No lucid dreams since I quit drinking

**FriendlyFace** · 04-22-2013 06:16 PM

So I used to drink somewhere between a bottle of wine and two liters of 80 proof liquor every day (generally more towards the latter... alcohol is outrageously cheap here). I stopped a few weeks ago for a lot of reasons, mainly I realized I hadn't been able to get "drunk" since high school so I was just drinking out of habit and that most of my calories were coming from booze (bad news). Since then I haven't had a single lucid dream. I used to become lucid at least twice per week and sometimes even twice in one night... but since then nada. I don't really mind, since I tend to learn a lot more from non lucid dreams, but lucid dreams were a fun treat every now and then. I never put any effort into lucid dreaming but now I may start.

My dreams are a lot clearer now in the mornings, but they seem to be a bit more boring lately. I'm just curious what sort of role alcohol plays in dreaming/lucid dreaming. Could sobering up in the middle of the night somehow shock you into lucidity?

**Zoth** · 04-22-2013 11:51 PM

Alcohol is if anything harmful to lucid dreaming, since it will give you less REM during the night, which in it's turn diminishes your chances to become lucid. So staying away from it as best as possible is the right way to go

**Sensei** · 04-23-2013 12:05 AM

A also think that it decreases awareness if you fall asleep whilst under the influence, from what I have gathered. Getting a little buzzed might help with WILDing, no idea though.

**FriendlyFace** · 04-23-2013 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by zoth00

Alcohol is if anything harmful to lucid dreaming, since it will give you less REM during the night, which in it's turn diminishes your chances to become lucid. So staying away from it as best as possible is the right way to go

....clearly this is not the case (for me), considering I used to become lucid all the time and have not done so once since I got sober.

Anyway, I did a bit of research and found out that drinking alcohol before going to sleep causes shorter REM periods in the first 4 hours or so, but in the second 4 hours withdrawal vastly increases the time spent in REM sleep. So I guess that probably has something to do with it.

I just miss how awesome my dreams used to be. I used to wander around this crazy dream metropolis for what seemed like days. Most of the time now they're just boring normal stuff, like I'm going to the grocery store or something.

**gab** · 04-23-2013 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by FriendlyFace

....clearly this is not the case (for me), considering I used to become lucid all the time and have not done so once since I got sober.

I think you need to give your body time to adjust.

Alcohol acts as REM supressor early in the sleep and that causes REM rebound later in the sleep. But if you sleep 8 hrs, by hour 8, your REM is already of very decent lenghts, even without alcohol.

Why it caused lucidity for you, I can only guess, that being drunk has become your normal state and your body adjusted to that. It's possible, that now you have much healthier sleep, so you not waking up as often as you used to. If you don't wake up shortly after your dream ends, you most likely not gonna remember it later.

When you under influence, you can't really WILD, you can't really have good control in your lucids, your mind is not clear and you probably don't remember your LDing tasks you wanted to do, or recall what you read in tutorial few days ago.

Keep up with your DJ and think about your dreams.

Alcohol and any drugs don't mix well with lucid dreaming. Lucid dreaming is suppose to be a beautiful experience. I have a strong feeling, that you were not getting lucid because of your drinking, but despite of it.

**NyxCC** · 04-23-2013 01:57 AM

Gab is right, alcohol suppresses REM and later results in a rebound that may be the reason for your lucidity. I remember having some vivid dreams after a few beers. However, I think that using alcohol to get lucid is a rather bad idea. Too frequent and excessive alcohol consumption is bad for your entire body, it literally destroys your liver, ages your skin, gives you empty calories with no nutrients, lowers your immune system, to name a few things. You probably know this, but it always helps to hear it once again. As with all things in life, I find that moderation is the key.