they are dreaming and can use this state for a variety of different purposes. In an online survey, 528 respondents, of whom 386 were Lucid dreamers, were asked how often have they used different applications of Lucid Dreams lately and how did this influence their mood upon awakening. According to the reports, wish fulfilment was the most frequent application used by 83% of Lucid dreamers on 42.8% of occasions, followed by solving waking problems (57% of Lucid dreamers; 14.5% of occasions), overcoming fears/nightmares (47%; 10.8%), spiritual experiences (43%; 8.1%), physical/mental healing (40%; 11.4%), and training motor skills (31%; 4.2%), with meditation being the least popular application (11%; 1.3%). Younger participants, as well as men, were more likely to engage in wish fulfilment, whereas more mature and more experienced Lucid dreamers more used their Lucid Dreams for inner work (solving waking problems, physical/mental healing, meditation). Women were more likely to use their Lucid Dreams for overcoming fears/nightmares and healing. All applications influenced mood upon awakening positively to neutrally, with the most positive moods being after wish fulfilment, which helps to eLucidate why it is the most popular application of Lucid Dreams.
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effectiveness of motor practice in Lucid Dreams a comparison with physical and mental practice
Journal of Sports Sciences, 2016Co-Authors: Tadas Stumbrys, Daniel Erlacher, Michael SchredlAbstract:AbstractMotor practice in Lucid Dreams is a form of mental rehearsal where the dreamer can consciously rehearse motor skills in the dream state while being physically asleep. A previous pilot study showed that practice in Lucid Dreams can improve subsequent performance. This study aimed to replicate those findings with a different task (finger-tapping) and compare the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice (LDP) not only to physical but also to mental practice (MP) in wakefulness. An online experiment was completed by 68 participants within four groups: LDP group, MP group, physical practice (PP) group and control (no practice) group. Pre-test was accomplished in the evening, post-test in the next morning, while the practice was done during the night. All three practice groups significantly improved their performance from pre-test to post-test, but no significant improvements were observed for the control group. Subjective sleep quality was not affected by night practice. This study thus corroborates the p...
Benjamin Baird - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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The cognitive neuroscience of Lucid dreaming.
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews, 2019Co-Authors: Benjamin Baird, Sergio A. Mota-rolim, Martin DreslerAbstract:Lucid dreaming refers to the phenomenon of becoming aware of the fact that one is dreaming during ongoing sleep. Despite having been physiologically validated for decades, the neurobiology of Lucid dreaming is still incompletely characterized. Here we review the neuroscientific literature on Lucid dreaming, including electroencephalographic, neuroimaging, brain lesion, pharmacological and brain stimulation studies. Electroencephalographic studies of Lucid dreaming are mostly underpowered and show mixed results. Neuroimaging data is scant but preliminary results suggest that prefrontal and parietal regions are involved in Lucid dreaming. A focus of research is also to develop methods to induce Lucid Dreams. Combining training in mental set with cholinergic stimulation has shown promising results, while it remains unclear whether electrical brain stimulation could be used to induce Lucid Dreams. Finally, we discuss strategies to measure Lucid dreaming, including best-practice procedures for the sleep laboratory. Lucid dreaming has clinical and scientific applications, and shows emerging potential as a methodology in the cognitive neuroscience of consciousness. Further research with larger sample sizes and refined methodology is needed.
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Frequent Lucid dreaming associated with increased functional connectivity between frontopolar cortex and temporoparietal association areas
Scientific reports, 2018Co-Authors: Benjamin Baird, Anna Castelnovo, Olivia Gosseries, Giulio TononiAbstract:Humans typically lack awareness that they are dreaming while dreaming. However, at times a remarkable exception occurs and reflective consciousness can be regained while dreaming, referred to as Lucid dreaming. While most individuals experience Lucid Dreams rarely there is substantial variance in Lucid dream frequency. The neurobiological basis of Lucid dreaming is unknown, but evidence points to involvement of anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) and parietal cortex. This study evaluated the neuroanatomical/neurofunctional correlates of frequent Lucid Dreams and specifically whether functional connectivity of aPFC is associated with frequent Lucid Dreams. We analyzed structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging from an exceptional sample of fourteen individuals who reported ≥3 Lucid Dreams/week and a control group matched on age, gender and dream recall that reported ≤1 Lucid dream/year. Compared to controls, the frequent Lucid dream group showed significantly increased resting-state functional connectivity between left aPFC and bilateral angular gyrus, bilateral middle temporal gyrus and right inferior frontal gyrus, and higher node degree and strength in left aPFC. In contrast, no significant differences in brain structure were observed. Our results suggest that frequent Lucid dreaming is associated with increased functional connectivity between aPFC and temporoparietal association areas, regions normally deactivated during sleep.
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pre sleep treatment with galantamine stimulates Lucid dreaming a double blind placebo controlled crossover study
PLOS ONE, 2018Co-Authors: Stephen Laberge, Kristen Lamarca, Benjamin BairdAbstract:Lucid dreaming is a remarkable state of consciousness in which one is aware of the fact that one is dreaming while continuing to dream. Based on the strong relationship between physiological activation during rapid eye-movement sleep and Lucid dreaming, our pilot research investigated whether enhancing cortical activation via acetylcholinesterease inhibition (AChEI) would increase the frequency of Lucid Dreams and found AChEI to be a promising method for Lucid dream induction. In the current study we sought to quantify the size and reliability of the effect of AChEI on Lucid dreaming, dream recall and dream content as well as to test the effectiveness of an integrated Lucid dream induction protocol which combined cholinergic stimulation with other methods for Lucid dream induction. Participants (N = 121) with high dream recall and an interest in Lucid dreaming were randomly assigned counterbalanced orders of 3 doses of galantamine (0, 4 and 8 mg). On 3 consecutive nights, they awoke approximately 4.5 hours after lights out, recalled a dream, ingested the capsules and stayed out of bed for at least 30 minutes. Participants then returned to bed and practiced the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams technique while returning to sleep. The percentage of participants who reported a Lucid dream was significantly increased for both 4 mg (27%, odds ratio = 2.29) and 8 mg doses (42%, odds ratio = 4.46) compared to the active placebo procedure (14%). Galantamine also significantly increased dream recall, sensory vividness and complexity (p<0.05). Dream recall, cognitive clarity, control, positive emotion, vividness and self-reflection were increased during Lucid compared to non-Lucid Dreams (p<0.0001). These results show that galantamine increases the frequency of Lucid Dreams in a dose-related manner. Furthermore, the integrated method of taking galantamine in the last third of the night with at least 30 minutes of sleep interruption and with an appropriately focused mental set is one of the most effective methods for inducing Lucid Dreams available today.
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Pre-sleep treatment with galantamine stimulates Lucid dreaming: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.
PloS one, 2018Co-Authors: Stephen Laberge, Kristen Lamarca, Benjamin BairdAbstract:Lucid dreaming is a remarkable state of consciousness in which one is aware of the fact that one is dreaming while continuing to dream. Based on the strong relationship between physiological activation during rapid eye-movement sleep and Lucid dreaming, our pilot research investigated whether enhancing cortical activation via acetylcholinesterease inhibition (AChEI) would increase the frequency of Lucid Dreams and found AChEI to be a promising method for Lucid dream induction. In the current study we sought to quantify the size and reliability of the effect of AChEI on Lucid dreaming, dream recall and dream content as well as to test the effectiveness of an integrated Lucid dream induction protocol which combined cholinergic stimulation with other methods for Lucid dream induction. Participants (N = 121) with high dream recall and an interest in Lucid dreaming were randomly assigned counterbalanced orders of 3 doses of galantamine (0, 4 and 8 mg). On 3 consecutive nights, they awoke approximately 4.5 hours after lights out, recalled a dream, ingested the capsules and stayed out of bed for at least 30 minutes. Participants then returned to bed and practiced the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams technique while returning to sleep. The percentage of participants who reported a Lucid dream was significantly increased for both 4 mg (27%, odds ratio = 2.29) and 8 mg doses (42%, odds ratio = 4.46) compared to the active placebo procedure (14%). Galantamine also significantly increased dream recall, sensory vividness and complexity (p
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Dimensions of consciousness (DIM) for Lucid and non-Lucid Dreams.
2018Co-Authors: Stephen Laberge, Kristen Lamarca, Benjamin BairdAbstract:Dimensions of consciousness (DIM) for Lucid and non-Lucid Dreams.
Melanie Schädlich - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Lucid music a pilot study exploring the experiences and potential of music making in Lucid Dreams
Dreaming, 2018Co-Authors: Melanie Schädlich, Daniel ErlacherAbstract:In a Lucid dream, the dreamer knows that he or she is dreaming and can thus deliberately carry out actions. The original goal of this study was to investigate musical practice in Lucid Dreams and its possible effects as well as the quality of the experiences. A total of 5 musicians were interviewed about their Lucid Dreams in which they had played instruments and sung. However, the interviewees were more interested in pleasure and inspiration than in actual practice and skill improvement. Therefore, the results provide more general information than planned. It could be shown that singing and playing musical instruments mostly work well in Lucid Dreams. Lucid music Dreams were often accompanied by positive emotions and led to several positive effects in waking life, like facilitated guitar playing and enhanced confidence. Two interviewees especially enjoyed improvising solo in Lucid Dreams. The participants also emphasized the creative and inspirational potential of Lucid music Dreams, which is worth further investigation. Combining previous research on athletic practice in Lucid Dreams and the clues obtained from this study, it is likely that musicians could use Lucid Dreams to improve their skills. Future studies should further explore the potential of Lucid music Dreams for both creativity and perfor- mance in waking life.
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practicing sports in Lucid Dreams characteristics effects and practical implications
Conference on Information Sciences and Systems, 2018Co-Authors: Melanie Schädlich, Daniel ErlacherAbstract:In a Lucid dream the dreamer is aware of the dream state and can carry out actions deliberately. Lucid dream practice (LDP) is the rehearsal of movements during Lucid Dreams and constitutes a specific form of mental practice. Previous studies demonstrated that LDP can enhance physical performance. To gain deeper insight into LDP on a qualitative level, sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with Lucid dreamers from different countries. Inductive content analysis revealed that many different sports and movements can be practiced in Lucid Dreams. LDP experiences were very realistic, including kinesthetic perception. Required equipment or sparring partners usually were available or could be created and adjusted by the athletes. Thirteen interviewees (81.3%) reported positive effects of LDP. In particular, 10 participants reported to have improved their physical performance through LDP, confirming findings of previous studies. Other positive effects were, for example, strengthened confidence, insights for physical practice (PP), improved flexibility, and positive emotions. The results also demonstrate the special possibilities of LDP like deliberate manipulation of practice conditions, speed, and perspective. Furthermore, problems occurring during LDP are described and how they can be dealt with. Based on the results, practical advice for interested athletes is provided. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates the great potential of LDP for sports practice. LDP could also be applied in other areas that involve motor learning, like rehabilitation, music, or surgery. The present study complements previous LDP findings and provides input and new ideas for future LDP studies. Furthermore, it is an important contribution to general MP research. Findings from LDP research–a small but growing field–should be incorporated into conceptual discussions on MP. Also, by extending LDP research, athletes and coaches could become more aware of this unique and effective method and could start to integrate it into sports practice.
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Lucid music – A pilot study exploring the experiences and potential of music-making in Lucid Dreams.
Dreaming, 2018Co-Authors: Melanie Schädlich, Daniel ErlacherAbstract:In a Lucid dream, the dreamer knows that he or she is dreaming and can thus deliberately carry out actions. The original goal of this study was to investigate musical practice in Lucid Dreams and its possible effects as well as the quality of the experiences. A total of 5 musicians were interviewed about their Lucid Dreams in which they had played instruments and sung. However, the interviewees were more interested in pleasure and inspiration than in actual practice and skill improvement. Therefore, the results provide more general information than planned. It could be shown that singing and playing musical instruments mostly work well in Lucid Dreams. Lucid music Dreams were often accompanied by positive emotions and led to several positive effects in waking life, like facilitated guitar playing and enhanced confidence. Two interviewees especially enjoyed improvising solo in Lucid Dreams. The participants also emphasized the creative and inspirational potential of Lucid music Dreams, which is worth further investigation. Combining previous research on athletic practice in Lucid Dreams and the clues obtained from this study, it is likely that musicians could use Lucid Dreams to improve their skills. Future studies should further explore the potential of Lucid music Dreams for both creativity and perfor- mance in waking life.
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Motor learning in Lucid Dreams – quantitative and qualitative investigations
2018Co-Authors: Melanie SchädlichAbstract:In sports practice a well-established method is mental practice which is, for example, applied in elite sports to intensify practice and to offer additional practice sessions when opportunities for physical practice are limited (Erlacher, 2007). It is also used on other areas, such as surgery and music. There is a special way of mentally rehearsing movements without physical activity: in our Dreams (Stumbrys, 2014). In so called Lucid Dreams, the dreamer is consciously aware that he or she is dreaming and can thus decide to carry out actions deliberately (Schredl & Erlacher, 2004). In a survey by Erlacher, Stumbrys, and Schredl (2011–2012) it was shown that within a German sample 9% of all athletes who had Lucid Dreams used the Lucid dream state to practice motor skills, for most of them with a positive impact on physical performance. Furthermore, anecdotal examples and previous qualitative and quantitative research has demonstrated that practicing movements in Lucid Dreams is possible and could possibly even improve performance in waking life for (overview see e.g. Stumbrys, 2014). However, the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice had not yet been studies in a controlled sleep laboratory setting. The aim of this investigation was to further explore the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice, and to derive practical implications for athletes. A particular goal was to assess the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice using signal verified Lucid Dreams in a sleep laboratory. Furthermore, an extensive qualitative interview study was intended to explore the potential as well as phenomenal experience and difficulties of Lucid dream practice. A similar study was planned for musicians to investigate if Lucid dream practice can also be applied in this area. Since a requirement for Lucid dream practice is to actually achieve Lucidity in the dream state, another goal of this investigation was to test two ways of Lucid dream induction by external stimulation. The first chapter of this dissertation gives an introduction into mental practice, including evidence that mental practice can improve physical performance in sport and other areas, such as music education. The second chapter first provides some information on sleep and Dreams, followed by characteristics and applications of Lucid Dreams. Chapter three addresses Lucid dream induction. The attached book chapter includes a detailed description and evaluation of induction techniques and discusses research problems. Then a study on Lucid dream induction through visual and tactile stimulation is presented (Paper 1). Chapter four contains the most important contributions of this investigation: After introducing Lucid dream practice, a sleep laboratory study is outlined which investigated the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice using a dart throwing task (Paper 2). Then an extensive qualitative study is presented in which 16 athletes were interviewed about their experiences with Lucid dream practice (Paper 3), followed by a smaller pilot study in which the potential of Lucid dream practice for musicians was explored (Paper 4). Finally, in the last chapter the findings of all studies are summarized and discussed, deriving implications for both sports practice and future research.
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motor learning in Lucid Dreams quantitative and qualitative investigations
2018Co-Authors: Melanie SchädlichAbstract:In sports practice a well-established method is mental practice which is, for example, applied in elite sports to intensify practice and to offer additional practice sessions when opportunities for physical practice are limited (Erlacher, 2007). It is also used on other areas, such as surgery and music. There is a special way of mentally rehearsing movements without physical activity: in our Dreams (Stumbrys, 2014). In so called Lucid Dreams, the dreamer is consciously aware that he or she is dreaming and can thus decide to carry out actions deliberately (Schredl & Erlacher, 2004). In a survey by Erlacher, Stumbrys, and Schredl (2011–2012) it was shown that within a German sample 9% of all athletes who had Lucid Dreams used the Lucid dream state to practice motor skills, for most of them with a positive impact on physical performance. Furthermore, anecdotal examples and previous qualitative and quantitative research has demonstrated that practicing movements in Lucid Dreams is possible and could possibly even improve performance in waking life for (overview see e.g. Stumbrys, 2014). However, the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice had not yet been studies in a controlled sleep laboratory setting. The aim of this investigation was to further explore the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice, and to derive practical implications for athletes. A particular goal was to assess the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice using signal verified Lucid Dreams in a sleep laboratory. Furthermore, an extensive qualitative interview study was intended to explore the potential as well as phenomenal experience and difficulties of Lucid dream practice. A similar study was planned for musicians to investigate if Lucid dream practice can also be applied in this area. Since a requirement for Lucid dream practice is to actually achieve Lucidity in the dream state, another goal of this investigation was to test two ways of Lucid dream induction by external stimulation. The first chapter of this dissertation gives an introduction into mental practice, including evidence that mental practice can improve physical performance in sport and other areas, such as music education. The second chapter first provides some information on sleep and Dreams, followed by characteristics and applications of Lucid Dreams. Chapter three addresses Lucid dream induction. The attached book chapter includes a detailed description and evaluation of induction techniques and discusses research problems. Then a study on Lucid dream induction through visual and tactile stimulation is presented (Paper 1). Chapter four contains the most important contributions of this investigation: After introducing Lucid dream practice, a sleep laboratory study is outlined which investigated the effectiveness of Lucid dream practice using a dart throwing task (Paper 2). Then an extensive qualitative study is presented in which 16 athletes were interviewed about their experiences with Lucid dream practice (Paper 3), followed by a smaller pilot study in which the potential of Lucid dream practice for musicians was explored (Paper 4). Finally, in the last chapter the findings of all studies are summarized and discussed, deriving implications for both sports practice and future research.
