Improving Dream Recall
 

Now, I am sure there are many ways to do this, including the one for which I am the laziest: waking oneself up during the night to jot down whatever was the latest dream. I also don't get good rest when I'm waking up all of the time. Maybe it's different for those who practice that method; I just wouldn't know.

Lately, I started taking a supplement called 'vinpocetine' which is an alkaloid-extract from the periwinkle plant. It's also not available except by prescription in the EU, so if you live over there, you'll have to talk to your doctor about getting it.

Here in the US, it's an over-the-counter supplement. It's not FDA-approved, but that's the case for many supplements. It isn't dangerous to take, so don't let that "not FDA-approved" part scare you. That's just something that's common for many supplements people take for granted.

What vinpocetine does for dreams is improve recall rather well. At the same time, I have noticed an increase in weird dreams, but not nightmares. Bizarre but not disturbing, and often funny.

I'm taking 20mg, but I started off at 5mg and worked up to this level. A little research showed that 20mg is kind of the lower end for people using it for this purpose. If you do a search of your own, add the word "nootropic" to your terms. That helps keep your search on topics related to the brain and mind.

The only "side-effect" I've noticed are of a positive nature, such as not needing caffeine or naps, and feeling generally more energized at least in mind.

Now, if anyone has any other supplement-techniques for improving dream-quality or recall, I'd love to know. This is the first 'nootropic' supplement I've ever tried and I think I'll be using it for a long time, if for nothing more than to improve memory (for which it was originally intended). :smile:

The BELIEF that anything works, causes it to work. Such is the way of things. However, that doesn't mean that it works. If one believes that it will not help them or questions whether it will work, it will have little effect. We live in a cause and effect Universe where thought is the cause and the energy set in motion. In that sense, the greatest help with dream recall is the intention to recall.

However, I had no belief one way or another of how it would both affect the content of my dreams and how it would affect my waking alertness. Neither of those are in the description about the supplement.

I believe that vinpocetine does help whether you have a belief or not. If having the intention to remember is your method, then it's one more to add the total and not simply the only one there is. That's all I asked when I made the thread. What other methods are there? :smile:

There are all sorts of things I could list or suggest to help dream recall, but as I sated earlier, the only real power they would have in improving dream recall is the belief that they will work or even "might" work. That is why IMO, intention and your belief in that intention works best. You do not need to purchase anything. Simply intend to recall your dreams in more detail and believe that you will.

Okay, if it works for you, that's great, and maybe it will work for others. I just don't see it as the only viable method. As I also stated, I had no idea/belief if the vinpocetine would work or not. It was an experiment and I was happy with the results. I have tried different supplements for other things (such as edema issues) and nothing at all happened, in spite of a mental intention that they work. Maybe your mind is just better trained, and that's fine. Not all of us have that discipline.

So, I still ask of all reading this if you have had good experiences with other methods or even other supplements. Food can also be a 'supplement' especially if you are using it in a specific way such as to induce or improve dreaming (I just cannot remember at this moment what foods have that capability). Although people do make "dream pillows" which is usually a small pillow filled with fresh rosemary leaves and some stuffing so that the fragrance can get to your nostrils during sleep. There are probably other herbs to use in such a pillow, but I haven't done much research on the topic.

I may suggest this supplement to a friend because he can never recall his dreams. Maybe he has nothing but nightmares, but he might also be missing out on some insightful dreams. It can't hurt to try :smile:

Thanks for the advice.

You're welcome! :smile:

I hope it works for you. But even if not, the other effects are all positive as well, because it was originally intended to be used to improve memory overall. It's one of a few natural substances which can be used to restore memory after disease or trauma (it is claimed).

Here's one such regimen for memory improvement, beyond how it may affect dream-recall:

Art Solbrig's Memory Loss Protocol

That's interesting!
I like to explore plant medicine. It might be something to consider to connect with the plant, especially since you are using it in almost a ritualistic way.

You could even set a dream intention to explore this. I've done dream work for many years now, it's a very useful skill.
Good luck with it 😊

Hello

Years ago I was taught a re call method.

Before going to sleep we were told to build a "Book Shelf" in doing this in our mind we then would put on that shelf all the things we did not need to take with us into sleep. Things like your Do Do List for the next day, work issues, home issues, and most importantly financial issues.

In doing so we had a clean slate to sleep on. The next AM on waking we would take those items from the shelf again and take it down. In doing this the mind was more ready to recall the dreams. Many times too as we went along with this process we found in the group I was in, that a lot of what we put on that shelf seemed to also start to sort themselves out. Many found that what we thought were bigger issues or tasks had a simple solution.

Keep a note book by your bed, when you wake make "random notes" do not try to force recall as the brain will want to fill in the blanks. At times its just rambling words that might not make any sense then over the course of a few nights it flows into a story line. Many times a dream is not just the one event its a course of them linking together.

Remember too that a bad dream or nightmare is most times the way its put forth so that you hear the message and recall it.

Lynn