TWO people managed to communicate through their dreams in a “groundbreaking” experiment, researchers claim.
Using ambiguous “apparatus”, researchers at California-based REMspace say two individuals in separate homes exchanged a message while asleep.
The message was one single word – which the company has not shared.
The startup, which aims to enhance sleep and lucid dreaming, has also remained tight-lipped on what equipment was used to achieve the milestone.
However, the study mentions “specially designed equipment”, as shown in the video above.
“Apparatus” tracked participants brainwaves and other biological data during the experiment.
Then a “server” was used to detect when a participant entered a lucid dream.
People are usually aware of their consciousness when they’re in a lucid dream.
Once one person was in a lucid dream state, the server sent them a one-word message through earbuds.
The participant then repeated the word in their dream, which the server captured and stored for the second participant.
When the second person entered a lucid dream state eight minutes later, the server transmitted the stored message to them, which they repeated upon waking.
“Yesterday, communicating in dreams seemed like science fiction,” REMspace CEO and founder Michael Raduga said in a statement.
“Tomorrow, it will be so common we won’t be able to imagine our lives without this technology.
“This opens the door to countless commercial applications, reshaping how we think about communication and interaction in the dream world.”
However, the technology has yet to be externally reviewed by other scientists, and has never been replicated before.
If validated, REMspace believes the technology could be used for mental health treatment and skills training.
Lucid dreaming is a type of dream where a person realises they are dreaming while in the ‘dream world’.
They are a rare type of dream, and occur during REM sleep – or Rapid Eye Movement sleep.
Roughly 55 per cent of people will experience at least one lucid dream in their lifetime, according to analysis of more than 30 studies on the subject.
They allow the dreamer a heightened sense of autonomy in the ‘dream world’, where they can make decisions rather than having the ‘dream world’ play out before them.
It would essentially allow the human mind to work, and learn, while the body rests – unlocking up to nine extra hours per day for productivity.
Whether this is a utopian, or dystopian ideal, is yet to be realised.
Raduga, who self-implanted an electrode into his brain in 2023 to ‘control his dreams’, is known for his bizarre experiments.
He inserted the chip after watching hours of neurosurgery videos on YouTube, and testing the life-threatening procedure on five sheep.
Raduga, 40, has no neurosurgery qualifications, and had the chip removed just five weeks.
Thomas Høegh Reisenhus, TEMPUR® sleep specialist & sleep counsellor, reveals the key components of a good bedtime routine and environment...
A sure-fire way to facilitate a better night’s sleep is to practice good sleep hygiene.
Establish a sleep routine that works for you and stick to it.
This will help your body establish a consistent, natural sleep-wake cycle which can do wonders for your overall sleep quality.
As such, try to avoid making up for lost sleep with a lie-in.
Instead of sleeping in, spend your morning reading a book in bed or having a leisurely coffee in the kitchen.
Ensure that your bedroom, bedding, and sleepwear are fit for purpose too.
The ideal sleep environment is dark, quiet, and cool – much like a cave.
If you find unwelcome sources of light are keeping you up, consider investing in an eye mask or black-out curtains.
Adding soft furnishings can be a great way to reduce noise, with the surfaces having an absorptive quality, but if this doesn’t work, consider embracing a soothing soundtrack to block it out.
In terms of temperature, try to keep your bedroom at 18°C. You can further reduce the risk of waking up due to overheating by ensuring that all your bedding and sleepwear is made with natural, breathable materials such as cotton and linen.
Bear in mind that everyone is different; what might work for most, may not work for you!
Whilst knowing how much sleep you should get, how to overcome common barriers, and practicing good sleep hygiene can facilitate a great night’s sleep, if you continue to struggle with sleep or fatigue persistently, do not hesitate to visit a doctor or health professional for support.
