Things that affect dreaming/LDing...add your own.
In this thread we list all the things that we think help us dream or detract from our ability to dream.
The following is my personal list:
1) Pot.
This is a big dream killer. I can never seem to remember my dreams after i smoke and the effect usually lasts for a couple of days. I like to get high every now and then but i like dreaming more so i quit a little while ago, it just wasn't worth it.
2) Alcohol.
This is a tricky one, i've actually had some DILDs the night after some heavy drinking but i think for the most part it is too disruptive of my sleep cycle to be consistently beneficial for LDing.
3) Masturbation.
As a rule i would say this is detrimental to dreaming. The longer i go without chocking my chicken the better my dreams seem to get, and the more i seem to be able to remember them. I don't know what this is like for everyone else but if you are trying to LD and you've exhausted every other option i would say maybe give the porn a rest and see if that helps.
Sex is another story but since i haven't had any in 16 months i don't think i'm qualified to pass judgement on it's effects on lucid dreaming, it might help or it might not.
4) Afternoon naps.
These have been a boon for me in my quest for LDs. These naps will usually take place about 4 or 5 hours after i have risen in the morning, they can last anywhere between 1-4 hours but the best dreams usually come within the first couple hours so (in my opinion anyway) it is unnecessary to go any longer than that.
I also seem to experience SP a lot more often when i am napping, not sure why but that might help with people who are having trouble WILDing.
5) WBTB
I know this is already a well established technique that is probably used by many members on this board but i choose to highlight it because i have personally had a lot of success with it.
I sleep for about 5 hours and then get up for about 1 hour before going back to bed again. The dreams will usually start again as soon as you go back to bed and if you have done your due diligence in preparing for LDing (dream journal, RCs, etc) your chances of having an LD are much higher than they would be if you simply slept right through without waking for that 1 hour.
6) Rereading your dream journal.
I have found that if i look back on the dreams i had a few weeks or months ago (or whenever really) and think about them before i go to bed my chances of becoming lucid are increased dramatically.
7) Exercise
Seems to help make you more tired thus forcing your body to spend more time in REM sleep. It would stand to reason that the more time you spend in REM sleep the more dreams you would have.
8) Choline and Galantamine.
I have personally never used Galantamine but i hear good things about it, i use Choline right before i go back to bed when i am doing a WBTB and it seems to help.
I guess that about does it for me, if i think of any more i will add them, now it's your turn.
