3 min read
By Dr. Maria K. Jimmy
Have you ever realised you were dreaming while the dream was still happening?
Perhaps you knew you were asleep, yet the world around you felt astonishingly real. You might even have tried to change what happened next.
This experience is called lucid dreaming. And what makes it fascinating is not just the possibility of becoming aware inside a dream, but the fact that scientists have managed to communicate with people while they are still dreaming.
What Happens in Your Brain During a Lucid Dream?
Most dreams unfold without us questioning whether they are real. During lucid dreaming, however, you become aware that you are dreaming while the dream continues.
Lucid dreams most commonly occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a stage associated with vivid dreams and high brain activity. Researchers believe lucid dreaming involves self-awareness and metacognition—the ability to think about your own thoughts and experiences. However, scientists are still investigating exactly how the brain makes this possible.
Interestingly, knowing you’re dreaming and controlling your dream are not the same thing.
You might realise you’re dreaming without being able to change the setting, influence the people in your dream or decide what happens next.
Scientists Have Communicated With People Inside Their Dreams
In 2021, researchers published a remarkable study in Current Biology that challenged the idea that sleeping people are completely cut off from the outside world.
Across four independent laboratory experiments involving 36 participants, researchers tested whether people experiencing lucid dreams could respond to questions while in REM sleep. Some participants answered simple math problems and yes-or-no questions using prearranged eye movements or facial muscle signals. Researchers monitored their sleep to confirm that they remained asleep.
Imagine being asked a question, working out an answer and communicating it—all while dreaming.
Not every attempt was successful, and this does not mean that ordinary dreams can be translated directly into conversations. Nevertheless, the study showed that two-way communication during lucid dreaming is possible under carefully controlled conditions.
What Have Scientists Discovered More Recently?
Research published in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience in 2026 explored another question: can people tell researchers what they are seeing in a dream while it is happening?
Researchers studied 13 participants who experienced lucid dreams. Using a new technique involving prearranged sniffing patterns, participants signalled whether they could see images in their dreams and whether their dream eyes were open or closed. Researchers recorded these signals alongside brain activity during REM sleep.
This approach helps scientists study dream experiences as they happen, rather than relying entirely on what people remember after waking up. Memories of dreams can be incomplete or distorted.
The study was small, so its findings are preliminary. However, it offers an intriguing way to investigate how our experiences during dreams relate to measurable brain activity.
Can Lucid Dreaming Help With Nightmares?
Researchers are exploring whether becoming aware during a nightmare might help some people respond differently to frightening dreams.
A 2025 review in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews examined the science behind lucid dreaming and its possible medical uses, including its potential to reduce distress associated with nightmares. However, the evidence remains limited, and lucid dreaming is not an established treatment for nightmare disorder or other mental health conditions.
The Mystery Is Far From Solved
Lucid dreaming offers scientists an unusual opportunity to study awareness, perception and self-reflection while a person remains asleep.
We still do not fully understand why lucid dreams occur, why some people experience them more often than others, or how reliably dream content can be controlled.
But one thing is clear: sleep does not always mean complete unawareness. Under certain conditions, the sleeping brain can recognise a dream, respond to questions and signal aspects of its own experience.
Perhaps the most fascinating question is how much we can learn about our own consciousness while we’re still inside them.
Disclaimer
This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Lucid dreaming techniques may disrupt sleep, and their safety and effectiveness vary. If you experience persistent nightmares, sleep disturbances or related distress, consult a qualified healthcare professional for appropriate guidance.
Resources
- Tzioridou S, et al. The Clinical Neuroscience of Lucid Dreaming. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2025.
- Bonamino C, Peters E. Lucid Dream Control: Mechanisms, Challenges and Future Directions. Journal of Sleep Research. 2026.
- Konkoly KR, et al. Real-time Dialogue Between Experimenters and Dreamers During REM Sleep. Current Biology. 2021.
- Konkoly KR, et al. Using Real-time Reporting to Investigate Visual Experiences in Dreams. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2026.
Image Note: The accompanying image is an AI-generated illustration. The person and setting depicted are fictional and do not represent any real individual or location.
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