Dream characteristics in a Brazilian sample: an online survey focusing on lucid dreaming
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience January 1, 2013 Sérgio A. Mota-Rolim, Zé H. Targino, Bryan C. Souza et al. 42 citations
Dreams typically involve actions, known people, sounds, and colors, and often relate to upcoming plans or recent memories. Nightmares frequently feature anxiety, being stalked, or other unpleasant sensations. Lucid dreaming—knowing one is dreaming—was experienced at least once by 77% of a Brazilian sample of 3,427 people, but episodes were brief (under one minute for 48%) and control was rare (29%). Lucid dreaming was more common when people did not need to wake early or were under stress, conditions that increase REM sleep. These findings suggest lucid dreaming is a widespread but unstable human experience, consistent with data from other continents.