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Dream lucidity is associated with positive waking mood
Abigail Stocks1, Michelle Carr1, Remington Mallett2
1Swansea University, Department of Psychology, Swansea, UK.
Consciousness and Cognition
|June 15, 2020
Summary
Experiencing lucid dreams may boost your waking mood. This study found higher lucidity correlated with more positive dream content and improved mood the following day.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Lucid dreaming, the awareness of dreaming while dreaming, is a unique state with therapeutic potential.
- Limited research exists on lucid dreaming's impact on waking mood and psychological wellbeing.
- Understanding this connection could inform interventions for mental health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if lucid dreaming enhances positive waking mood.
- To explore associations between lucidity, dream emotional content, and subjective sleep quality.
Main Methods:
- 20 participants used lucid dream induction techniques.
- A one-week online dream diary recorded lucidity, dream content, sleep quality, and waking mood.
- Subjective ratings and a lucidity questionnaire were employed.
Main Results:
- Higher levels of lucidity were significantly associated with more positive dream emotional content.
- Increased lucidity correlated with elevated positive waking mood on the subsequent day.
- No significant relationship was found between lucidity and subjective sleep quality.
Conclusions:
- Lucid dreaming experiences appear to positively influence subsequent waking mood.
- The findings suggest potential therapeutic applications for lucid dreaming in enhancing psychological wellbeing.
- Future longitudinal studies are recommended to further explore the mood-lucidity relationship.
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