Lucid dreaming app triples users' awareness in dreams, study finds
A study on an Android app that claims to boost lucid dreaming prompts people to weigh the appeal of consciously controlling dreams against concerns about sleep quality and mental health. Commenters describe lucid dreams as anything from exhilarating “full-dive VR” and a tool for coping with nightmares or PTSD to exhausting, sleep-disrupting episodes linked to sleep paralysis or memory issues. Others question the value of inducing lucidity at all, debate the impact of substances like THC on REM sleep, and criticize publicly funded research that produces closed-source, outdated software instead of accessible tools.
Perceived Benefits of Lucid Dreaming
- Strong recreational appeal: flying, exploring vivid environments, “full-dive VR”–like experiences.
- Some use it to end or reshape nightmares, turning threats harmless or exiting recurring nightmare loops.
- Can allow intentional wake-up from bad dreams or from being around unwanted people/situations.
- Reported as a way to practice feeling safe and relaxed, especially helpful for some with PTSD.
- Some see it as a way to explore the “inner self” or run quasi-experiments within dreams.
Downsides and Sleep Impact
- Several find lucid dreams less restful, waking up exhausted or struggling to fall back into deep sleep.
- Frequent lucidity can become tiresome, blur memory of real vs dream events, and reduce sleep quality.
- Some dislike lucidity entirely, preferring fully immersive non-lucid dreams or simply deep, dreamless sleep.
Nightmares, Sleep Paralysis, and Fear
- For some, lucidity reliably turns nightmares into manageable or even empowering scenarios.
- Others report the opposite: lucidity triggers panic, sinister atmospheres, and sleep-paralysis-like “crossfades” between dream and waking body.
- Sleep apnea and other sleep disorders are mentioned as possible contributing factors.
Induction Methods and Devices
- Techniques mentioned: hand-looking reality checks, light-switch tests, spinning in-dream to stabilize, using alarms, caffeine timing, audio (TV/YouTube softly), and wearable vibrations.
- Some worry that external cues to induce lucidity may subtly degrade REM quality.
App, Research, and Open-Source Concerns
- The featured Android app reportedly doesn’t install on newer versions, prompting frustration.
- Multiple commenters argue publicly funded research outputs (apps, code, papers) should be open source and not locked behind proprietary or outdated implementations.
Dream Frequency, THC, and Supplements
- Many link chronic THC use to fewer remembered dreams or reduced REM; vivid and sometimes intense dreams often return after quitting.
- Others still dream regularly despite THC.
- Magnesium glycinate, catnip, and CBD/THC are discussed anecdotally in relation to dream vividness and sleep, with mixed views.
Philosophical and Spiritual Angles
- Some frame lucid dreaming as inherently valuable experience, not needing utilitarian “benefits.”
- Tibetan Buddhist “dream yoga” is cited as a traditional, non-app-based lucid practice tied to death and rebirth.
- One subthread explores dreams as evidence that we inhabit an internal world-model, not direct reality.
Skepticism and Ambivalence
- A few express strong skepticism or confusion about lucid dreaming’s existence or point.
- Several note it’s “nice to have experienced,” but fundamentally optional and possibly “pointless” compared to simply getting good sleep.