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In certain instances, lucid dreaming is a way to support mental health, primarily — making nightmares less frequent and providing a sense of control during sleep — but the current evidence is in an early stage and shows inconsistent results and for a small number of people, the practice involves certain risks. On the internet most content about this topic does not include those negative aspects — this article describes both the research regarding positive effects and the warnings that are significant.
What is lucid dreaming?
Lucid dreaming is a state where a person is aware that they are dreaming while the dream continues. In some situations, the person who dreams can also change what happens in the dream. It is a physical state in the nervous system rather than a figurative idea. By using EEG, research connects lucidity to higher activity in the front parts of the brain. There is also a change in gamma band activity, specifically near 40 Hz, while a person is in REM sleep. In this state the part of the brain that people use to think about themselves is more active than it is during normal dreams.
It is necessary to keep this separate from claims about “reality shifting” and manifestation that are common on social media. If a person believes a dream can change events in their waking life, that idea is not part of the scientific data.
What are the possible benefits of lucid dreaming?
The use with the most evidence is the reduction of nightmares. When a person becomes lucid during a nightmare that repeats, they can sometimes change how the dream ends — this is similar to imagery rehearsal therapy, which is a standard method for individuals who have chronic nightmares. As a 2025 review of clinical neuroscience states, training for lucid dreams makes nightmares happen less often for some people. The size of the effect is different across groups and the most positive results are from studies with few participants.
Beyond the topic of nightmares, REM sleep is important for how the brain handles emotions. In research about why people dream, scientists describe how REM and dreaming help the brain store emotional memories and lower fear. Frontal theta activity is a sign that this processing is happening. Lucid dreaming might add a feeling of control and a way to explore ideas — but the most accurate view is that evidence for better mood or creativity is not yet certain.
The part most guides skip
And content from fans rarely says that lucid dreaming is not always good for sleep. In a 2024 study about dreams and mental health, researchers find an important detail. When they look at nightmares, they see that the nightmares cause poor sleep, anxiety and stress rather than the lucid dreaming itself. If lucid dreaming and nightmares happen at the same time, a person is more likely to show signs of depression.
To be practical lucidity is not a fast way to get better sleep. If a person is already having a hard time with nightmares or a low mood, they might not find help — trying to have lucid dreams. If they do not fix the main problem, they might feel worse.
Who should be cautious with lucid dreaming?
Lucid dreaming is not safe for all individuals in the same way — in some reviews, it is connected to sleep paralysis. By trying to cause the dreams on purpose, some people have more feelings of being detached from reality or show attributes of schizotypy. For people who often feel detached or have symptoms on the psychosis spectrum, training for lucid dreams is a risk that might make symptoms more severe.
There is also a cost to the quality of sleep — due to methods that require a person to wake up many times during the night, sleep can become broken. If sleep is broken, a person does not get the emotional benefits that REM sleep usually provides. To protect REM sleep is more important than to force a state of lucidity.
How do people train lucid dreaming safely?
The usual methods are on a scale of intensity — by doing reality checks, which is asking if one is awake or using the MILD method, which is thinking about an intention while falling asleep, a person is gentle and keeps their sleep normal. With the wake-back-to-bed method, a person wakes up early and stays awake before sleeping again — this is more effective but it makes sleep less continuous.
For most people it is best to use gentle methods that protect sleep unless they have no concerns about sleep or mental health. If you have a history of nightmares, insomnia or symptoms of dissociation and psychosis, you should talk to a professional. It is better to do this than to try those methods alone.
Where does brainwave entrainment fit?
When people experience relaxed theta and delta activity before they sleep, they are in a quiet state that allows lucid dreaming to occur. Because of this effect, some individuals include binaural beats or audio-visual entrainment in their nightly routines. It is necessary to be exact about those tools, as an app is not able to cause lucid dreams directly. By using entrainment, a person can relax before sleep and this state is a helpful basis for dreaming rather than a direct cause.
As part of its features, the 6th Mind app provides short sessions with light plus sound that are for relaxation and sleep — those sessions are not for the purpose of guaranteeing dreams. At our practice office in Здраве 33 in Sofia, we work with people who have depression, anxiety and insomnia. Our view is that it is more useful to protect REM sleep that is natural but also restorative than to try to achieve lucidity. If you prefer an approach that is quiet and based on scientific data, you can begin there. And you are able to find more details on the lucid dreaming and brainwaves page.
Frequently asked questions
Is lucid dreaming safe? For individuals who are in good health, it is safe to use techniques that are subtle as well as infrequent — but there are more risks for individuals who have sleep paralysis, dissociation or experiences on the psychosis spectrum. If a person uses methods that are forceful, their sleep is often interrupted.
Does lucid dreaming improve mental health? It is possible that it makes nightmares less frequent and gives a person a feeling that they have control but the research is in an early stage. It is not a medical treatment for depression or anxiety.
Can binaural beats cause lucid dreams? No — with theta and delta audio, a person can relax before they sleep but no app is a reliable way to start lucidity.
Can lucid dreaming cause depression? In a study from 2024, lucid dreaming is linked to more symptoms of depression when a person also has frequent nightmares. The nightmares are the primary factor in this situation.
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