The study of dreams has piqued the interest of researchers from a diverse range of fields, and lucid dreams are no exception. A lucid dream occurs when an individual becomes aware that he/she is dreaming and is then capable of changing the dream itself. Because lucid dreaming frees us from the constraints of the waking world, we are able to effect meaningful change within the dream that can transfer over to our waking lives. There is a considerable amount of research on this topic, but the concept of lucid dreaming is often viewed as just another New Age pseudoscience. In order to delve further into this subject, I examine peer-reviewed literature, anecdotal sources, and my own experiences with lucid dreaming. This autoethnography will explore the possibility of utilizing lucid dreaming as a therapeutic tool for a wide variety of populations and conditions, including older adults and individuals who suffer from nightmares or PTSD.
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