The influence of lucid dreaming on physical performance [Lucid Dreaming Series (3/6)] (Patreon)

It is well known that the performance of an athlete can be improved not only by physical training but also by performing appropriate mental activities. Thanks to the continuous advancement of science and technology, in the recent years, the number of training methods has drastically arisen. However, although numerous researches have already disclosed a significant influence of visualization and lucid dreaming on physical performance, this training method seems to be still very neglected.

Paul Tholey, a German psychologist, is one of the first people who have precisely described the influence of lucid dreaming on sports performance [1]. His extensive research in 1990 has proved that an athlete's performance can be significantly improved by a variant of physical training - training performed during lucid dreaming. It was a groundbreaking revelation, and very soon after the publication was released, many other psychologists, neurophysiologists, biochemists, trainers, and athletes, became engaged in examinations. The outcome is impressive, as nearly all of the research on this branch has proved the significant influence of mental training/training performed in lucid dreams on sports performance.

Performing "physical" training in dreams will significantly improve:

- ability to operate machines [2]

- flexibility [3]; [4]

- coordination [5]; [6]

- endurance, and physical strength [7]

- functions of the nervous system [8]

If you have not tried mental training yet, I encourage you to try it today before going to sleep. You can perform such activity (even the whole training session) while lying down and visualizing a movement you have trouble with or participating in a competition if you have trouble managing stress. The next level of such training is performing it in a lucid dream. It will help you improve your sports performance by affecting mind-muscle coordination but also help to enhance the functions of the nervous system, which may be essential to, e.g., step over your PR while lifting.

----------------

1. Tholey P. (1990), Applications of lucid dreaming in sports, Lucidity Letter, 9, 6–17;

2. Erlacher D., Schredl M. (2010), Practicing a motor task in a lucid dream enhances subsequent performance: A pilot study, The Sport Psychologist, 24(2), 157–167;

3. Guillot A., Tolleron C., Collet C. (2010), Does motor imagery enhance stretching and flexibility? Journal of Sports Sciences 28(3), 291-298;

4. Kanthack T., Guillot A., Papaxanthis C., Guizard T., Collet C., Di Rienzo F. (2017), Neurophysiological insights on flexibility improvements through motor imagery, Behavioural Brain Research, 331, 159-168;

5. Malouin F., Jackson L., Richards L. (2013), Towards the integration of mental practice in rehabilitation programs: A critical review, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7(576);

6. Stumbrys T., Erlacher D., Schredl M. (2016), Effectiveness of motor practice in lucid dreams: A comparison with physical and mental practice, Journal of Sports Sciences, 34(1), 27–34;

7. Schädlich M., Erlacher D. (2018), Practicing sports in lucid dreams – characteristics, effects, and practical implications, Current issues in sports science (CISS);

8. Erlacher D., & Chapin H. (2010), Lucid dreaming: Neural virtual reality as a mechanism for performance enhancement: Commentary on "The neurobiology of consciousness: Lucid dreaming wakes up" by J. Allan Hobson. International Journal of Dream Research, 3(1), 7–10;