Alcohol & Dream Recall

[Lucid_Diamonds]

I've been searching the forums for something about the affects of alcohol on dream recall. I'm aware that marijuana has drastic influence on recollection. But what about couple beers? To my understanding, alcohol does impact Non-REM sleep. Let's say, before bed, i ingest three beers. Before the REM period, my blood alcohol content, theoretically, would be zero. Here is where the question gets hairy. Do the brain waves remain altered, or does the mind correct any imbalance during N-REM? Also, i'd like to know about having five or six alcoholic drinks. When the BAC infringes on the REM sleep, would recall diminish greatly?

[Mes Tarrant]

Um, all I know is that I had quite a bit to drink a couple of days ago and didn't recall a single thing.

[Moonscape]

OOOooohhh! Mes!

[Redrivertears]

Hey there, Remember that alcohol is an inhibitor, and is likely to cause a deeper type of sleep. Regardless of whether the alcohol itself has a direct effect on your dream recall, the deep sleep certainly WILL have an effect. Its easier to recall dreams when your sleep is lighter. Just my 2 cents, -Redrivertears

[Mes Tarrant]

OOOooohhh! Mes! Ahh you missed all my drunken posts, Moonscape! Redriver, that's a good way of putting it.

[Lucid_Diamonds]

Its easier to recall dreams when your sleep is lighter. I seem to have good recall from naps when i've had two or three beers. I'm not quite sure what the effects of only small amounts of alcohol. Drinking two beers and taking a nap is my favorite thing to do nowadays. The alcohol relaxes me, but my recall seems to be heightened. I've always had trouble with recall from naps. Maybe that's because i always nap when i'm really tired.

[Robot_Butler]

It depends on how much alcohol you have had, and how long you are sleeping. If you drink before sleeping an entire night, you will wake up several hours into the night with your heart racing. This is because alcohol acts as a stimulant after some time passes. This can improve your dreaming later in the night by giving you a lighter sleep.

[Lucid_Diamonds]

This is because alcohol acts as a stimulant after some time passes. This can improve your dreaming later in the night by giving you a lighter sleep. I've never heard of alcohol acting as a stimulant after time. What you are saying is that in REM, because of alcohol, the sleep is lighter. Therefore, alcohol does in fact help recall in the later stages. Last night i had a really vivid dream in my NREM sleep, but didn't remember anything from my REM sleep cycle. I thought that was strange considering i woke up after my first dream. If i had been drinking some booze my recollection of dreams would have been switched around. You hit it on the head there Butler.

[Redrivertears]

Hey, Alcohol is in fact a depressant, not a stimulant, but it appears you are right about the second part of the night. Although alcohol itself is actually sleep-inducing, once it wears off the withdrawal symptoms (like dehydration and change sleep pattern) begin to disrupt the rest of your sleep (typically in the second half of the night), leading to lighter sleep, as posted. I found this little article, which I won't copy paste here because I'm not sure about copyright infringements, but do a search on google with the keywords "effects of alcohol dreams" and you'll likely hit right on it (the website is called medscape). For those interested I wouldn't recommend using alcohol as part of your day to day dream experimentations though. The sleep disruption is likely to exhaust your body on the long term (not to mention cause headaches, concentration problems and what not). -Redrivertears-

[Michael]

If you want dream recall, dont drink alcohol, or smoke weed... But its ok to use every once in a while but don't plan on having any dream recollection. Except on pot, if you use it rarely, prolly couple times a month, you will have more interesting dreams and remember them pretty well. But over-use of both these substances will lead to a "hazy foggy" life im the waking world and sleeping world.

[Lucid_Diamonds]

I wouldn't recommend using alcohol as part of your day to day dream experimentations though. Don't worry, Redrivertears. This is not a nightly experiment but rather a curious observation. I've noticed that dream recall after a couple beers is heightened. Plus, a nap after one or two beers is revitalizing. I understand the risks of becoming dependent on the foul substance. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/497982 Here is the link that Red suggested. That clears up any questions about alcohol and sleep patterns. And don't get me wrong, there is a potential danger here. But, like Michael said, But over-use of both these substances will lead to a "hazy foggy" life im the waking world and sleeping world. Like every good thing, use with moderation (not that alcohol is such a good thing). Bottoms up,

[Robot_Butler]

Alcohol can act as both a stimulant and a depressant. Low levels of alcohol in your bloodstream stimulates your adrenal glands and causes your liver to pump sugar into your bloodstream. At higher concentrations in the bloodstream, it will cause sedation/ stupor. The stimulant phase happens as soon as you consume your first drink or two, and then happens again hours after you have had your last drink as your body is clearing the alcohol from your bloodstream. It is the stimulation later in the night (when your REM periods are the longest) that will wake you up/ lighten your sleep.

[SKA]

Erm Admins? Mods? Isn't this Drugtalk? This even concerns a very toxic Hard Drug with great potential for addiction and abuse. What if young kids on these forums read this and get inspired to get tanked up with brain-, liver and kidney-harming toxins because of this post? Lucid Daimonds I actually find this a very interresting, experimental topic.

[Michael]

Erm Admins? Mods? Isn't this Drugtalk? This even concerns a very toxic Hard Drug with great potential for addiction and abuse. What if young kids on these forums read this and get inspired to get tanked up with brain-, liver and kidney-harming toxins because of this post? I know!!! This is what "steams my beans". Dont forget it rots your entire body, not just the organs you posted. My mom doesn't have many teeth because of this toxic drug and has "wet brain" and many other permanent problems. Thank the good spirits she quit... But I also find it an interesting topic, as my avatar might suggest.

[Abra]

Why is this discussion allowed? Because alchohol isn't illegal in America. Well, unless you live in the 1920's, of course.

[Lucid_Diamonds]

Well, unless you live in the 1920's, of course. Unfortunately, prohibition doesn't really solve any problems. I'm sure Michael wouldn't mind if they legalized his magical herb though. Hell, i wouldn't raise a fit either. Stop the drug wars! My mom doesn't have many teeth because of this toxic drug and has "wet brain" and many other permanent problems. "Wet brain"? I'm not familiar with the term. On a side note, i tried taking a nap after ingesting two beers the other day. I should mention that i started my experiment around five o'clock. To my understanding, there was a change in relaxation but an increased awareness that i was on the verge of slipping into a dream. Once i fell into a slumber, the dream lasted for what could have only been five minutes. I seriously thought i had experienced a false awakening because little time passed. "Oh, excellent, here comes a lucid dream," i thought. But the reality check turned out negative and i was awake. To what extent did the alcohol play a part in the overall lightness of my rest? There could have been other variables in place like overall tiredness; however, i live with four other guys and a noise could have made me wake up.

[Michael]

Oh, I wouldn't mind them legalizing the herb by any means. I'm just mad that we can discuss this on DV but not drugs anymore, when alcohol is a drug. Wet brain is when you fuck up your brain from being an alcoholic for a long period of time. 16 years in her case of drinking half gallon of vodka a day. Thats why alcohol is baaaaaaaad, *takes sip of beer* I still support this thread and if this one gets deleted I'd be even more mad though... So either way I'm mad - with a smile

[Thylacoleo]

I quite often drink wine on evenings and haven't observed any apparent relation to dream recall. BTW, one night I was at my company's "team-building" where I was drinking more than usual. I did not get excessively drunk, but certainly had my fix. In the morning I had long (by my standards, that is) and vivid lucid dream. So my conclusion is that alcohol in reasonable amount does not affect dream recall and lucid dreaming. -Tl