Using hypnotic enhancement with auditory suggestion for lucid dream induction

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of using hypnotic enhancement of auditory suggestion to induce lucid dreams in inexperienced individuals. Lucid dreaming, a state in which the dreamer becomes aware of their dream state, provides opportunities for personal exploration, sports, and clinical applications. However, the rarity of lucid dreams poses a challenge to scientific exploration, making reliable induction methods essential. The study tested the efficacy of acoustic suggestion, hypnotic enhancement, and acoustic stimulation without suggestion as a control condition. Based on strict criteria, in which a lucid dream is verified by the dreamer, the external raters, and eye movements, 3%, 6%, and 6% of total dream reports were scored as lucid in the control, acoustic suggestion, and hypnosis conditions, respectively. Of the 10 participants, one reported lucidity in the control condition, whereas two participants reported lucidity in both experimental conditions. The study concludes that acoustic suggestion evokes more lucid dreams than nonsuggestive stimulation but is not further enhanced by hypnosis. Moreover, the induction methods employed in the study enabled inexperienced participants to learn lucid dreaming within a few days.