Thread: magnesium deficiency theory.

Originally Posted by Firewalker

This is just a theory I have been thinking about. I am wondering if lucid dreams might be caused by a magnesium deficiency. A lucid dream book I have says lucid dreamers have more active brain activity during dreaming than non-lucid dreamers. Another study found more gamma brainwaves in lucid dreamers. This is logical.

But my point is I started taking magnesium suppliments for health reasons a month or so ago. Since starting them I haven't had any lucid dreams. I have been sleeping better, feel better in the day, and have been having very vivid dreams, but no lucid ones. From what I have read, magnesium calms you, and a magnesium book I have says hyperexitablity and hyperactive brainwaves, poor sleep quality, awakening during sleep ect. are syptoms of magnesium deficiency.

Could it be that the reason some people lucid dream is because they may have a magnesium deficency?

Personally, I don't think so. The reason is that with lucid dreams, all it is becoming aware in your dream, so, turning your logical center on. I am not sure what the link to magensium to that would be. Anyways, you could be in a dry spell, happens to a lot of people. As for what the magnesium book said, well, I personally don't think poor sleep quality and awakening during sleep means that you will have a lucid dream if you get what I mean.

Originally Posted by Firewalker

From what I have read, magnesium calms you, and a magnesium book I have says hyperexitablity and hyperactive brainwaves, poor sleep quality, awakening during sleep ect. are syptoms of magnesium deficiency.

I'm pretty sure all those things would impair your ability to LD, not improve. So if there is any link, LDers would then have more magnesium.

In my personal opinions short term experiences of the symptoms might help but I think that a healthy magnesium supplementation could only help lucid dreaming.

I personally supplement my diet with magnesium and I have enjoyed numerous benefits in my waking life and my dream life

I understand everyone's viewpoint, and originally hoped magnesium would help my lucid dreams. However, it doesn't seem to have done so. It does seem it has helped my recall and I have had some very vivid dreams. But some of the symptoms of magnesium deficency I mentioned may promote lucid dreams. For one, having ones brainwaves more closely to the awake state while asleep could increase awareness. I used to wake often in the night. Then I could try for a WILD. If magnesium calms the brain and lowers brainwaves, it is possible having lower magnesium would result in an exited brainstate with higher brainwaves that have been shown to occur in lucid dreamers.

Of course magnesium is needed, and I don't suggest anyone try to become deficient. And I may very well be wrong about all of this. I am going to try stopping the suppliments for a while and just eat healthy and see how it goes.

I am curious as to the diets and mangnesium suppliments of all who replied. If everyone would reply as to whether they eat magnesium rich diets, take mangnesium suppliments, what dosage etc, and lucid dreaming frequency, I would appreciate it, and it could help decide if I have a valid arguement or not.

I have been taking 320-400mg of magnesium suppliments a day, in addition to a diet which is probably fairly rich in magnesium, such as bananas, salads, nuts, meats a couple times a week,etc. I estimate total daily magnesium intake of 700-800mg a day, from food and suppliments.

I used to eat a lot of meats, fast foods, junk food, only 50mg of magneium in a multivitamin, on and off B-complex, herbal supplimentation. Probably no more than 250-300mg of magnesium a day from food, vitamins, if that.

I appreciate all replys.

I'm surprised there is so much skepticism here, that light sleep is associated w/ good LD ability.

I haven't the faintest as to why Magnesium would bias this one way or another, but someone more versed in brain chemistry might?

I can LD pretty easily. I am also a light sleeper. When I'm especially exhausted, I tend to sleep right through my REM cycles.

Look at various supps and their effect on the brain and lucidity ...

Galantamine causes very light sleep and even insomnia in many. When I use G, I wake every 15-20 minutes, usually out of a lucid.

The use of caffeine is being studied for lucid dream induction. Same deal ... light sleep.

It's possible that waking up frequently and/or experiencing REM rebound due to sleep deprivation were making it easier for you to LD, but they're by no means necessary to have LDs. I do find that more frequent transitions between dream state and waking state do promote LDs, but they do not promote general wellness

Originally Posted by DrTechnical

I'm surprised there is so much skepticism here, that light sleep is associated w/ good LD ability.

I haven't the faintest as to why Magnesium would bias this one way or another, but someone more versed in brain chemistry might?

I can LD pretty easily. I am also a light sleeper. When I'm especially exhausted, I tend to sleep right through my REM cycles.

Look at various supps and their effect on the brain and lucidity ...

Galantamine causes very light sleep and even insomnia in many. When I use G, I wake every 15-20 minutes, usually out of a lucid.

The use of caffeine is being studied for lucid dream induction. Same deal ... light sleep.

I'm glad you understood what I was saying. I think I may have been possibly magnesium deficient since taking magnesium seems to be making me sleep deeper, but I have decided not to stop taking it though because it does seem to be helping me health wise, hopefully the lucid dreams will come back after my body becomes more used to the increased magnesium. As a plus though my regular dreams are much more vivid, and lifelike.

I just wanted to post, my lucid dreams have returned while I am still taking magnesium, so I guess I was wrong about magnesium hurting your chances of having lucid dreams.

I'm gonna bump this thread to say that I've had my 3rd lucid in about a week's time since taking 500-1000mg of magnesium oxide a day. I haven't had a streak this good in years.

I started to take it because I've often run low on potassium and my legs get bad cramps. I read that magnesium helps retain potassium. Also, a deficiency of magnesium can cause calcium oxalate kidney stones, which I had when I was 16. So I am supplementing daily now and my dreams have been very stable.

I think it's (Unfortunately) coincidental in your case. I supplement magnesium on occasion because it helps me relax. I tend to have slight increases in dream vividness myself from it.

Mn is a necessary trace element needed to sustain homeostasis is most life forms, I'd say that any deficiency would tend to result in unatural functioning of good bacteria in your body, and considering lucid dreaming is pretty healthy it would be counter intuitive and contradictory to attribute lucidity to an imbalance. If you really do have a deficiency I would recommend you talk to a doctor and maybe start taking probiotics or supplementing with OTC vitamins and minerals.