Tips for making dreams more vivid

[Jayme]

I've been working on dreaming since May 2009. I've had small lucids which are hardly even lucid at all, and multiple times I've realized I'm dreaming and have woken up. I can currently remember 3 dreams a night, and sometimes fragments of a fourth. But here's the thing..they aren't vivid. I've been working on making them vivid for months. I've tried telling myself "You are a vivid dreamer" aloud and into a mirror like one book has told me to try, and kept the thought in my head while trying to fall asleep. I've tried B6 before bed and that never works. Apple Juice worked once, the same as oatmeal. I want to have my dreams vivid so, when I have my first, long, real lucid dream, I can see things more clear and such...Does anyone have any tips that could help me out? I've tried all I can think of. My dreams just seem so unclear...I literally just noticed now that I don't see my friends faces in my dreams. Either I'm behind them or they have their faces at such an angle their bangs (all my friends have front or side bangs) cover their eyes and nose. That, and things seem blurry. I need to improve my vividness in dreaming. My dream recall is great, but this isn't enough. They need to be clearer. (Sounded like something from Inception) Does anyone have anything that you have personally tried that can make my dreams more vivid? I'm willing to try anything, as long as it's safe. Something like smoking weed, I'm not going to do. Even if I've heard it increases vividness >_>;;

[Indeed]

Best advice I can give you is to rub your hands together in the dream.

[Jayme]

What I meant is..is making most of my dreams vivid. Not just the lucid ones. Since my vividness sucks, I don't have much dream control in the short lucids I have and I can't really do anything but wake up or slip into a dream state again.

[Serenity]

I notice what helps me is how I write my journal entries. I find the more effort and detail I put into the entry, the more vivid my dreams start to become. This is everything from describing the rooms I may have been in, or the scenery around me. Emotions I may have been feeling. The colour of water, or paint on the walls. Whether it was day or night in the dream. Catch my meaning? It seems to me, that the more effort I put into these things, it sends a message to my brain to put more details into these things when I'm dreaming. I hope this helps!

[mikeac]

I notice what helps me is how I write my journal entries. I find the more effort and detail I put into the entry, the more vivid my dreams start to become. This is everything from describing the rooms I may have been in, or the scenery around me. Emotions I may have been feeling. The colour of water, or paint on the walls. Whether it was day or night in the dream. Catch my meaning? It seems to me, that the more effort I put into these things, it sends a message to my brain to put more details into these things when I'm dreaming. I hope this helps! Yep. Just imagining the crystal clear details of your dreams using your five senses increases dream vividness. There is a guide here somewhere I think. Of course rubbing your hands and spinning help though.

[Feick]

You know, the number one way for me to increase vividness in dreams is to increase focus during the waking day. Just don't let your mind wander and try to notice as much as you naturally can. Don't strain yourself, just take it in and consider and question the world for what it is. Over time an increased awareness in life will increase awareness in dreams. Lucids for me, however, are a totally different beast. When I become lucid, awareness and clarity follow. When I reflect on some dreams, they seem like a distant memory. When I reflect on lucids they seem like I was just there. I only say this because I feel that when you have your first long lucid, it will be clear if you remember to stabilize it. Another thing, try to become a lighter sleeper. I find when I sleep heavy, my normal dreams are distant. When I have a light refreshing sleep, my dreams are much more recent feeling.

[Jayme]

Thanks, guys! I'll try to describe my dreams in more detail now. I know I can, I just usually don't do that...I just wrote what happened and what was said. And I'll try that too, Feick. It sounds interesting.. And I'm already a really light sleeper. You can just tap me and I'll be awake, lol.

[sisyphus]

I have the same problem. Looking over my DJ, I realize now that I'm usually just summarizing the "plot" of the dream. I emphasize the timeline of events without much attention to sensory detail. I think this is just my personality and writing style to be concise; like writing a police report. So I think I'll try recalling more description instead of plot, both in dreams and waking life.

[Raetin]

Yelling Stabilize will probably help. Touching things and feeling what they feel like is another. Spinning is what I hear many people try but usually that sends you to another dream location. I like your avatar Jayme, it looks cute.

[kunfu11]

Drinking apple juice before bed helps me. I think it's supposed to be the anti-oxidants or whatever...worth a shot right?

[Snowboy]

PEANUT BUTTER BANANA SANDWICH!!! It helps DR and vividness, but it might keep you awake in the middle of the night... =(

[Jayme]

Apple juice works wonders for me sometimes.. And a sandwich? I'll make sure to try that XD And yes, my avatar is cute. Thanks for all the help everyone!

[sisyphus]

Ok, I'll definitely try these food remedies.