# Is there any sort of supplement that will help me remember my dreams? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958 "2003-02-09T22:53:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermann_Cheruscan)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958/1 "2003-02-09T22:53:49Z")
I always enjoy it when I have vivid dreams. The kind of dreams which I can control. The thing is, lately, I’ve not been dreaming much, and when I do, I barely remember them the next morning. Does anyone know of any kind of supplement that I can take that will help me have more vivid dreams, and remember them the next day? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958/2 "2003-02-10T01:07:43Z")
Don’t take me word for it, but I hear that Turkey will help you remember your dreams. I find that being woke up before you are ready to wake up helps. Napping helps too (I have a dream between each press of the snooze button) ---
**Author:** ![Another\_Primate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Another\_Primate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Another_Primate)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958/3 "2003-02-10T01:18:29Z")
I remember my dreams best when I wake up during them – for whatever reason. So perhaps you could find an alarm with, say, a 45-minute snooze button, and set it for 1 a.m. and then keep hitting it all night? ---
**Author:** ![Orange\_Skinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Orange\_Skinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orange_Skinner)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958/4 "2003-02-10T03:21:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Another Primate \* > \*\*I remember my dreams best when I wake up during them – for whatever reason. So perhaps you could find an alarm with, say, a 45-minute snooze button, and set it for 1 a.m. and then keep hitting it all night? \*\* Unfortunately, it takes a couple hours to get into a deep enough sleep to dream, so only allowing yourself 45 minutes might not work, until you were REM deprived enough to fall right into the dreaming state of sleep–which is the deepest state where your body repairs itself. It is true that it’s easiest to remember your dreams right after you wake up, if you concentrate on them immediately. Try focusing on them and writing them down first thing in the morning as opposed to trying to remember them later on in the day. And as for food, sorry, can’t help you there. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958/5 "2003-02-10T03:29:32Z")
And if anyone has some advice on this please advise me how to _not_ remember my dreams. I have nightmares of extreme emotional content and don’t care to spend the first two hours of every day geting back to normal… ---
**Author:** ![FranticMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c68b51/32.png) [@FranticMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FranticMad)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958/6 "2003-02-10T03:37:01Z")
To remember your dreams, try 1000-5000 mcg of vitamin B12. It only works for a few days. To not have nightmares, try 20-100 mgs of thiamine, also called vitamin B-1. But also consider a psychological therapy with someone who has lots of experience working with psychological trauma. Nightmares of extreme emotional content may have a psychological origin, which can be reduced with competent therapy. If your nightmares aren’t from some earlier experience that upset you, then there could be a biological problem. I’m not a doctor and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Ottoerotic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6de8d8/32.png) [@Ottoerotic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ottoerotic)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958/7 "2003-02-10T03:46:59Z")
I have also heard of a drug that you can buy at a health store that will give you very vivid dreams. I can’t vouch for the safety of it, and to be honest i’m too lazy to Google it right now, but it was called 5-hydroxy-tryptophan. I think its a precursor to serotonin, but my memory’s not as good as it useta was. ---
**Author:** ![Ennui](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ennui/32/3396_2.png) [@Ennui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ennui)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958/8 "2003-02-10T04:07:56Z")
I have no clue as to any dietary or other supplement that will aid in dream recall. However, and I know this will sound all new agey and will quite possibly bring the wrath of the church of Randi upon me, but I know of a way that works (for me at least). However you want to describe it specify your intent to recollect you dreams. As you are getting ready to fall asleep tell yourself to do it and that you can do it. A little positive reinforcement never hurts especially in a hypnagogic state. Then keep a pad of paper and a pencil next to your bed and as soon as you wake up write down as much of any dream you can recall. The first dozen or so times you do this you might not get more than a few sentences but with practice you will begin to remember more and more details. As you get better and better at this it will get easier and easier, and more rewarding. ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-sort-of-supplement-that-will-help-me-remember-my-dreams/153958/9 "2003-02-10T05:40:35Z")
> [@](#): > > 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 Kava Kava root, a traditional drug from the Polynesian islands, is little known but highly > recommendable. It is said to take away stress and tension, very mildly tranquilizing while clearing > and sharpening thoughts. Also told to help dreaming, especially for lucid dreaming exercises. > From my own experience, it causes a deeper but shorter sleep with more intense dreams. That’s from [this site](http://www.atasteoftarot.com/dreams2.htm), which I got by Googling. No claims made for validity, but it’s an interesting thought.