Hello everybody

[Sam]

Hi all, new here and to the idea of lucid dreaming. I've been working on dream recall for the past two nights, my previous dream recall is absolutely horrid, but on my second night of telling myself I will remember my dreams that night, and waking after each dream, I managed to recall 3 dreams, which is usually as many as I remember over a course of about 4 months. I've been wondering about using vitamin b6 and/or melatonin to help with dream clarity and recall, but I'm not sure how to start out. I read several topics in different forums already, but heard different answers from everybody and don't know what to think. Do these supplements need to be taken with each other? At what time of day should they be taken for best results? And are both of these available from a normal store, or do I need a prescription for either? I'm pretty sure I can purchase B6 at our local store, but not sure about melatonin. I heard melatonin will also relax the body yet keep the mind fresh, and wondered if melatonin could be taken before competition? I wrestle year round and am somewhat jumpy before matches, so maybe this could help. Maybe not, though. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Meard]

Falling asleep faster does increase your chance of dreaming, but it also decreases your chance of being able to recall it. Maybe once you can LD, use some natural sleeping remedies, but whilst you're still on the dream-recalling stage I suggest natural sleeping.

[TygrHawk]

Welcome, Sam! Sounds like you've already taken major steps toward improving your dream recall, which is at least half the battle. Obviously using suggestions to help remember your dreams is working, now you should use the same method to induce lucidity (MILD). When you have awakened after a dream (and hopefully journaled it), then go back to bed and repeat to yourself "I will realize that I am dreaming", "I will become lucid during my next dream", or "the next thing I experience will be a dream" -- something along those lines. You don't need prescriptions for either B6 or melatonin. Another herb that I've found helps my dream recall / lucidity is valerian root. But I highly doubt that you need this type of help -- it sounds like you're doing fine with the "natural" methods. Just don't be impatient -- it can take weeks or even months of trying before you find something that will work consistently for you. Enjoy your stay here, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

[irishcream]

regards the vitamin B6...i've been taking a vitamin b complex for the last couple of months, not for the purpose of dreaming, simply because i realised i was deficient in it...however, in the last couple of weeks, i have noticed that my clarity has greatly improved, images are much sharper and clearer, and therefore easier to remember. By the way, welcome to the board! I hope you find it useful. And with regard to recall, i've always had pretty good recall, but i do find i get some nights where it's horrible, and i remember very little. And other nights i'll have two or three dreams. I don't know why my brain does this, but i have found over the past few months that the best thing to do is to not worry about it too much, or it becomes a self perpetuating cycle. My dreams always come back to me eventually...

[Sam]

Originally posted by TygrHawk Obviously using suggestions to help remember your dreams is working, now you should use the same method to induce lucidity (MILD). When you have awakened after a dream (and hopefully journaled it), then go back to bed and repeat to yourself \"I will realize that I am dreaming\", \"I will become lucid during my next dream\", or \"the next thing I experience will be a dream\" -- something along those lines. I tried telling myself that before I went to sleep last night, but didn't think of it the times I woke up. I was too busy thinking about the details of my dream. I have pretty good memory when it comes to other things than dreaming, so I repeated the dream's details in my head and when I woke up several hours later I was able to remember everything in both dreams, and then put it down on pen & paper anyways. I was able to write almost half of a page on two dreams. I couldn't remember fully my third dream, it was in the same "sleep block" as the second one so I basically forgot most of it. They were pretty weird dreams, I'm surprised I didn't realize it was exactly that. Also, any idea on taking melatonin before physical competition, like I asked earlier?

[YULAW]

Whatever happened to the good ole' days trying to induce lucid dreams on a more natural level. I think taking like Melatonin will not give you the entire effect of Lucidity. Don't quote me on it because I never tried to induce lucid dreaming with any kind of drug, but I would try it on a more natural level first. You'll never know.. Good Luck

[TygrHawk]

I really don't know what kind of effect melatonin would have on physical competition -- but my gut feeling is that since it's used to induce sleep, using it like that would likely be counter-productive.

[WaaayOutThere]

Welcome, Sam! I don't use anything to help me lucid dream. It just happens. But it hasn't been happening real often lately either. Interesting ideas though.