Introducing Dreams- Does everybody dream?

Yes. All humans (and mammals) have REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. The most vivid dreaming occurs in REM-sleep. You start a new REM phase roughly every 90-minute throughout the whole night with increasing duration.

But all this can change depending on what you eat, if you are on drugs, or if you have missed your REM sleep for some reason. People stopping with REM deprivation drugs will experience a REM rebound. So you dream a lot during the night, and most of your dreams are forgotten. If you don't pay attention to them and only sleep a few hours you most likely will not remember any dream at all. Dreaming in non-REM tends to be more thought-like.

Why do we dream?

reaming is highly involved in learning and memory. If you have a bad experience, it will be digested in your dream. Most likely in a nightmare. Dreams are quite often a reflection of your day memory. The protein-synthesis is highly active during REM, so if you want to learn, then staying in REM is a good move. REM is also necessary to supply the cornea with oxygen. Delta sleep, associated with large, slow brain waves, is what most people call the deepest kind of sleep, when you are hardest to awaken. It is necessary for the brain/body to rest and heal. A good balance between delta sleep and REM is important for learning. Growth hormones are also produced during delta sleep.

How can I increase my dream recall?

Some people remember every dream they have; others can't remember any dream. But with the right techniques and enough practice virtually everyone can remember their dreams. The first step is paying attention to your dreams. Think about them. Write them down. Talk about them. Discuss them. Your best recall is when you wake up. So you should write them down or record them with a tape recorder right after you wake up. But spend some time recalling as many dreams and details you can before you start writing them down.

Alarm clocks are dream-killers, so stop using them if you want to retain dreams. If you wake up naturally will you most likely wake up from REM sleep. So you should get to bed early so that you don't have to use an alarm clock. You can still set the alarm clock, but make sure you have gotten to bed so early that you wake up before the alarm clock goes off. Sleeping longer will also make you dream more. You will almost literally have continual REM sleep after 8-9 hours. If you sleep 9 hours are you almost bound to remember at least one dream.

Waking up several times during the night may increase dream recall and possibly induce Lucid Dreams (see my Lucid Dreaming FAQ). Since dreaming has a lot to do with learning and memory should you try new activities and learn new things. This will increase dreaming and thereby dream recall. Drugs, food and herbs may also affect your dream recall. And as usual the power of suggestion is extremely powerful, so you should state, aloud if you want, your intention to recall your dreams. Here is also where hypnosis may enter the picture. Listening to hypnotic tapes may help a lot.

How do external stimuli affect my dreams?

Your senses never rest. Whatever input you get from hearing, vision, smell, touch or taste may be incorporated into your dream. You may have dreamed that your alarm clock is ringing in your dream, while it is really ringing in the physical world too. This is how lucid dreaming devices work. They give your signals as light or sounds that you have to train yourself to recognize. But it can go the other way around too. While dreaming lucidly you can command yourself to talk while dreaming. This way you can record your dream while it is occurring. Having a tape recorder that turns it self on when you speak comes in handy. You can also train yourself to move your eyes in a certain pattern.

Do substances like drugs, herbs and foods affect our dreams?

Yes. During REM protein-synthesis is highly active, so your body needs high levels of amino acids. The neurotransmitter in use during REM is Acetylcholine. It is made from the B-vitamin Choline and the vitamin B-5.

But there are more vitamins that can make us dream more. The body can synthesis the B-vitamin Choline. But in order to do that it needs vitamin B-12, Folic acid (B-9), the amino acids Methionine and Serine. Vitamins B-12 plays a role in the activation of amino acids during protein formation. It has also the ability to increase the production of Acetylcholine and normalize neurotransmissions in the brain.

Vitamin B-6 is another important vitamin. It is a co-enzyme, which participates in over 60 enzymatic reactions involved in the metabolism of amino acids. It is involved in the production of several body proteins and neurotransmitters. It is particularly indispensable to the action of amino acid neurotransmitters, like Serotonin, Dopamine, Melatonin, and Norepinephrine, which effect brain function. It is also involved in the metabolism of Selenium, Calcium, and Magnesium.

Melatonin is a neurotransmitter/hormone that is only active during sleep. It is being metabolized when you fall asleep from Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is being metabolized from the amino acid Tryptophan. Melatonin increases non-REM sleep and makes it easier for you to fall asleep. But it has also an interesting rebound effect that gives more frequent and vivid dreams. The vividness might even give you a lucid dream.

The amino acid Tryptophan can be metabolized into Serotonin and Niacin (B-3). Vitamin B-6 promotes this conversion. Taking Niacin or Nicotine patches will increase the Serotonin production. The more Niacin you take, the more Serotonin is produced and more Melatonin is metabolized. Calcium and Magnesium promotes Serotonin production as well. Zinc is in every cell of the body and is a part of over 200 enzymes, so Zinc supplements may increase REM-sleep, too.

DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol) is a very important B-vitamin. It flows easily through the brain's blood barrier, where it is converted into Choline. During REM, Choline is added the coenzyme A (Vitamin B-5), and we have Acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter in use during REM. 5-HTP (5-Hydroxy-TryptoPhan) is a Serotonin precursor that also flows quite easy through the brain's blood barrier. It is a good alternative to Melatonin.

Vitamin C helps metabolizing several amino acids and hormones. It is also important to have adequate levels of amino acids. A few important ones are Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Methionine, Cysteine, Serine and Tryptophan.

Using Tobacco, Alcohol or Coffee prohibits the absorption of necessary vitamins and amino acids. Depressants suppress REM sleep, one is Alcohol, but taken in right doses can create a rebound effect so that you wake up remembering many vivid dreams. And anti-depressants may increase dream recall. Caffeine will make you sleep lighter, will increase your dream recall and maybe even give you a lucid dream.

Herbs like Valerian, Mugwort, Mullein, Kava Kava, Dittany of Crete, St. Johns Wort, Calea Zacatechichi, Salvia Divinorum, Scutellaria Indica, Licorice Root, Vervain, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Datura, Bee Pollen, Catnip, Hops, Scullcap, Mimosa, Lavender, Damiana, Withania Somnifera, Passionflower, Chamomile, Cardamom, Gotu Kola, Ginkgo Biloba, Ibogaine, Verbena, Rose, Cinnamon, Marigold, Nutmeg, Peppermint, Holly, Yarrow and Anise may help you dream more, recall more or even have a Lucid Dream.

Make sure you know more about these herbs before you use them: some are to be used in pillows, some are to be smoked, some are to be used in tea, etc. And finally we have psychedelic drugs like DXM that may induce Lucid Dreams. Some of the drugs and herbs can be addictive, and be poisonous if taken in too large doses. Crystals and Magnets may also affect your dreams.

Is it possible to control your dreams?

Yes. If you are aware that you are dreaming can you develop full conscious control over the dream. These are referred to as lucid dreams and it is one of the most exciting part about dreaming. But more on this will be discussed on the Lucid Dreaming FAQ. Have you tried Virtual Reality? Well, VR is a flop compared to Lucid Dreaming. Things can't get more virtually real than in a lucid dream. You may use all your senses in a lucid dream, yes, even your psychic senses!

Is sleep deprivation dangerous?

Yes. REM deprivation: Increased frequency of occurrence, duration and intensity of REM.

Increase in seizure threshold, and progressive rise in heart rate.

Increased activity, food motivation and sexual behavior.

No major emotional problems.

Delta sleep-deprivation: Prolonged sleep deprivation (+48 hours) results in severe mental disturbance, attention deficit, withdrawing, visual complaints, hallucinations and time distortion. After 5 days you may even end up in a mental institution.