Psylocke Posted December 5, 2015 I am in the US, so not much help for most of you but I have been in contact with a nursery owner in far South Texas where there are wild populations of damiana. He has agreed to collect some and propagate it for distribution to some friends here in the states. Currently, he has only one plant, but is in the process of rooting cuttings. Hopefully we will finally be able to grow this plant here soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
readyasever Posted October 22, 2019 (edited) On 18/09/2006 at 5:28 AM, cisumevil said: 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. 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. Thanks for explaining that to me. I'd like to add that Niacin didn't help my dreams and cause really annoying flushing, however niacinamide caused about a 30/40% increase in REM. Its also being used by harvard geneticist david sinclair to slow down aging. It is a precursor for co-factors NAD(H)and NADP(H) that are important in a variety of cellular pathways that affect skin physiology. NADH and NADPH decrease with age giving rise to the notion that supplementing skin with niacinamide can provide anti-aging benefits. In their reduced forms, NADH and NADPH act as antioxidants that can mitigate oxidative stress associated with intrinsic aging and photoaging. Additionally, niacinamide stimulates keratinocyte differentiation, believed to be a result of increased intracellular NADPH. Niacinamide has broad anti-inflammatory activity. It inhibits nuclear factor kappa B (Nf-kB), reduces production of a variety of inflammatory cytokines, like IL-1 and IL-12, prevents degranulation of mast cells and inhibits leukocyte migration into the skin Edited October 22, 2019 by readyasever Share this post Link to post Share on other sites