Thread: Alcohol help you become lucid?

Most times i get drunk i seem to become lucid. I read on the net that because alcohol suppresses rem sleep you have a rem rebound which most of you probably know and it is likely to lead to a lucid dream or a nightmare. I notice also when i am drunk it is easier to do a reality check because when i am drunk it is a familiar feeling, for me anyway to a lucid dream so it is easier to take the reality check seriously.

Whats your thoughts?

Generally Alcohol tends to decrease my dream recall and chances of becoming lucid...

hi man, iv noticed this too, definitely.

The only time iv ever had lds is wen i come in from a night out and my head is swimming lol.

Think it has to do with the kinda rocking motion in my head (kinda copies the normal feeling that I experience when wild-ing) and also i tend to wake up spontaneously in the morning after about 5 hours therefore it is a non-induced wbtb kinda technique which means that it is more natural! Therefore it works better.

Its an expensive way of getting lds and i havent done it enuf to know for sure whether im imagining it or not but....

Explain this REM rebound that is induced plz?

whenever i drink i don't really dream, i think my awareness level would be to low to get into a lucid dream anyways.

Alcohol increasing the occurence of LDs... probably not, if anything alcohol would extend the length and/or vividness of your dreams. Alcohol is a depressant, therefore slowing down your body, including your mind and pattern of thought... if you are in your dream and realize you are lucid, while drunk, you are more likely to not panic or be overwhelmed with excitement, therefore allowing you composure to continue your lucid dream without it fading out or waking up.

Originally Posted by radioactivemango1

hi man, iv noticed this too, definitely.

The only time iv ever had lds is wen i come in from a night out and my head is swimming lol.

Think it has to do with the kinda rocking motion in my head (kinda copies the normal feeling that I experience when wild-ing) and also i tend to wake up spontaneously in the morning after about 5 hours therefore it is a non-induced wbtb kinda technique which means that it is more natural! Therefore it works better.

Its an expensive way of getting lds and i havent done it enuf to know for sure whether im imagining it or not but....

Explain this REM rebound that is induced plz?

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/497982

Here is an article on REM rebound.

How much are we talking here? I find if I only have a couple of glasses of wine, and am only slightly tipsy then yes, my dreams are better and have become lucid from them.

However if I am steaming, like a bottle of wine, copious shots and pints later, then no, I don't even remember dreams.

Originally Posted by ld master

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/497982

Here is an article on REM rebound.

Thanks for the link, you have to log in to read the article though, can you copy it and paste it here please?

Thanks

Question
What are the effects of alcohol on sleep?


Response from Karl Doghramji, MD
Professor of Psychiatry, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Director, Sleep Disorders Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Alcohol is used extensively as a sleep aid in the general population. In a recent survey,[1] 28% of insomniacs indicated that they had used alcohol to help them fall asleep. Occasional insomniacs used alcohol for an average of 3.6 nights/month, while chronic insomniacs used alcohol for an average of 6.8 nights/month. An equal number of occasional insomniacs and chronic insomniacs (67%) described alcohol as an effective or very effective method to induce sleep.

When ingested by normal individuals, alcohol leads to a more rapid induction of sleep. It also increases non-REM sleep and reduces REM sleep during the first portion of the night. However, alcohol is metabolized rapidly and blood concentrations are negligible by the middle of the night for most individuals who have a few drinks prior to bedtime, often resulting in withdrawal symptoms thereafter. These may include shallow sleep and multiple awakenings, REM rebound associated with nightmares or vivid dreams, sweating, and general activation.[2,3] Therefore, although alcohol may be effective in sleep induction, it impairs sleep during the second half of the night and can lead to a reduction in overall sleep time. As a result, it can also be associated with daytime somnolence. It is of interest that alcohol's negative effects on sleep are even observed when it is ingested in the late afternoon.

Insomnia is often a chronic condition, and chronic reliance on alcohol increases the risk of development of alcohol dependence and alcoholism. Alcoholism itself is also associated with the complaints of poor sleep characterized by prolonged time to fall asleep, multiple awakenings, and decreased delta and REM sleep.[4] Sleep changes can persist during months or years of abstinence, and recent studies indicate that certain alterations in sleep architecture, as well as subjective sleep complaints, predict relapse to alcoholism.[5] A variety of sleep disorders can be responsible for insomnia; these include sleep-related breathing disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Alcohol increases the severity of the syndrome, and may cause snoring and induce apneas in individuals without a history of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.[6]

In conclusion, alcohol is a commonly used substance for sleep induction. However, it is a poor choice as a hypnotic because it can disrupt sleep even further, may lead to alcohol dependence and alcoholism, and may intensify sleep-related breathing disturbances.

Posted 01/27/2005