Thread: Dream Recall And Menstration And Menopause

I know one thing about the relationship between hormones and dreaming, and that is that nobody knows much about it. How dreams operate in the brain is still largely a mystery. But, maybe someone here has practical knowledge about how periods influence dreaming and dream recall. I don't know if it is something you can fix or enhance with vitamins, though, but B6 is widely regarded as a vitamin that boots dream clarity. You could try using that. But remember, generally the only way to get better at dream recall is practice. Just doing it more often will make you more proficient at it, and will enable you to recall your dreams always.

I'm no expert, being male and all. This picture shows which hormones are higher, maybe try injecting them? Lol, I don't know! Here it is:



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I don't know the physiological reason, but according to The Lucid Dreaming Book, it's very common for women to have increased dream vividness/recall during or around menstruation.

Originally Posted by Jess

This picture shows which hormones are higher, maybe try injecting them? Lol, I don't know!
[/b]

Jess I know you are trying to be helpful but just "injecting hormones" is not really a good idea.

Dreamship, we should do some research. I'll start asking every post-menopausal woman I know if the quality or quantity of their dreams has changed. Just a couple simple questions. If several of us did this we could probably get a rough idea if there is a hormonal influence or change with menopause. I do remember that estrogen is the main steroidal hormone in the brain, and after menopause, women actually have less there than men. But I don't know what you could take to counter-act this. DHEA is used as a supplement to increase steroidal hormones but its safety related to cancer-causing effects is questioned, and I don't know if it gets into the brain anyway. (I am making the assumption the hormones in the brain are the ones causing an effect, but this may not be the case.)

Anyway, we could start by seeing if there is a change. I have to admit I have not noticed a menstrual effect. It seems like if this was a widespread phenomenon it would be talked about more. Of course a lot of people don't pay any attention to their dreams.

Well let's see if we can find something out informally.

I have not noticed any effect of my menstrual cycle on dreaming. (The only thing I've ever noticed is I could eat everything I can get my hands on the week before my period and then during I don't want much to eat at all. )
At 49 years of age, I consider myself in a pre-menopausal phase- 1. Because the average age of menopause is 51 and 2. Symptoms I've been having. I would definitely say that my dreams are not as vivid, long, or as easy to remember as I have gotten older. Don't know if it is an effect of being in pre-menopause OR just because I am older. I do know I am having trouble with learning to lucid dream.

octoberchild

Do any of you have an online dream journal here? Does it motivate
you to recall and write your dreams knowing that it is on an online
journal and that others might read it rather than in just your own paper
journal? I had a thought just now that it might motivate me for a short
time to post an online journal because my ego would get a boost by
having other people reading my dreams, but then my dreams might not
be worth sharing

I think I'll alternately read Garfield and Exploring the
world of lucid dreaming before bed to stimulate my brain.

[quote]name='dreamship' date='Jan 19 2007, 11:48 AM' post='401702']


Do any of you have an online dream journal here? Does it motivate
you to recall and write your dreams knowing that it is on an online
journal and that others might read it rather than in just your own paper
journal? [quote]

I do not have an online dream journal but I do have my own personal journal that I write in. It most definitely helps me with recall and I believe it stimulates me to dream also. I think you will find if you keep a journal it will increase your recall and stimulate you to dream. I like to write so I don't need any motivation from others to do so. Give the online journal a try.

octoberchild

Originally Posted by dreamship

Do any of you have an online dream journal here? Does it motivate
you to recall and write your dreams knowing that it is on an online
journal and that others might read it rather than in just your own paper
journal? I had a thought just now that it might motivate me for a short
time to post an online journal because my ego would get a boost by
having other people reading my dreams, but then my dreams might not
be worth sharing [/b]

I keep a journal here. It helps me a few different ways--it is easy to keep up in an organized way which therefore inspires me more when I go back and read it, I am motivated to transfer my dreams from the scribbles I make at night into a readable format, it's fun when people read and make encouragine comments or suggestions, you can share your lucids, etc. Don't worry about not having interesting ones, mine are usually inane random BS. But every once in a while I have a good one.

I guess you are recommending Garfield's books. I'll have to check them out.

(Well I remembered to ask one person today- my Mom. She said no difference that she noticed.)

Hopefully we will continue with good dreaming thruout life. I really think so (based on my scientific survey of my mother). Actually I better get good so I have something to continue.