Thread: Menthol as a Dream Enhancer

Hi Canis Lucidus,

It does sound a rather epic night after reading your reports. I'm presuming that the LD's are all post-WBTB rather than any being pre, due to the actions of 5-HTP.
Can you remember how many hours into sleep that you took the WBTB? (I'm assuming about 4-5 hours in?)

Whatever, it must have been quite memorable!

Originally Posted by Highlander

Hi Canis Lucidus,

It does sound a rather epic night after reading your reports. I'm presuming that the LD's are all post-WBTB rather than any being pre, due to the actions of 5-HTP.
Can you remember how many hours into sleep that you took the WBTB? (I'm assuming about 4-5 hours in?)

Whatever, it must have been quite memorable!

Thanks, Highlander, and yes, you're exactly right. I woke up at around 3 AM, so after not quite 4 hours of sleep. (Hmm, less sleep than I'd imagined.) My WBTBs are natural so I don't get to schedule them too precisely.

When I woke up for WBTB, I recalled no dreams. I took the supplements immediately and laid back down after about 30 minutes of being awake. I was a bit buzzed and excited so I wasn't sure I'd get back to sleep very easily. Did my SSILD cycles, then rolled onto my side and began the WILD attempt.

Thanks CL.

I did just notice your actual WBTB timing in the Caffeine thread, but you replied before I could edit it.

After the positive results you guys are reporting in there I'm a bit tempted to try some form of Caffeine myself.

Originally Posted by Highlander

Thanks CL.

I did just notice your actual WBTB timing in the Caffeine thread, but you replied before I could edit it.

After the positive results you guys are reporting in there I'm a bit tempted to try some form of Caffeine myself.

Yeah the Menthol and Caffeine threads have sort of become sister research projects. I've had my best luck with the lower doses of caffeine but NyxCC seems to work wonders with frappuccinos and drinks with enough caffeine that they have warnings on the label.

Date: Wed June 19th 2013
Dose: (WBTB) Peppermint tea (x1 bag) infused in 0.5 pt of warm water, duration over 5+ minutes
Side Effects: None
Sleep Duration: < 6 hrs approx before (WBTB 20 min) < 3 hrs approx after. Total = 8.75 - 9 hrs
Cognitive: Average to good recall. Above average vividness in general.
Sexual: See notes
Atmosphere: Mixture of work and general themes, etc.
Other Comments: Basic SSI(LD) exercise performed post-WBTB. Slight awareness/dream theme noted. Virtually naked in one scene. (NLD)

Work. Hotel rooms. Dream references, etc - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

I postponed doing my fav menthol SJW combo as things were really distracting at home. I just couldn’t wait anymore so decided it was time to try again on the 17th. This time instead of B6, added my treasured latte. Dreams were vivid but missed to become lucid.

Date: 17 June
Dose: pre bed SJW, WBTB 2x200mg p.oil capsules, ½ latte
Side Effects: none
Sleep Duration: 9 hrs
Cognitive: dreams were vivid, one was especially long (or resumed after micro-wake)
Sexual: not really
Atmosphere: normal, but my tiredness translated into me thinking I was drunk during the dream?
Other Comments: I am slightly disappointed that I did not become lucid with this nice combo. I was quite sleepy and couldn’t become alert enough.

Apart for that the combo did a good job of enhancing dream quality and vividness. I met an old friend during the dream, he behaved and looked so real, I couldn’t tell the difference from rl. Mood was towards the positive although the overwhelming effects of previous trials with menthol were not as strong.

16-19 June Summary

Date: Sat June 22nd 2013
Dose: (Bed) Menthodex cough drops (x4) = Menthol @ 0.36% w/w (WBTB) Menthodex cough drops (x3) = Menthol @ 0.36% w/w. Vitamin B6 (x1) = 10 mg
Side Effects: Slight gripey stomach (post-WBTB)
Sleep Duration: <6 hrs approx before (WBTB = 33 min) <4 hrs approx after. Total = 9.5 - 10 hrs approx
Cognitive: Above average recall with little erasure. Good awareness.
Sexual: No.
Atmosphere: Realistic and vivid. Other senses noted. Anxiety pre-WBTB in one dream.
Other Comments: Quite a morning’s worth of dreams recorded which included a transition-type dream and a long memorable lucid dream.
I did have pre-anxiety (IWL) issues from the day beforehand, etc.
Totem (LH.) SSILD cycle(s) during post-WBTB.

Menthol – Vibrations and a long DILD - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

(N.B: I did edit the pre-WBTB anxiety dream from the above entry.)

Note: This is from morning of 6/20/2013

Dose: Pre-bed: 100mg 5-htp; WBTB: 2xGalantamind (8mg galantamine, 400mg choline citrate, B5), 600mg Alpha-GPC, 3 bags peppermint tea, 1 bag green tea
Side Effects: Mild insomnia.
Sleep Duration: 7 hours
Cognitive: Reasonably sharp. Very vain.
Sexual: Sexual hypnagogia but no sexual dream content.
Atmosphere: Mildly adventurous. Self-conscious.
Lucid: Yes! One lucid dream and one micro-lucid.

The lucid dream:
Vanity at The Doppelganger Water Park - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

There was also an adventure-themed micro-lucid. (I had a sword and everything!)

Date: Tue June 25th 2013
Dose: (Bed) 0.5 pt Apple Juice; (WBTB) L-Arginine (x2) = 1000 mg, Menthodex cough drops (x2) = 0.36 % w/w
Side Effects: ERECTION
Sleep Duration: 5.75 hrs before (WBTB 38 min) 3.25 hrs approx after. Total = 9.00 hrs approx
Cognitive: Very good recall and awareness. Very good stability and overall clarity in main DILD especially.
Sexual: Taboo subjects
Atmosphere: Family theme. The need to convey a message/shared dreaming type test.
Other Comments: Occasional dreamlets/hypnagogia noted late morning whilst resting.
SSILD cycles performed post-WBTB. Memorable.

My Family, etc - DILD - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

The peppermint pills just aren't cutting it for me. Theoretically they should do much better but in practicality they seem to make a negligible difference to my dreams. Sometimes drinking even one cup could sned me down a wacky or sexual dream, unlike the pills which seem to produce more normal dreams than crazy cool ones

I still have like 35 left though so I might try take three tonight, and see what happens.

Originally Posted by Highlander

Sexual: Taboo subjects
Atmosphere: Family theme.

I will be reading this entry shortly lol.

Originally Posted by dutchraptor

The peppermint pills just aren't cutting it for me. Theoretically they should do much better but in practicality they seem to make a negligible difference to my dreams. Sometimes drinking even one cup could sned me down a wacky or sexual dream, unlike the pills which seem to produce more normal dreams than crazy cool ones

I still have like 35 left though so I might try take three tonight, and see what happens.

Well, when it comes to the pills vs the peppermint tea it may be worth considering that there's a... I guess a good example would be a cannabis-like situation going on. By that I mean, a combination of chemical effects. Menthol does seem to have some unique effects, but it could be that those effects are brought out much better when combined with other supplements in the mix, including those naturally found in peppermint tea. The comparison with cannabis centers around THC. THC by itself is usually rated as underwhelming, often anxious or panicky, and not really a drug you would just use. However, when mixed with the vast number of other cannabinoids in the plant, as well as things like terpenes and terpenoids in the trichomes, its effects are subtly altered and enhanced to create the glowing, euphoric, psychedelic, and versatile high that weed smokers are familiar with. Similarly, it could be, for instance, that menthol increases dopamine release in the brain in a way that causes sexual stimulation but that in some people it may not be enough to be incredibly noticeable until it's combined with things like the B vitamins in the tea which allow for more efficient dopamine production, and therefore a stronger effect in this particular area.

I don't know how that would explain why the cough drops can work for people though. Unless it did just differ that much from person to person.

I was thinking that myself, I remember you had already told me something similar earlier.
I think I will actually try both at the same time. If I both have the peppermint tea and the capsules I might be able to get some strong effects out of it.
I'll report in tomorrow to say how it went.

Originally Posted by dutchraptor

I was thinking that myself, I remember you had already told me something similar earlier.
I think I will actually try both at the same time. If I both have the peppermint tea and the capsules I might be able to get some strong effects out of it.
I'll report in tomorrow to say how it went.

That's an idea. I look forward to seeing your results, then!

Date: Wed June 26th 2013
Dose: (WBTB) Banana (x1) along with 1 cup (0.5 pt) of Peppermint tea – (warm water steeped with 1 bag for 5 min)
Side Effects: None
Sleep Duration: >6 hrs approx before (WBTB 25 min) >3 hrs approx after. Total = 9.00 hrs approx
Cognitive: Average to reasonable recall. Slight awareness/semi-lucidity near the end of main dream.
Sexual: No, although I did use profanity!
Atmosphere: Confrontational/driving theme(s)
Other Comments: SSILD cycles performed post-WBTB. Crystal totem held in right hand post-WBTB.

Road rage, etc - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Date: Wed June 26th 2013
Dose: WBTB I cup of peppermint tea, 400mg of peppermint oil
Side Effects: None
Sleep Duration: around 9 hours. WBTB 2 hours into sleep
Cognitive: Average, good recall and mostly vivid dreams. Huge lack of any logical thought though.
Sexual: A bit for about 10 minutes of dream. Very sexual references which amounted to nothing and never appeared again for every following dream.
Atmosphere: Slightly less normal than most dreams. A bit urgent but not stressful or annoying.
Other Comments: Nothing particularly noticeable from other dreams I've had. I don't count this as a success. I will try ingest a higher dose of tea today.

Date: 25 June
Dose: Pre bed: SJW, 2 drops p.oil, WBTB 1 capsule 200mg p.oil, some latte (around 60 mg caffeine)
Side Effects: None
Sleep Duration: 8 hrs
Cognitive: vivid dreams non-ld & ld. Ld somewhat unstable but I guess because it started from scratch.
Sexual: No (with the exception of having a brief sexy thought after creatively going for TOTM at the very end)
Atmosphere: non-lds about classmates, I liked the atmosphere, ld on top of building/store/station.
Other Comments: My favourite combo so far, but without B6, that I guess I should have added to increase awareness. This time the combo + caffeine yielded a lucid at the very end of sleep (3 hrs post WBTB)

Obsessed with TOTM

So i haven't really been fallowing this thread but i thought it would be kinda interesting to try and it does look like it is working so my question is since i dont want to read all the 34 pages. How are you taking this cough drop etc?

Originally Posted by Oster

So i haven't really been fallowing this thread but i thought it would be kinda interesting to try and it does look like it is working so my question is since i dont want to read all the 34 pages. How are you taking this cough drop etc?

I think enemas have been the most effective so far.

No wait wrong thread sorry. I think all I've seen and or tired so far is peppermint tea, cough drops, peppermint oil, and I think someone said something about a York peppermint patty a while back. Did I miss anything?

Some of the guys (me included) also have combined Menthol (as you say either in the form of an ingested cough drop, a Peppermint tea infusion, or a Peppermint Oil capsule, etc.) with one of their favourite other supplements, either at bedtime or usually in my case WBTB, or indeed both.

Originally Posted by Oster

So i haven't really been fallowing this thread but i thought it would be kinda interesting to try and it does look like it is working so my question is since i dont want to read all the 34 pages. How are you taking this cough drop etc?

I've used cough drops in the past but generally focus on peppermint tea these days. (This is me, though -- lots of people do great with cough drops/oil/caps,etc.) I personally like to drink the tea at WBTB. I make it before bed then it's room temperature by WBTB time.

This probably makes me seem like a weenie, but I drink the tea through a straw in order to alleviate any possible teeth-staining effects.

Originally Posted by Highlander

Some of the guys (me included) also have combined Menthol (as you say either in the form of an ingested cough drop, a Peppermint tea infusion, or a Peppermint Oil capsule, etc.) with one of their favourite other supplements, either at bedtime or usually in my case WBTB, or indeed both.

That's right! Cholinergic supplements seem to be particularly effective since the mechanism of action is so different. Menthol does a lot for dream quality/quantity while the cholinergics make lucidity more likely.

Having said that, I always recommend trying any dream aid by itself first to assess its effects. Always start with low doses and keep careful records. It's the safest, most effective way because it allows you to be able to look back and remember what worked for you and what didn't.

If you do think about striking out on your own with some new, untested combo, it may be a good idea to run it by the folks in this thread so that we can point out any contraindications. Menthol has interesting, slightly exotic mechanisms of action so it's good to build your combos with care and always with conservative doses.

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

This probably makes me seem like a weenie, but I drink the tea through a straw in order to alleviate any possible teeth-staining effects.

To the contrary really, a useful tip seeing a trip to your dentist costs money in these day's of austerity.
Another thing is (and I don't wish to repeat myself too often) that if your taking cough drops on a regular basis then CLEAN YOUR TEETH immediately afterwards!
There is a lot of sugar per cough drop which is often overlooked.

The other thing to add following on from Canis's wise post regarding combo's is that I forgot to mention you can use your favourite technique too; whether it is MILD, WILD, DEILD, etc.

Currently I'm trying SSI(LD) during WBTB.

Originally Posted by CanisLucidus

This probably makes me seem like a weenie, but I drink the tea through a straw in order to alleviate any possible teeth-staining effects.

Definitely not, I drink like 5 cups of tea per day excluding the peppermint tea and it's really bad. I think I might actually resort to using a straw now

New to the forum and LD as a whole but I thought I could take a shot at this.

Date: Fri June 28th 2013
Dose: Four 7mg Cough drops (28mg totall)
Side Effects: Slight insomnia and chest pain.
Sleep Duration: 12 Hours
Cognitive: Average recall and vividness
Sexual: No
Atmosphere: Violent and angry.
Other Comments: It was two different dreams. The first was very jumpy and hard to follow or understand what I was doing but the second was normally vivid and very violent.

Date: 28th June
Dose: 3g fish oil, 400mg peppermint oil, 644mg valerian root extract
side-effects: none
sleep-duration: 8 hrs
lucid: yes
Cognitive no noticeable effect
Sexual: extremely
Atmosphere: fantasy elements
Other comments: last night saw me break a dry spell of more than a week, also notable for being possibly the most vividly sexual dream of my life.

I'm happy to prove that lucidity is possible under the influence of valerian :p I love the fantasy overtones it gives my dreams.