Things that affect dreaming/LDing...add your own.

[Astral Traveler]

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.

[deepsleep]

Being sick, It definatley affects my dreams.

[John11]

I'll have to disagree with you on the masturbation thing. My dreams seem more memorable if I do, but I can't say anything for sure of course. Alcohol in excess kills my dream recall and LD chances, but a bit of Alcohol seems to increase my LD chances a bit. Focusing on not moving my body at all as I go to sleep (ala Jeff777's thread) seems to increase my DILD frequency more than anything else. It keeps me very aware as I'm going to sleep. The downside is that this keeps me up longer and I probably get less sleep overall (I don't seem to notice it though the next day).

[The Scrybe]

Alcohol, after drinking I sleep the sleep of the dead, so no LD's generally. I have amazing dreams after sex, but am usually too lazy to LD. Weed helps me to focus, I have good LD's after smoking.

[Lusense]

Someone should make some topics kinda like this like "Dream signs you've found", "methods to increase lucidity", etc. and everyone could post theirs and the first post should be updated imo that would be a good way to get alot of information on certain topics that everyone could contribute on.

[Shift]

Someone should make some topics kinda like this like "Dream signs you've found", "methods to increase lucidity", etc. and everyone could post theirs and the first post should be updated imo that would be a good way to get alot of information on certain topics that everyone could contribute on. http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...ead.php?t=2281 http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...515#post971515 Also, *points to New Topic button*

[Robot_Butler]

Alcohol helps me dream. I get Lucids pretty consistently after having a few drinks. When it's stimulant properties kick in later in the night, I wake up with my heart racing. This forces me into having a WBTB. Add that to some REM suppression early in the night, and it makes a great combo. Galantamine is an absolute miracle drug for lucid dreaming. Don't tell the FDA For me, WBTB is the number one thing that influences my dreams.

[Hukif]

Being deprived of sleep greatly affects my DILD ability lol Other than that... well can't think of others that are not common <.<

[Arcana]

listening someone else's dream makes me have a related dream that night also talking to some particular ppl at some hours, dunno why though reading also makes me dream

[slash112]

this is a good thread, i think i have actually learnt something here. i personally think this should be stickied.

[The Scrybe]

listening someone else's dream makes me have a related dream that night also talking to some particular ppl at some hours, dunno why though reading also makes me dream Agreed reading helps me to dream also

[bsurfer2d3]

I've had more lucid dreams after being drunk when going to bed. Its strange, but they usually happen around 8am - 10am when sleeping in. Also, sleeping somewhere else. I've had a lucid dream every time I've stayed over at a family friends house.

[Astral Traveler]

I've had more lucid dreams after being drunk when going to bed. Its strange, but they usually happen around 8am - 10am when sleeping in. Also, sleeping somewhere else. I've had a lucid dream every time I've stayed over at a family friends house. The sleeping at someone else's place thing is interesting, unfortunately i don't really get many chances to test that theory. And i think i might want to take back what i said about drinking and masturbation, i did both last night and had a really good night for dreams. I didn't have an LD but i would have if my RC hadn't failed me, plus i had a lot of other normal dreams that were really long and clear. Maybe it's only a bad thing if i do it too often.

[Mysteryhunter]

Lightning storms -> help LD's for me. something about that atmospheric discharge of electricity for the brain cells to generate enhanced LD impulses. Could be that they cause me to successfully WILD all night

[Shift]

Lightning storms -> help LD's for me. something about that atmospheric discharge of electricity for the brain cells to generate enhanced LD impulses. Could be that they cause me to successfully WILD all night Please provide me with some sources as, if this were true, it would be very easy to induce LDs every single time you were asleep. And if it's true, I need to read about it.

[Abra]

Having a cold=Dream recall (and effort) goes down the drain. Early mornings kill recall, no matter how many hours of sleep I got.