Scientists discover way to 'hack' dreams, bringing Inception closer to reality

Scientists say they can guide dreams, and improve next-day problem-solving

Scientists may be inching closer to turning Inception into reality.

In a new study from Northwestern University, researchers found they could guide what people dream about, and even improve their problem-solving skills the next day.

Participants attempted difficult puzzles before sleep, each linked to a specific sound. During REM sleep, scientists replayed those sounds, subtly steering dreams toward the unsolved tasks.

The results showed that when puzzles appeared in dreams, they were far more likely to be solved the following day, with success rates nearly doubling.

The technique, known as targeted memory reactivation, suggests the brain continues working creatively during sleep, offering a real-world glimpse of the kind of dream influence once confined to science fiction.