Imagine being able to talk to someone while they’re fast asleep and dreaming. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right?
Yet, science has turned this wild idea into reality. Researchers have figured out how to communicate with lucid dreamers—people who know they’re dreaming—during the REM stage of sleep.
This breakthrough is opening doors to understanding the human mind in ways we never thought possible.
In a landmark 2021 study, scientists from the USA, Germany, France, and the Netherlands achieved real-time dialogue with lucid dreamers.
They asked questions and got answers from people deep in sleep, using tools like eye movements and facial muscle signals.
For instance, one team posed a simple math question, “What’s 8 minus 6?” and a dreamer signaled “2” by moving their eyes left and right twice.
Across 158 trials with 36 participants, there were 29 correct responses—a small but groundbreaking success rate. This isn’t just cool science; it’s a game-changer for how we view dreams and consciousness.
What Is Lucid Dreaming?
Lucid dreaming is when you’re aware you’re dreaming while still in the dream. Unlike regular dreams where you’re just along for the ride, lucid dreamers can sometimes steer the story—flying, changing locations, or even rewriting the plot. This state usually happens during REM sleep, when your brain is buzzing with activity, but your body stays paralyzed to keep you from acting out your dreams.
For years, scientists relied on dreamers’ fuzzy morning-after reports to study dreams. These accounts were often incomplete or warped by memory. Lucid dreaming, though, offers a clearer window into the unconscious mind, and now, with real-time communication, researchers can peek inside while the dream is happening.
How Scientists Break Through the Dream Barrier
The magic of communicating with lucid dreamers hinges on their unique awareness. Regular dreamers are oblivious to the outside world, but lucid dreamers can notice and respond to external cues. This makes them perfect candidates for two-way communication during sleep.
In the 2021 study, four research teams used different methods to reach dreamers:
| Team | Input Methods | Output Methods | Participants | Correct Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | Spoken math questions | Eye movements | 22 | 6 |
| Germany | Math questions via tones and lights (Morse code) | Eye movements | 10 | 2 |
| France | Spoken yes/no questions, tactile, light | Facial muscle contractions | 1 (narcolepsy) | 21 |
| Netherlands | Spoken math questions | Eye movements | 3 | 1 |
The French team worked with a narcoleptic patient who had frequent lucid dreams, making them a standout responder. This patient answered 21 out of 65 questions correctly, using facial muscles to signal responses. Overall, the study ran 82 sessions, with 15 confirming lucid dreams, and nearly half of those included at least one correct answer. As researcher Chabani noted, “To be aware of external stimulation, the stimulation has to be clear enough and your attention must be directed to it.”
Challenging What We Think About Dreams
Most of us assume dreams are a private world, sealed off from reality. But this research flips that idea on its head. By getting lucid dreamers to answer questions in real time, scientists have shown that the dreaming mind can connect with the outside world. In the study, 26% of napping sessions led to confirmed lucid dreams, and in about half of those, dreamers responded correctly to questions. This proves that dreams aren’t as isolated as we thought.
This finding doesn’t just challenge our assumptions about sleep—it raises big questions about consciousness. If a sleeping brain can process and answer questions, what does that say about the line between waking and dreaming? It’s a mind-bending shift that could reshape how we study the brain.
Training and Tech: Making Dream Talks Possible
Getting to the point of dream communication isn’t easy. Participants in the 2021 study went through pre-sleep training to recognize when they were dreaming and respond to cues. Techniques like “targeted lucidity reactivation” helped, where dreamers learned to link specific sounds or signals with being in a dream. These cues were then used during sleep to trigger lucidity.
Technology is also stepping up. A Silicon Valley startup, REMspace, recently claimed a new milestone: two people exchanging a message during lucid dreams. On September 24, 2024, they used a dream language called Remmyo, which relies on facial muscle twitches detected by special sensors. Participants heard a Remmyo word through earbuds, repeated it in their dream, and confirmed it after waking. REMspace’s CEO, Michael Raduga, boldly stated, “Yesterday, communicating in dreams seemed like science fiction. Tomorrow, it will be so common we won’t be able to imagine our lives without this technology.”
But not everyone’s sold. Some experts argue REMspace’s claims need peer-reviewed studies to hold water. Still, their work shows how fast this field is moving.
Remmyo: Speaking in Your Sleep
Remmyo is a fascinating piece of this puzzle. It’s a language built for dreams, using tiny facial muscle movements that happen during REM sleep. Dreamers learn specific twitch patterns to “say” words while asleep. In REMspace’s experiment, these signals were captured and stored, proving communication was possible. It’s like texting from your dreams—wild, right?
While Remmyo is still in its early stages, it could make dream communication more reliable. The catch? It requires intense training and specialized gear, which isn’t exactly ready for your average bedroom. Plus, without more rigorous studies, some scientists remain skeptical about its broader impact.
A Quick Look Back: The Roots of Lucid Dreaming Research
Lucid dreaming isn’t a new idea. Dutch psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden coined the term in 1913, describing dreams where he knew he was dreaming. In the 1970s and 1980s, psychophysiologist Stephen LaBerge took it further, developing ways to induce lucid dreams and using eye movements to signal from within dreams. His work set the stage for today’s breakthroughs, proving that dreamers could interact with the waking world.
Now, with better tech and brain science, researchers are pushing those boundaries even further, turning dreams into a two-way conversation.
What’s Next for Dream Research?
This ability to chat with lucid dreamers could change how we approach mental health. Imagine helping someone with PTSD reshape nightmares into calmer dreams. Or using dream control to ease anxiety. The 2021 study’s findings suggest these therapies are within reach, especially for those who can learn to lucid dream.
Beyond health, this research is a goldmine for neuroscience. It could help us understand how the brain handles information when we’re asleep versus awake. Participant Mazurek, from the 2021 study, put it well: “If we’re able to get a technique down for lucid dream induction, the applications are wild and limitless, whether lucid dreaming therapy or recreational enjoyment.”
But there are hurdles. Inducing lucid dreams on demand is tricky—only a small fraction of people do it naturally. The 2021 study’s success rate was low, with just 18.4% of trials yielding correct responses. Plus, the setups used—think electrodes, sensors, and trained staff—aren’t exactly user-friendly. Scaling this to everyday use will take time and innovation.
The Road Ahead
Communicating with lucid dreamers during REM sleep is no longer a fantasy—it’s happening. From eye signals to dream languages like Remmyo, scientists are finding ways to bridge the gap between sleep and wakefulness. Each study brings us closer to unlocking the secrets of the dreaming brain.
As we move forward, expect more breakthroughs. Whether it’s helping people heal through dream therapy or just letting us “talk” in our sleep for fun, the possibilities are as vast as our dreams. The line between waking and dreaming is blurring, and that’s an exciting place to be.
References
- Konkoly, K. R., et al. (2021). Real-time dialogue between experimenters and dreamers during REM sleep. Current Biology, 31(11), 2412-2422.e6.
- PBS NOVA. (2021). Communicating with a dreaming person is possible.
- Sleep Review. (2024). Lucid Dreamers Communicate in New Experiment.
- Ars Technica. (2023). “Sleep language” could enable communication during lucid dreams.
- PubMed. (2021). Two-Way Communication in Lucid REM Sleep Dreaming.
