Are lucid dreams actually scientifically proven phenomena ?
Yes.
Even though up until the late 70’s lucid dreaming was scientifically considered a “paradoxical impossibility”. In the early 80’s lucid dreaming was scientifically verified through the joint efforts of both Stephen LaBerge PhD and Dr. Keith Hearne PhD. The publication of their research, along with LaBerge’s team receiving the approval of the APSS (Association for the Psycho-physiological Study of Sleep) and other researchers in the field (e.g. Celia E. Green and Dr. Patricia Garfield PhD) finally lead to the worldwide acceptance of lucid dreaming as a verifiable phenomenon of REM sleep in 1981.
Numerous scientific studies from Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry and Heidelberg University shown neuronal correlates of lucid dreaming with fMRI. “The general basic activity of the brain is similar in a normal dream and in a lucid dream,” says Michael Czisch, head of a research group at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry. “In a lucid state, however, the activity in certain areas of the cerebral cortex increases markedly within seconds. The involved areas of the cerebral cortex are the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, to which commonly the function of self-assessment is attributed, and the frontopolar regions, which are responsible for evaluating our own thoughts and feelings. The precuneus is also especially active, a part of the brain that has long been linked with self-perception.” The findings confirm earlier studies and have made the neural networks of a conscious mental state visible for the first time.
In even more detail; During lucid dreaming the bilateral precuneus, cuneus, parietal lobules, and prefrontal and occipito-temporal cortices activated strongly as compared with non-lucid REM sleep. In line with recent EEG data, lucid dreaming was associated with a reactivation of areas which are normally deactivated during REM sleep. This pattern of activity can explain the recovery of reflective cognitive capabilities that are the hallmark of lucid dreaming.
Studies have also proven that sports training during a lucid dream creates lasting neural pathways and significantly effects the body and mind just as it would it the waking state. This means that you can train in your dreams. So why not use we the third of our lives that we are asleep to be productive, creative and train to your maximum capability?
“Studies have shown that once we’re lucid in our dreams the motor cortex in our brain responds as if we were actually awake and so by training in our lucid dreams we can improve our ability in the waking state.”-Charlie Morley
Now, every month there is new research into sleep and dream science being made public, much of it focusing on lucid dreams, and al lot of mainstream articles on lucid dreaming are being released. The BBC News, The Times, Metro, Science Daily and New Scientist have all released articles on lucid dreaming in the last 12 months.
Lucid Dreaming World Tour 