LUCID DREAMING

Ngan Diep
Kim Fleck
Stephen Johnson
David Yoshida

Outline

Discussion Questions
Introduction
History
Characteristics of Lucid Dreaming
Physiological Aspects
Usefulness of Lucidity
Methods of Induction
Conclusion

Discussion Questions
Could there be consciousness
during sleep?
Do we have deliberate control over
our actions in dreams?
What is the nature of imaginary
worlds?
Is lucid dreaming an altered state of
consciousness?

Introduction
What is lucid dreaming?
Dreams in which you know that you are
dreaming.

Levels of lucid dreaming and

awareness
High-level lucidity
Low-level lucidity

How common are lucid dreams?

"About 58% of the population have experienced a
lucid dream at least once in their lifetime, while
about 21% report it with some frequency (one or
more a month). Jayne Gackenbach

History
415 AD written in a letter by
St. Augustine.
Practiced by Tibetan
Buddhists for a thousand
years through a form of dream
yoga
1913 Term coined by
Frederick Van Eeden
Modern research- Stephen
LaBerge and Lynn Nagel of
Stanford University

CHARACTERISITICS
The beginning of lucidity is marked by
distinct eye movements
Occurs late during the REM sleep cycle
Induced by some sort of cue
Recognition of this cue is made possible
by higher cortical arousal
Waking up from a lucid dream feels more
real than waking from a normal dream
This is due to the higher cortical arousal
experienced during lucid dreaming

PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS
Is there a correspondence between
actions of the dreamer and muscle
activity and electrical responses?
Dream Actions

(Schatzman, Worsley, and Fenwick 1988)

Dream Sex

(LaBerge, Greenleaf, and Kedzierski 1983)

Usefulness of Lucidity
Adventure and Excitement
Practice/Rehearsal
Creative Problem Solving
Therapeutic

What is the nature of the dream world?

Methods of Induction
Mnemonic Induction of Lucid
Dreaming (MILD)
Mindfulness
External Signals
Electric Shock to the wrist
Dream Light (LaBerge 1985)

How long do dreams last?

Conclusion
Is lucid dreaming an ASC? YES
How long do dreams take? About 13 sec
Is there a correspondence between
actions of the dreamer and muscle
activity and electrical responses? YES
What is the nature of the dream world?
We dont know.

References

Blackmore, Susan. Lucid Dreaming: Awake in Your Sleep? Skeptical Inquirer, 1991. 362370.

Conscious Mind, Sleeping Brain: Perspectives on Lucid Dreaming. Ed. Gackenbach,

Jayne and Stephen LaBerge. New York: Plenum Press, 1988.

Holt, Doug. LUCID DREAMING. Philadelphia. 1998.

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro98/202s98-paper1/Holt.html

LaBerge, S., Greenleaf, W., & Kedzierski, B. (1983). Physiological responses to dreamed
sexual activity during lucid REM sleep. Psychophysiology, 20, 454-455.

LaBerge, Stephen and H. Rheingold. EXPLORING THE WORLD OF LUCID DREAMING.

New York: Ballantine. 1990.
http://www.lucidity.com/EWLD6.txt

LaBerge, Stephen. Lucid Dreaming. New York: Ballantine. 1985.

http://www.lucidity.com/LD8DFM.html

Schatzman, M., A. Worsley, and P. Fenwick. 1988. Correspondence during lucid dreams
between dreamed and actual events. In Conscious Mind, Sleeping Brain, 155-179, ed. J.
Gackenbach and S. LaBerge. New York: Plenum.

Sparrow, G. S. LUCID DREAMING, DAWNING OF THE CLEAR LIGHT Virginia Beach:

A.R.E. Press, 1976.

Wallace, Benjamin, and Leslie Fisher. Consciousness and Behavior. Waveland press.
2003.