Substances that promote lucid dreaming

Long sleepless nights lead to severe physical and mental exhaustion. If you periodically have problems with sleep, you should not immediately run to the pharmacy for sleeping pills. You can fight insomnia by changing your diet a little. In this article, we will talk about Top 10 effective products that help improve sleep.

“Most people who suffer from sleep problems will be able to sleep soundly again, just add a few foods to their diet,” says insomnia expert Dr. Yakov Teitelbaum.

10 foods that improve sleep

Bananas

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for good mood and helping to relax.

Melatonin, known as the "sleep hormone", in turn, is responsible for the regulation of sleep and has antioxidant properties (melatonin is not formed naturally in the body, it can only be obtained from food).

Eggs

Boiled eggs contain a lot of protein, which has a positive effect on sleep. Due to the high protein content boiled eggs have a positive effect on sleep and, in addition, successfully help fight against acid reflux, a symptom of which is heartburn, which does not allow you to sleep peacefully at night. Other foods are also rich in protein, in particular, meat, cheese and cottage cheese.

Almond

Almonds are rich in protein and also contain a solid dose of magnesium, which promotes good sleep and muscle relaxation.

A handful of almonds (don't overdo it, they also contain a lot of fat) or a sandwich with almond oil- excellent means to combat insomnia.

Fish

Most varieties of fish (especially salmon) contain vitamin B6, which is necessary for the synthesis of melatonin in the body.

In addition to fish, vitamin B6 is found in peas.

Do you know how to properly store fish so that it stays fresh and retains its beneficial features? Look!

Milk

Cup warm milk- Grandma's recipe for good sleep. Milk - excellent tool against insomnia, containing calcium and the amino acid "tryptophan", necessary for the production of the "sleep hormone" - melatonin.

If you can't sleep or wake up frequently during the night, get out of bed and drink one glass of warm milk. Sleep will become even sweeter if you add one teaspoon of honey.

Cabbage

It is well known that dairy products are rich in calcium, but many green leafy vegetables, such as cabbage, can boast of having this nutrient, the deficiency of which leads to insomnia.

Cherry

Cherry is one of the few natural sources melatonin. A few cherries will help you to freely enter the magical land of dreams.

Oatmeal

Per serving oatmeal contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon and potassium - substances that promote good sleep.

Do not overdo it with sweet additives to porridge. Sugar can negatively affect your sleep.

Honey

The sugar in honey slightly raises insulin levels, which allows the amino acid tryptophan, also found in honey, to better enter the brain and promote good sleep.

Do not overdo it! Eat no more than one tablespoon of natural honey before bed, preferably on an empty stomach.

Grape

Grapes are another enemy of insomnia, containing a natural sleeping pill - melatonin. Due to its presence, wine has a calming effect on nervous system.

The products that we talked about above will provide a strong night sleep and cheerfulness in the morning. In order for products to retain their freshness and useful properties, they must be stored properly. We wrote about it in detail.

Foods that interfere with sleep

In addition to products that normalize sleep, it is useful to know what harms it.

Fatty food

Eating fatty hamburgers and french fries leads to fatigue and drowsiness. The reason lies in the fact that these products limit the oxygen that enters the brain.

Eating heavy meals will make you think you're falling asleep faster, but studies show that people who eat fatty meals during lunch, sleep worse than those who eat right.

Be careful if you have acid reflux. Products with high content calories and fats can interfere with digestion and stomach acid secretion, not to mention that it will impair your sleep.

If you still decide to eat something with great content fat, do this no later than 3 hours before bedtime.

By using products containing a large number of starch, fat and sugar, you may feel sluggish and lethargic as they create heavy load to the digestive system.

Avoid before bed following products: pork, cheese, chocolate, eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes. They contain tyramine, an amino acid that is converted in the body to the substance norepinephrine, which is a brain stimulant.

Caffeine

Limit caffeinated foods, especially if you're used to drinking coffee in the afternoon. This substance becomes a frequent culprit of disturbed sleep.

If you have trouble sleeping, reduce your intake of other caffeinated foods such as chocolate, black tea, and some chewing gums.

Not all people who drink coffee experience sleep problems. This is due to the fact that we metabolize caffeine differently.

Advice: The stimulating effect of caffeine peaks between 1 and 4 hours, but some people may feel its effects for up to 12 hours. Some medicines for flu and headaches also contain caffeine.

Can foods influence the development of superpowers? It turns out yes! Attention! The result depends on what you eat!

1. How are nutrition and the development of superpowers related?
2. What kind of food has a beneficial effect on psychic abilities?
3. What products block the information channel?
4. How do psychics feel about eating meat?
5. Why is a personal approach to the development of superpowers needed?

How are nutrition and the development of superpowers related?

Became known!

The development of superpowers - clairvoyance, clairaudience, empathy, telepathy, telekinesis, pyrokinesis and other psychic abilities, depends on what the practitioner eats! This is what ancient Eastern teachings say.

How does food affect psychic¹ sensitivity and the ability to read information? The theory of vibrations explains everything! She also provides scientific evidence. separate meals and product compatibility.

Some types of food can raise the level of body vibrations, while others, on the contrary, will block the free flow of energy and, thereby, block the intuitive channel.

What do yogis say?

"In order to acquire psychic abilities man must take care of himself as a whole, he must give equal attention to his body, mind and spirit. These aspects are interconnected with each other, which means that taking care of the body and proper nutrition beneficial effect on mental activity and level of spirituality.

Yogi nutrition secrets for a long time were unknown to the West, look for

The entire material world consists of energy, including food!

Food products can contain positive or negative energy, which, after eating them, is transferred to a person.

For example, if an animal experienced fear, then the energy of fear and horror will be present in its meat. If the plant has been treated with chemicals, they will enter the body and accumulate there.

Therefore, it is very important to monitor the quality of products, and if it is not possible to use only environmentally friendly products, then you need to increase the vibration of food.

What food has a beneficial effect on mental abilities?

To increase vibrations, it is better to choose natural fresh products that have been harvested very recently, as they contain maximum amount pure positive energy.

This is, first of all, fresh vegetables and fruits. It is advisable to make sure that they are not processed with chemicals and do not contain GMOs. It can be watermelons, papayas, pineapples, apples, cherries, as well as all kinds of berries. From vegetables, you can choose all kinds of salads, cabbage, pumpkin, celery, carrots, etc.

Do not forget about grains, legumes and nuts, which have a high energy value and do not block energy channels. White rice it is better to replace brown, and wheat bread - rye.

Antioxidants are an important part of the diet!

They increase immunity, cleanse blood vessels, rejuvenate the body and promote unhindered circulation of the energy flow. These are garlic, ginger, honey, cayenne pepper and other spices that are not only good for health, but also give food a delicious variety of flavors.

And of course it's green tea!

What products block the information channel?

Processed foods, semi-finished products, and those containing various preservatives and flavorings do not contribute to the enhancement of psychic abilities.

Yogis, psychics and mediums who are developing their superpowers recommend avoiding foods with high content sugar, fat, salt and limit consumption bakery products from white flour.

Proven!

Smoking and drinking have an extremely negative effect on brain function. alcoholic beverages. In the presence of such bad habits developing superpowers can be difficult. And it is contraindicated to carry out any practices in a state of alcoholic, toxic and other intoxication - it can be life-threatening!

How do psychics feel about eating meat?

Many psychics refuse to eat meat, especially red meat, for two reasons:

1. Meat takes a long time to digest and takes a lot to digest. vital energy. Part of the energy that should be spent on brain activity, the body is forced to redirect to the breakdown of animal protein, and this deprives a person of mental strength.

2. It is believed that the residual energy of the animal is stored in the meat, and all negative emotions that the animal experienced at the time of death remain in it. Such negative energy reduces energy vibrations and can block the ability to read information.

The development of superpowers is not only practice, it is a special way of life that includes absolutely all aspects.

Why is a personal approach to the development of superpowers needed?

Partial or complete failure cleanses the body, consciousness from products of animal origin, increases the level of spirituality and promotes the development of mental abilities. But!

But there is no one rule for everyone! Important to consider individual characteristics. To do this, before deciding on a diet, you should consult a nutritionist. When compiling a diet, it is important to take into account all the contraindications that may be, and only then seriously engage in the development of superpowers.

Notes and feature articles for a deeper understanding of the material

¹ A psychic is a person who is believed to have the ability to extrasensory perception (

The term "lucid dreaming" was coined by Frederick van Eyden. Lucidity usually begins in the middle of sleep, when the dreamer realizes that the experience does not take place in physical reality, but is a dream. Often this realization is initiated by the dreamer when he notices an impossible or unlikely event in the dream, such as flying or meeting a dead person. Sometimes awareness comes without any specific dream prompt; a person may suddenly realize that he is in a dream. A minority of lucid dreams (about 10% according to the studies of LaBerge and colleagues) are the result of the return of REM sleep (with dreams) immediately after waking up with continuous reflective consciousness. Basic definition lucid dream requires only the awareness that you are dreaming. However, the quality of awareness can vary greatly. With a high level of awareness, a person realizes that everything that happens in a dream happens in his mind, that there is no real danger and that he is in his bed and will soon wake up. At a low level of awareness, a person may be aware to a certain extent that he is dreaming, which may be enough to start flying or to change what he does in a dream, but not enough to understand that people in a dream are a dream manifestation that the sleeper cannot receive any physical harm, or that he is actually in bed.

Substances and dreams

In the circumstances described above, it is highly recommended in this area to develop safe way helping dreamers achieve higher states of awareness in their dreams more frequently. For this, neurotransmitter modulators such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors can be used. Several substances have been proposed to increase the likelihood of lucid dreaming, from vitamins to prescription drugs. There are several good scientific research confirming these assertions. Lucid dreams are very dependent on the placebo effect; belief that something will stimulate lucid dream, is very efficient. Many prescription drugs, as well as marijuana and alcohol, alter the sleep cycle, usually by suppressing REM sleep. This leads to a phenomenon called "REM backlash" where a person experiences intense long periods of REM after the substance has worn off. This may manifest as nightmares, or perhaps as lucid dreams, as the brain is very active at this point. Drugs from the LSD family, including psilocybin and tryptamines, actually stimulate REM sleep (at doses small enough to allow sleep), resulting in longer REM periods. Due to the potentially dangerous and illegal nature of these substances, their use is discouraged.

Acetylcholine and Lucid Dreaming

It is known in the scientific literature that acetylcholine and its agonist, as well as acetylcholinesterase and its inhibitors/antagonists, can affect REM and sleep itself 14). J. A. Hobson, in his 1988 book The Dreaming Brain, says: "The cholinergic mechanisms of the brainstem cause sleep and dreaming." It has also been found that microinjection of the acetylcholine agonist carbachol in certain areas of the brain, such as the pons, induces long periods of REM sleep, and that many of the neurons critical for REM sleep respond to acetylcholine. Neither Hobson nor other scientists discussed the possibility of altering cholinergic levels with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors as a means of enhancing memory recovery and awareness. Historically, there are many cultures in which naturally occurring substances have allegedly been found to alter dream awareness in some way. One such substance, calea cazatecci or "Dream Weed", according to a 1986 article in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology by Lilian Mayagoitia et al., is "a plant used by the Indians of Juntal origin in Mexico to receive divine messages in their dreams." The neuroactive substances from this herb are sesquiterpene lactones and, to the best of our knowledge, are not associated with acetylcholinesterase inhibition or acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.

Herbs and plants

Both ancient methodologies and modern popular medicine attribute "oneirogenic" or "hypnotic" properties to numerous herbs and other natural substances, including herbs such as valerian, wormwood, mallein, kava kava, kitta of Crete, St. John's wort, salvia divinorum, Scutellaria indica, licorice root, verbena, jasmine, honeysuckle, cabbage, bee pollen, catnip, hops, skulikap, mimosa, lavender, damiana, santania somnifera, passionflower, chamomile, cardamom, gotu kola, ginkgo biloba, ibogaine, verbena, rose, cinnamon, calendula, nutmeg, peppermint, holly, yarrow and anise. There is little scientific evidence to support these putative effects.

DMAE

Other supplements and/or medications also claimed to be associated with mindfulness include B vitamins, melatonin, DMAE, and the psychedelic dextromethorphan. Some of these substances may be addictive, poisonous, and/or illegal. Lotsof, in U.S. Patent No. 4,499,096, issued Feb. 12, 1985, states " Quick method to interrupt the syndrome drug addiction" by using medicinal product Ibogaine. According to the patent, this drug induces "an intensification of dreams or a hallucinatory effect." This claimed "oneirogenic" effect is due to the fact that it induces dream behavior while leaving the ego perspective relatively intact. As stated in the patent, this is more of a hallucinatory effect than a lucid dream effect. However, because of these hallucinatory and other side effects, this drug is illegal in the US and thus not a desirable sleep aid. This drug is also not considered related to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or "drugs that improve mental capacity". DMAE (2-dimethylaminoethanol) is Chemical substance, which has been proposed for the treatment of a number of conditions, affecting the brain and the central nervous system. It is supposed to work by increasing the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, although this has not been proven. It is believed that DMAE improves memory and mood, improves intellectual functioning. There are several good clinical research confirming this assertion. Such substances are known as "cholinergics" due to the fact that they increase the level of acetylcholine. They are traditionally used to treat conditions such as Alzheimer's dementia, tardive dyskinesia, and Huntington's chorea. Because DMAE is considered cholinergic, it has been proposed for the treatment of these disorders, although placebo-controlled studies have produced essentially negative results. There is an ongoing debate about whether DMAE increases acetylcholine levels. However, Sergio, W. stated in the August 1988 edition of Medical Hypotheses in the article "The use of DMAE (2-dimethylaminoethanol) to induce lucid dreams" subjectively allowed him and his wife to experience heightened sleep lucidity. It is not clear from the article to what extent its purported results stem from a placebo response or any specific or cholinergic effect.

Other devices

Also well known in the art is a US patent. No. 5,507,716, awarded to LaBerge and colleagues on April 16, 1996, for equipment and methods used to induce lucid dreams in sleeping people. This patent uses a device to help people achieve lucid dreams by detecting and monitoring eye and head movements of sleeping people, where eye movement activity in the absence of head movement is used to indicate the presence of REM sleep. By applying sensory stimuli to REM sleepers, you can let them know they are dreaming. Keith M. T. Hearne illustrated and described his respiratory measuring instrument in 1983 (Pat. No. 4.420.001). His device sensed changes in the temperature of a person's breathing in the respiratory passage, or in the flow of air into and out of the respiratory passage. Thermistors have been used in an electrical circuit to detect temperature changes in human breathing. When the rate of these temperature changes reached a high predetermined level, the signals created in the electrical circuit initiated an audible sound to help bring the sleeping person out of an unpleasant dream, waking them up or helping them enter a lucid dream state.

Aetylcholinesterase inhibitors

None of the above descriptions describe a method for enhancing lucid dreaming that involves administering a class of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's disease such as donepezil (Aricept®), rivastigmine (Exelon®), galantamine (Reminyl®, Nivalin®), tacrine and huperzine result in a low incidence of side effects such as insomnia and gastrointestinal symptoms At the same time, these drugs significantly improve cognitive dream lucidity, clarity, self-reflection, recall, control, quirkiness, and visual vividness. The new patent relates to the field of lucid dreaming and to improving dream recall and dream lucidity through memory enhancement, including a class of substances that include acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEls). Lucid dreaming means dreaming in which you know you are dreaming. AChE inhibitors (AchEl) inhibit the normal metabolic inactivation of acetylcholine (ACh) by inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), resulting in accumulation of Ach. AchEl is most commonly used to improve memory, especially in Alzheimer's patients. Ach well known also that he plays important role in REM and is therefore suggested to improve dreams and awareness. When investigating the efficacy of donepezil (Aricept®) as an agent to improve lucid dreaming and cognitive clarity during REM sleep in normal patients, the following experiment was conducted with following results: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study was performed with ten normal volunteers selected for their good memory and interest in lucid dreaming (7 males, 3 females aged 22-55). Patients were required to collect dream content data and demonstrate other self-report measures for three nights separated by a drug elimination period of at least one week. At bedtime, they took capsules containing 0 (placebo), 5, or 10 mg decepil in a balanced order of three doses. After each spontaneous awakening for three nights, Ss assessed sleep content on a range of measures, including bizarreness, complexity and intensity, affect, cognitive awareness, clarity, and control. They also assessed sleep quality, insomnia, and the degree of any adverse impact. Nine of 10 Ss (90%) reported one or more lucid dreams on the night of the experiment, and only one S reported lucid dreaming on the placebo night. Cognitive clarity, awareness, recall, control, quirkiness, and visual vividness were all significantly improved with donepezil compared with placebo. Effects were generally associated with the 10 mg dose of doepisil, giving significantly more high levels of these variables than the 5 mg dose, which in turn resulted in significant increases over placebo. The likelihood of lucid dreaming for these three conditions increased from 0.031 for placebo to 0.429 for dopil 5mg and 0.754 for pipetyl 10mg. The odds ratio for the 10 mg dose versus placebo was 24.3 (p<0,001). Донепизил также был связан со значительно повышенной частотой паралича сна и 40% -ным увеличением оценочного времени сна в ночное время (176 против 126 мин в течение ночи 9,0 ч, р <0,05). Частота нежелательных явлений, особенно легкой бессонницы и желудочно-кишечных симптомов, была низкой и, в основном, ассоциировалась с более высокой дозой (два пациента сообщили о тошноте и один – о рвоте). Таким образом, по сравнению с плацебо, дозы Donepizil 5 и 10 мг значительно улучшают самооценку когнитивной ясности, саморефлексии и осознанности во сне. Эти эффекты могут быть дополнительно усилены комбинацией ингибиторов ацетилхолинэстеразы с ацетилхолиновыми предшественниками, агонистами и / или вызывающими осознанность электронными устройствами. Помимо данных, полученных с помощью пипецила, мы имеем данные на Exelon® (ривастигмин, доза 6-12 мг) и Галантамин (Reminyl®, Nivalin® 8-16 мг). Оба препарата работают так же хорошо, как Aricept®), но имеют меньшее количество побочных эффектов. Также был протестирован гиперзин с многообещающими результатами, но до сих пор не разработали соответствие дозы с Aricept® (но 5 мг донепизила более эффективны, чем 150 мкг гиперзина).

Other substances

In addition, there are reports of successful use of nicotine patches. There is also evidence in the scientific literature showing the initiation/intensification of REM sleep with arecoline. It should be noted that REM alteration, mindfulness-enhancing effects, may be due to a number of neurophysiological effects induced by these "nootropics" in addition to acetylcholinesterase inhibition. These include: 1. The use of a cholinergic agonist (eg, nicotine). 2. Muscarinic receptor agonist use: drugs that mimic the effect of ACh on muscarinic receptors: Inc: muscarinic (M1), M2 and nicotinic agonists. (such as arecoline or recoline, a muscarinic receptor agonist) 3. Use of a presynaptic receptor antagonist to activate the remaining acetylcholine neurons. (That is, there are desensitizing oligonucleotide sequences in rats that block muscarinic M2 (but not M4) receptors, increasing extracellular levels of acetylcholine. This effect (desensitizing nucleotide sequences are complementary to a messenger RNA sequence. When desensitizing DNA or RNA is added to a cell, they bind 4. Use of allosteric modulators (such as allosteric potentiating ligands) of acetylcholine and nicotinic receptors (drugs that interact with the receptor through binding sites other than those used for acetylcholine and nicotinic agonists and antagonists) Other strategies for potentiating acetylcholine function to improve dream lucidity, including the use of other classes of compounds that work in a similar way, should be apparent to those skilled in the art. Awareness-enhancing effects may be due to a number of neurophysiological effects induced by these "nootropics" in addition to acetylcholinesterase inhibition. They include:

Use of a cholinergic agonist (eg, nicotine).

Muscarinic receptor agonist use: drugs that mimic the effect of ACh on muscarinic receptors: Inc: muscarinic (M1), M2 and nicotinic agonists. (such as arecoline or recoline, a muscarinic receptor agonist)

Use of a presynaptic receptor antagonist to activate the rest of the acetylcholine neurons. (That is, there are desensitizing oligonucleotide sequences in rats that block muscarinic M2 (but not M4) receptors, increasing extracellular levels of acetylcholine. This effect (desensitizing nucleotide sequences are complementary to a messenger RNA sequence. When desensitizing DNA or RNA is added to a cell, they bind with a specific messenger RNA molecule and inactivate it.

As many researchers of the world of lucid dreaming note, the presence of free energy is necessary for the successful use of such practices. If a person is sick or very tired, then it is better for him to give up such practices for a while. But even in a normal state, the average person may lack the energy needed to successfully enter a lucid dream. And this is precisely the secret of the failure of such practices by beginners. How can this energy be saved? Here, for example, is what Russian researcher S. Korkin writes about this in his book Lucid Dreams:

"... if your consciousness is awake, acting in a dream, then it needs some kind of energy. I also noted that part of this energy can be released by stopping digesting your problems and giving up some attachments.

Where else can you get this energy? The first thing that comes to mind is food. I do not think that the absorption of some products can give the required. And yet, in my experience, I have noticed that products that stimulate sexual desire (eg, peanuts, sunflower seeds) greatly contributed to my awareness in a dream. As Don Juan said to Carlos Castaneda, we have no other energy than sexual energy. Rather, it would be to say that the energy is one, just during sexual contact it is best felt, and therefore such an identification occurs.

Many dreamers, in particular ardent supporters of Castaneda, practice refusing to have sex, because they believe that it is during sex that an enormous amount of energy is expended. I think that here, as in everything else, it is necessary to maintain a balance and not rush to extremes. Is it possible to free your head from obsessive thoughts about sex if you fight your desire all the time? Obviously, much more effort will be spent on fighting with oneself than a normal sexual intercourse requires. In addition, there is a high probability that, having realized yourself in a dream surrounded by sexy beauties (or handsome men), you will not resist and spend your awareness in an absolutely mediocre way.

I have had many cases when, a few hours after sexual contact, I was successfully aware of myself in a dream, and my consciousness was very stable. Probably, having sex activated my internal energy, brought it out of its dormant state. Or maybe my desire to have sex these days and my clear consciousness in a dream are simply consequences of my excess energy activity on certain days.

I do not think that sex is the main consumer of our internal energy. In my opinion, the so-called energy vampires are much more terrible - our friends or unfamiliar people who load us with absolutely unnecessary information. After communicating with such people, you usually experience a feeling of great mental fatigue. Often, our domestics also act as such vampires. Therefore, try to use any opportunities for solitude (business trips, family departure to the country or vacation, etc.) to deepen the dream practice.

Once again I will draw your attention to another absorber of our energy - television. This predator not only eats up all our awareness (after all, while we are watching a movie, we are not aware of ourselves), but also very cleverly fills our head with extraneous information rubbish, which imperceptibly grows in the form of our habits and desires.

By the way, the American anthropologist K. Castaneda, mentioned by S. Korkin, said that there are people with high energy, for whom an active sexual life does not interfere with the use of the "art of dreaming" practices. But it was with regard to himself that such a restriction was made by his teacher don Juan Matus. Therefore, it all depends on the individual characteristics of the body and you can determine whether you need to limit your sex life for the practice of OS using personal experience. But as for drugs and alcohol, although they facilitate the separation of the dream body, however, the awareness of oneself in the dream state is extremely negatively affected. This should be taken into account by everyone who is interested in lucid dreams.

Substances that promote lucid dreaming

Lucidity usually begins in the middle of sleep, when the dreamer realizes that the experience does not take place in physical reality, but is a dream. The term "lucid dreaming" was coined by Frederick van Eyden. Lucidity usually begins in the middle of sleep, when the dreamer realizes that the experience does not take place in physical reality, but is a dream. Often this realization is initiated by the dreamer when he notices an impossible or unlikely event in the dream, such as flying or meeting a dead person. Sometimes awareness comes without any specific dream prompt; a person may suddenly realize that he is in a dream. A minority of lucid dreams (about 10% according to the studies of LaBerge and colleagues) are the result of the return of REM sleep (with dreams) immediately after waking up with continuous reflective consciousness. The basic definition of lucid dreaming only requires the awareness that you are dreaming. However, the quality of awareness can vary greatly. At a high level of awareness, the person is aware that everything that happens in a dream is happening in his mind, that there is no real danger, and that he is in his bed and will soon wake up. At a low level of awareness, a person may be aware to a certain extent that he is dreaming, which may be enough to start flying or to change what he does in a dream, but not enough to understand that people in a dream are a dream manifestation that the sleeper cannot receive any physical harm, or that he is actually in bed.

Substances and dreams

In the circumstances described above, it is highly recommended in the art to develop a safe way to help dreamers achieve higher states of lucidity in their dreams more frequently. For this, neurotransmitter modulators such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors can be used. Several substances have been proposed to increase the likelihood of lucid dreaming, from vitamins to prescription drugs. There are some good scientific studies to support these claims. Lucid dreams are very dependent on the placebo effect; believing that something will stimulate lucid dreaming is very effective. Many prescription drugs, as well as alcohol, alter the sleep cycle, usually by suppressing REM sleep. This leads to a phenomenon called "REM backlash" where a person experiences intense long periods of REM after the substance has worn off. This may manifest as nightmares, or perhaps as lucid dreams, as the brain is very active at this point.

Acetylcholine and Lucid Dreaming

Herbs and plants

Both ancient methodologies and modern popular medicine attribute "oneirogenic" or "hypnotic" properties to numerous herbs and other natural substances, including herbs such as valerian, wormwood, mallein, kava kava, kitta of Crete, St. John's wort, salvia divinorum, Scutellaria indica, Licorice Root, Verbena, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Cabbage, Bee Pollen, Catnip, Hops, Skullcap, Mimosa, Lavender, Damiana, Santania Somnifera, Passiflora, Chamomile, Cardamom, Gotu Kola, Ginkgo Biloba, Ibogaine, Verbena, Rose, Cinnamon, marigold, nutmeg, peppermint, holly, yarrow and anise. There is little scientific evidence to support these putative effects.

Other supplements and/or medications also claimed to be associated with mindfulness include B vitamins, melatonin, DMAE, and the psychedelic dextromethorphan. Some of these substances may be addictive, poisonous, and/or illegal. Lotsof, US Pat. No. 4,499,096, issued Feb. 12, 1985, teaches a "Rapid Method for Interrupting an Addiction Syndrome" using the drug Ibogaine. According to the patent, this drug induces "an intensification of dreams or a hallucinatory effect." This claimed "oneirogenic" effect is due to the fact that it induces dream behavior while leaving the ego perspective relatively intact. As stated in the patent, this is more of a hallucinatory effect than a lucid dream effect. However, due to these hallucinatory and other side effects, this drug is illegal in the US and thus not a desirable sleep aid. This drug is also not considered to be related to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or "mental enhancers". DMAE (2-dimethylaminoethanol) is a chemical that has been proposed for the treatment of a number of conditions affecting the brain and central nervous system. It is supposed to work by increasing the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, although this has not been proven. It is believed that DMAE improves memory and mood, improves intellectual functioning. There are several good clinical studies to support this claim. Such substances are known as "cholinergics" due to the fact that they increase the level of acetylcholine. They are traditionally used to treat conditions such as Alzheimer's dementia, tardive dyskinesia, and Huntington's chorea. Because DMAE is considered cholinergic, it has been proposed for the treatment of these disorders, although placebo-controlled studies have produced essentially negative results. There is an ongoing debate about whether DMAE increases acetylcholine levels. However, Sergio, W. stated in the August 1988 edition of Medical Hypotheses in the article "The use of DMAE (2-dimethylaminoethanol) to induce lucid dreams" subjectively allowed him and his wife to experience heightened sleep lucidity. It is not clear from the article to what extent its purported results stem from a placebo response or any specific or cholinergic effect.

Other devices

Actylcholinesterase inhibitors

Other substances

Use of a cholinergic agonist (eg, nicotine).