If you are one that is unable to remember your dreams and want to, there may be hope for you yet!
Researchers from the University of Adelaide’s School of Psychology in Australia revealed that they have found a link between dreams and vitamin B6. Information on the study was published in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills, recently.
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The study was inspired by an older study that took place back in 2002, where vitamin B6 was thought to aide people in remember their dreams. So the team at UASP gathered up 100 volunteers and put together an interesting sleep study.
“This is the first time that such a study into the effects of vitamin B6 and other B vitamins on dreams has been carried out on a large and diverse group of people,” said one of the lead authors Denholm Aspy.
Participants were split into three groups, each getting a different vitamin – vitamin B, vitamin B complex, and a placebo. They were to log their dreams in journals, which were analyzed after five days.
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The results were rather interesting.
The group that took vitamin B, actually slept rather poorly. Leading one to believe that vitamin B actually has a negative effect on sleep. Those who took vitamin B6 and the placebo slept extremely well.
It was the group that took vitamin B6 that had the researchers truly excited however, they were able to recall their dreams better than all the rest.
While the previous study showed that vitamin B6 increased vividness, color, and emotion of dreams, this recent study didn’t see any change in quality, just improvement in ability to remember.
Researchers now want to further test this theory and see if vitamin B6 will induce lucid dreaming, not just aide in the ability to remember dreams.
“If we are able to become lucid and control our dreams, we can then use our dreaming time more productively, said Aspy.”Lucid dreaming, where you know that you are dreaming while the dream is still happening, has many potential benefits. For example, it may be possible to use lucid dreaming for overcoming nightmares, treating phobias, creative problem solving, refining motor skills and even helping with rehabilitation from physical trauma.”
“In order to have lucid dreams it is very important to first be able to recall dreams on a regular basis. This study suggests that vitamin B6 may be one way to help people have lucid dreams.”
The team is also trying to figure out if foods that contain high levels of B6 would have the same effect on dreams.
It is important to note however, vitamin B6 taken in high doses is not healthy and a doctor should be consulted prior to taking vitamin B6 regularly.
