Every week we will highlight and summarize research articles, and published works about dreams. For a full library of academic studies on dreams, and online PDF books, please see the last two modules at the end of the course.

Applications of lucid dreams in Sports

This article is based on findings from an experiment with experienced lucid dreamers who were instructed to carry out various routines and sports-related actions while dreaming, with the objective of observing the effects on both dreaming and waking states. They have the following theses:

• Sensory-motor skills which have already been mastered in their rough outlines can be refined by using lucid dreaming.
• New sensory-motor skills can be learned using lucid dreaming. 
• Sensory-motor actions can be perfected by test runs carried out in a lucid dream state. 
• The flexibility of an athlete's reactions can be substantially improved by varying body movements in lucid dreams.
• Lucid dreaming can also be used for practicing mental movements which make sensory-motor learning easier. 
• Lucid dreaming can be used for improving the organization of the phenomenal field with respect to the execution of sports movements.
• By changing the personality structure, lucid dreaming can lead to improved performance and a higher level of creativity in sports. 
  

The healing and transformative potential of lucid dreaming for treating clinical depression 

 Lucid dreamers, who become aware within their dreams that they are dreaming, are able to use this state of consciousness for self-exploration and self-development, including the possibilities of therapeutic work. Preliminary evidence suggests that lucid dreaming may contribute to mental health. 163 participants, mostly lucid dreamers and many of whom had experienced depression, completed a survey investigating the relationship between lucid dreams and depression. Both quantitative and qualitative data support the idea that lucid dream work may be an effective treatment for mental health issues, including clinical depression. Three major themes that emerged from the qualitative interviews – self-exploration, creativity and empowerment, spiritual and transpersonal – illustrate possible mechanisms of healing and transformation in the lucid dream state