Lucid Dreaming and Psychophysiological Correlates of States of Consciousness

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neuropsychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 27 February 2026 | Viewed by 426

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Sport Science, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
Interests: lucid dreaming; recovery; motor learning; dream and sport
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
Interests: lucid dream

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lucid dreaming (LD) is a unique state of consciousness in which one becomes aware that they are dreaming and may gain the ability to consciously influence the dream narrative. This differs markedly from non-lucid, ordinary dreams, where awareness and volitional control are typically absent. Scientific interest in LD has grown substantially in recent decades, with studies using behavioral reports, neuroimaging, and physiological markers (e.g., eye signals) to investigate its neural and bodily correlates. Potential applications in therapy, emotional processing, creativity, and skill enhancement highlight LD’s relevance to clinical and cognitive neuroscience.

This Special Issue invites original research, reviews, and theoretical contributions exploring the multi-faceted nature of LD and its psychological underpinnings. Topics include but are not limited to the phenomenology and subjective features of LD; personality and cognitive traits; induction methods; interactions between circadian/sleep processes and lucidity; and neural correlates using electrophysiological or neuroimaging methods.

We welcome your submission and look forward to advancing the scientific understanding of consciousness through LD.

Dr. Daniel Erlacher
Guest Editor

Dr. Clarita Bonamino
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • lucid dreaming
  • states of consciousness
  • REM sleep
  • metacognition
  • dream phenomenology
  • volitional control

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
Juggling the Limits of Lucidity: Searching for Cognitive Constraints in Lucid Dream Motor Practice: 4 Case Reports
by Emma Peters, Clarita Bonamino, Kathrin Fischer and Daniel Erlacher
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(8), 879; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15080879 - 18 Aug 2025
Viewed by 288
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Lucid dreaming (LD), during which the dreamer becomes aware of the dream state, offers a unique opportunity for a variety of applications, including motor practice, personal well-being, and nightmare therapy. However, these applications largely depend on the dreamer’s ability to control their [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Lucid dreaming (LD), during which the dreamer becomes aware of the dream state, offers a unique opportunity for a variety of applications, including motor practice, personal well-being, and nightmare therapy. However, these applications largely depend on the dreamer’s ability to control their dreams. While LD research has traditionally focused on induction techniques to increase dream frequency, the equally important skill of dream control remains largely underexplored. This study provides an exploration into the mechanisms of LD motor practice, dream control, and its potential influencing factors. We specifically examined whether a complex motor skill—juggling—could be performed during LD, calling for relatively high levels of dream control and access to procedural memory. Methods: Four healthy participants underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG), provided detailed dream reports, and completed questionnaires assessing dream control and self-efficacy. Dream-task success was assessed using predefined in-dream motor performance criteria. Differences between high and low LD control participants were examined, and two detailed case reports of lucid dream juggling attempts provide insight into the challenges of executing complex motor tasks during LD. Results: Dream control varied between and within participants. Both dream control and self-efficacy seemed to predict participants’ ability to execute the LD motor task. Conclusions: Despite the low sample size, this study highlights the potential roles of individual traits like self-efficacy in shaping dream control abilities and motor performance during LD. By using empirical, task-based measures, this study helps build the foundation for future research aimed at optimizing LD applications in clinical and non-clinical fields. Full article
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