# Easy lucid dreams **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 9, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-lucid-dreams/316239 "2005-08-09T04:54:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tbonavia1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@tbonavia1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbonavia1)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-lucid-dreams/316239/1 "2005-08-09T04:54:33Z")
I experienced what are known as lucid dreams when I kept a nicotine patch on at night while trying to quit smoking. After two nights of this I left the patch off at night and had no such dreams, then put it on again the next night and had another night of lucid dreams. It is a very intense experience, being in a dream and being aware that it is a dream! After the third night I did not feel like repeating it - these dreams went on apparently all night and I found it to be emotionally draining. It might be worth trying if you want the experience without all the training effort? If you don’t smoke I would try the smallest patch (maybe even cut in half). ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-lucid-dreams/316239/2 "2005-08-09T05:40:01Z")
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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-lucid-dreams/316239/3 "2005-08-09T05:41:55Z")
Back to the original post: does this mean that if I started smoking or chewing tobacco, I would experience lucid dreams? Any smokers or tobacco chewers care to relate their experiences? ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-lucid-dreams/316239/4 "2005-08-09T12:25:38Z")
> [@Arnold Winkelried](#): > > Back to the original post: does this mean that if I started smoking or chewing tobacco, I would experience lucid dreams? Any smokers or tobacco chewers care to relate their experiences? I’ve been smoking for about 8 years now, with an upper bound of about 3 packs a week (to give an idea of how heavily). As I’ve said elsewhere, for all I can tell I dream maybe once every other month. ---
**Author:** ![tbonavia1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@tbonavia1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbonavia1)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easy-lucid-dreams/316239/5 "2005-08-09T15:23:25Z")
I smoked about 4+ packs a week and had this effect with the largest patch (I forget the dosages, they seem to come in three sizes). I was not smoking at all duriing the day, I put the patch on in the morning and left it on at night to have this effect. You might want to try a mid-size patch applied before bedtime? Note that the effect seemed to be caused by having a constant low level supply of nicotine while I slept - and to put it mildly it’s really, really weird! On the plus side, if it works and you keep at it maybe you’ll quit smoking? 🙂