# Sleep and Dreams > Research >  >  Tea Experiment

## Axis

*Tea Experiment*

This experiment is based on the natural benefits of tea. There have been many studies on tea and how it affects the human body, this experiment is to find the effects on Lucid Dreaming through different teas.

To partake in this experiment simply choose the tea you wish to test from the list below and drink at least three cups a day, for one-two weeks.

If you wish to undergo this experiment, please post using the template below.

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*-Tea List-*

Chamomile Tea
Burdock Tea 
Cinnamon Tea
Fennel Tea 
Ginger Tea
Hawthorn Tea 
Hibiscus Tea
Kava Tea
Licorice Tea
Motherwort Tea 
Nettle Tea
Peppermint Tea
Rosehip Tea
Rosemary Tea
Sage Tea
Spearmint Tea
Thyme Tea
Green Tea
Black Tea
Ginseng Tea
Rooibos Tea

*Other

**** Template ****

Type of tea  

Number of days intended for experiment 

Sugar - Y/N

Milk - Y/N

*After the experiment*

A Detailed response on changes or any differences in Lucid Dreaming. 

Amount of Lucid induction techniques attempted. E.g. WILD, VILD etc.

Thank you for taking part


*- Axis*

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## Auxin

Quite interesting experiment, could uncover a new oneirogen.
To make selection easier for some heres their known main effects:

Chamomile Tea - sedative
Burdock Tea - helps in digestion
Cinnamon Tea - energizing and aids digestion
Fennel Tea - good for digestion and promotes milk flow
Ginger Tea - good for digestion, exporiant, promotes sweating, circulatory stimulant, reduces nausea
Hawthorn Tea - heart tonic
Hibiscus Tea - 
Kava Tea - sedative inebriant
Licorice Tea - good for digestion, exporiant, anti-inflammatory
Motherwort Tea - heart tonic, good durring mensturation, do not use if pregnant!
Nettle Tea - clears gout, helps arthritis
Peppermint Tea - relaxes muscles of digestive tract, reduces nausea
Rosehip Tea - vitamin C
Rosemary Tea - helps with exhaustion, weakness, and depression. Improves circulation, stimulates digestion
Sage Tea - bitter digestive stimulant, helpful in menopause
Spearmint Tea - similar to peppermint
Thyme Tea - antiseptic exporiant, aids digestion
Green Tea - stimulant
Black Tea - stimulant stronger than green tea
Ginseng Tea - adaptogenic immunostimulant, mild stimulant
Rooibos Tea - unverified potential for improving digestion, reducing allergies, and helping with sleep. Possible immunostimulant and antioxidant effects.

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## Axis

Thank you for that *Auxin*, very descriptive.


*- Axis*

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## scruffty

I drink a very large varity of tea

have been mainly drink green tea with added tings like jasmine/ apple and pear/ orange and lotus flower, and also black tea with cinnimen (sp)bark and ginger root (chai)
so far today I've had an uncountable amount of tea, maybe 20/25 cups

so I'll see what the stimulants do shall I   :smiley:

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## scruffty

didn't get to sleep till sunrise   :smiley:  

dreams felt as if i was in three points of conscioussness
monkey mind which just yammered on and sang songs
my dream mind which seemed very confused and seemed to be following somthing
then a kind of higher mental mind (astral?) was controlling the main focus of the dreams I had
all seemed to act independantly but reacted to the subtlties of what was going on in each point of conciousness

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## Remus92

I think you sohuld also add lemon tea to the list.

I often drink it before bed and often recall twice as many dreams. I have also become lucid twice after drinking it before bed.

I have no idea why it works, but hey, the scientififc method always prevails  ::D:

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## Auxin

Another potential candidate could be tulsi (Ocimum sanctum, O. tenuiflorum). It has been long said to releive stress, aid in meditation, and clarify the mind/senses- it would be interesting to see how those effects translate over to the dream realm.
I intend to try it but must grow it first  ::lol::  
Perhaps one of our desi members has tried it? It is reportedly quite common in india.

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## gale

just a theory but woulndt you want a tea that preforms like a depressent not a stimulant?

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## Auxin

Thats not a theory its a hypothesis  :wink2: 
But there are arguments for both (and several sedatives were listed). For a sedative the idea would be to have deeper sleep in the first half of the night resulting in a sort of rebound effect of more intense REM when the sedative wears off. A stimulant would make the whole sleep cycle lighter potentially resulting in a lengthier period of REM.
In some of the ones listed any stimulant or sedative effect would be minimal in comparison to the other neurochemical effects- like rosemary, motherwort, peppermint, sage, thyme, Ocimum tenuiflorum (holy basil), etc.... maby Centella asiatica (a cognitive enhancer), Rhodiola rosea (a neurological adaptogen), and of course Calea zacatechichi (a known oneirovividity inducer).

I've been experimenting with drinking a medium-strong unsweetened peppermint tea (~6 fl.oz. liquid made from steeping the contents of 1 tea bag in hot water for 90±10 minutes in a semi-sealed glass vessel) before bed lately, at this point data is highly inconclusive but sofar in no instance has it made dream recall or vividity worse and overall one or both seem to be slightly above average.

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## gale

hmmmmm.you lost me whith the science stuff. and i still think a sedative is better. i mean dosent a stronger REM be better than a longer one?(oh and could you elaborate on what REM is? i still dont quite grasp it.)

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## Auxin

REM = rapid eye movement, its the stage of sleep where your mind becomes active and you dream.

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## STsung

Can I have some comments?

I don't know if there are people who would look for these "teas" in their pure form. Just to say that there are actually daily limites for most herbs that we shouldn't exceed. (but maybe I'm too sensitive)

camille - Chamomile Tea - This tea calms me down and it makes my sleep more calm and LDing easier but does not make it better. It actually kills part of my ability to controle a dream. (0,7l per day for a long period)

skorice - Cinnamon Tea - this tea usually "hypes" me quite a lot (even in small quantities ...0,3l per day). LDing under full control but I usually have problems with sleeping. 

zazvor Ginger Tea - I hate this, but I drank it a lot when I was ill once. No change in LDing nor dreaming. 

ibisek - Hibiscus Tea - This tea makes me feel more sensations, I can feel with all my senses. I thought it was because of changing weather but I found out that it is because I drink loads of hibiscus tea during summer. (more than litre per day, at least one month period)

kava - Kava Tea - kills me entirely, dreams like nightmares, blurry bad..., no LDs. 

mata - Peppermint Tea - I sleep well after this. but no other effects found (but haven't drinked it for a longer period yet)
Rosehip Tea - what is this? couldn't find it in a dictionary...
Green Tea - I can dissert on this topic. But mostly the effect is a state of completely being cut of reality. I call this black out.
This usually happens after drinking a lot of a strong green tea not fermented. Tie Kuan Yin for example. But happens after drinking other green teas as well (even fermented).  
The problem with these teas is that my mind is so clear that I think I could do anything. So I can daydream (find my description of this in one of my posts somewhere) without a problem. So I can actually LD but I'm NOT asleep. 
Black Tea - black out or incapability to dream/LD.  With black teas my mind is not that clear as after getting drunk with green teas. I can still daydream but it is more difficult to concentrate (even though it is easier to concentrate than when I'm not under influence of tea)
Ginseng Tea - not tried for a long period of time. 
Rooibos Tea - lol this helping sleep? what kind of rooibos would that be. Well, this is a tea which hypes(stimulates) the physical body AND the mind and it makes me pretty nervous while trying to sleep. It is a tea which has a lot of other effects on my body which are more negative as they make me more nervous and it is difficult to concentrate. Drinking this for a long period of time in big quantities make me black out for sure for a long time. In small quantities I just can't get the sleep I need to but I get the energy to move (even though it's maybe more of psychical override as it is with green teas and black teas.)

ex. if you don't know what I'm speaking. I can do an pretty exhaustive physical activity let's say for 16 hours straight while drinking rooibos, guarana or a black tea (like pu erh, wu long, assam ..ok concerns more red teas). I couldn't do that wihout drinking that tea. 
After that I usually black out, or sleep but the sleep is troubled. 
If I would do this without drinking the tea I would sleep for a longer period of time than usual but would be in a good condition the day after. But waking up after being so active and drinking the tea is like ...hm...it feels like you are undead. you are pretty dumb, slow thinking, slow moving etc. (and it's not because of lack of sleep...because even after a good two hours sleep I would be ok.) After two hours of the same sleep but with that tea in my body...ergh. it's bad (I spent way more energy than in state without tea, so maybe it's because of that). 
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Note (from earlier reserach): 
Black out: When I say that I had this it means that I dont remember being asleep nor being awake. That also means that I dont remember anything what happened during the night. The most frustrating thing is that Im lost in time. I know that I went to sleep and when I wake up Im exactly at the same moment as when I went to sleep (with the thoughts I had, the memories, emotions..everything)


I would add one tea to the list and that would be melissa (hope it is the right name? in latin it is..but well..) tea. It has also a calming effect and it helps your stomach feel good. 
I state this tea because it actually makes me sleep well, I don't LD, but I don't loose my track of time and I'm refreshed after that night's sleep and it makes my nervousness go away.  (normally a night without dreams means fatigue the day after...)

I forgot to state that I don't use sugar (only in Le Tuareg) no milk (only in Data Masala, Sahlep).

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## Zuarko

I join the experiment!!  ::D:  

I usually drink tea but not everyday. For the next two weeks I'll try to take those three cups of tea. There have been moments in my life that I have been doing that, so I got no problem in doing it again   :smiley:  Now that I think about it, I remember that was then when I remember most of my dreams... Well, don't know for sure, we'll see it soon.

Tomorrow I'll find out what tea is the one I got here. Mmmm... I think I'm going to make tea right now    ::D:

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## Zuarko

Type of tea  Green tea

Number of days intended for experiment  As long as I can (let's say three weeks)

Sugar - Yes

Milk - No


Maybe coincidence but I drank the first cup of tea yesterday, two hours before going to bed. The previous night I couldn't remember anything of my dreams, and this night, after tea, I have remembered tons of things of the two long dreams I had. Maybe it's suggestion or coincidence, but it looks preety funny   ::D:

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## Zuarko

No one else is interested in doing this? I think you should   :smiley:  

I've tried to remember my dreamks and keep a dream journal other times. I always give up 'cause not always remembered my dreams, and my DJ had a lot of white days. When I went to bed I always said to myself the same things that I do now.

But this time is different. I began to drink tea everyday. I am doing the same that other times when I go to bed (I tell myself to remember... to wake up in dreams...) but this time it seems that I can remember something everynight without exception. I wake up and remembered I dream, and, at least, I have a general idea of what was the dream about. Also, I have had a very long and vivid dream and a real time dream (that is, they aren't a lot of memories put togheter, it's a continuos memory) And had lots of false awakenings.

Just my progress in drinking tea and dream recall. It's soon to say it's directly related, but I want to share this. At least is curious   ::D:

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## Dickie

Interesting idea, I tend to drink far too many cups of Earl Grey tea each day (lots of milk, no sugar  ::D: ) but not before bed as I assume it wakes you up being caffinated. I appear to be unable to LD at all even after several months of trying, maybe they're related?

I'm up for helping with this (an excuse to drink tea and sleep, perfect!) so what teas on the list haven't been tried yet? I think I have a tin of camomile tea somewhere which I might start on if thats any good to you, but would I need to cut out my intake of other teas?

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## STsung

Camille neutralizes partly the effect of Earl Grey but you should stop drinking earl grey or at least reduce the intake...

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## PenguinLord13

This looks like a very interesting experiment, I will go and check what teas I have available, and then decide what to do, and update this post with relevant information. Also, just a though, but maybe add saffron tea to the list. It is made by steeping a teaspoon of saffron in water. I have heard it can help LD, but is damned expensive.

UPDATE:

I probably won&#39;t participate in this any time soon, as ther are a few techniques I want to try, and I don&#39;t think trying too many techniques at once makes good science, as I won&#39;t know if the tea is doing anything.

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## Ryden

Type Of Tea: Damiana

Number of Days: Occaisional use, 1 cup a day

Milk: Y

Suger: Y (Honey)


Dream Effects:

Positive:
Sometimes dreams are emotially potentiated in a positive way. An increase in the kind of dreams that leave you happy in the morning. Dream recall increase. Both positive effects happen the night of the next day, not on the night of the day the tea was taken.  

Negative:
Sometimes causing a dreamless night on the day of ingestion, sometimes no positive or negative effects are noted.

Overall:
Usually positive effects on dreaming with a one night delay of onset. Effects last one night.

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## clarkkent

A foreign friend sent me two teas, Oolong tea and Guava tea.

The first seems to be similar to green and black tea only with more polyphenols.
Recent research found that green tea inhibited the activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which breaks down the chemical messenger or neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Thus it should be helpful for LD&#39;s.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...p;dopt=Abstract
The above link tells me that this might be VERY helpful.. we&#39;ll see.

Guava seems something else (not in the green/black tea groups). I can&#39;t find anything about it except that it lowers blood glucose, has antiviral properties and that fresh guavas are a source of vit a,b and c.

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## CoLd BlooDed

I drank Green tea last night and I had the similiar &#39;black-out&#39; effect, I went to sleep, woke up once in the middle of the night, fell back asleep and then I got up and I couldn&#39;t remember anything.

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## SKA

Oh yeah, I&#39;m such a Tea Junky.

I&#39;ve got a Herbal TeaMixture called &#39;&#39;Evening Melange&#39;&#39; with Valerian, Chamomile, Lavender and Peppermint.It&#39;s really calming and relaxing. 

I&#39;ve got like the biggest bush of Eastern Spearmint growing in my backyard: really tasty in Tea.The root was originally from Spearmint from Israël from my family. Really sweet Mint flavour. 

I saw my dad had Ginsengtea in his kitchen. I liked it and I wanna buy some of that myself too.


However couldn&#39;t this experiment be sort of re-organised into trying to find out on how Tea affects our Sleep and Dreams? I like to drink a warm cup of Tea before bedtime to help me relax and get into SP faster.

If I have a bad Insomniac&#39;s night again, staring at the ceiling, 04:30 and still not sleepy I like to go downstairs, make myself some Eastern SpearMint Tea and go and drink the Tea in Bed while smoking some hashis. This way I can relax really fast and fall asleep effortlessly.

Perhaps we can try and find more of these relaxing factors to add up to the Tea and the Joint in my case.
It would be good to relax the body properlyy prior to sleep to avoid itches, tossing and turning. I guess a Hot Shower is such a thing that really calms your mind and relaxes your body.

I&#39;m going to try this once.
Take a long hot Shower prior to bedtime.
Out of the shower I sit up in Bed where I Drink a tea and smoke a Joint at a low admospheric light-level.
In this low light level-conditions I will sit for about an hour while having some more tea and smoking some more Joints/Hashis (Not too much or it&#39;ll surpress my REM-sleep) At the end of the hour I will go to the Toilet to empty my bladder and then take a 3MG pill of Melatonin. If I&#39;m still not Relaxed enough to fall asleep easily I can always smoke another Joint or Hashi and have another cup of Tea.


So in for the &#39;&#39;Tea to fall asleep really fast and easily&#39;&#39; experience? it would be really great to optimally relax body and Mind before attempting WILD or MILD to be able to fall asleep really fast, yet conscious and not comatic? Would be the Lucid Dreamer&#39;s Ideal PowerNap system.

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## Axis

Hey guys, sorry I have not been on for a hell of a long time, I was having problems with my computer... *sigh*

I&#39;m glad to see people are still interested in tea and its benefits. 

Good job guys&#33;

- Axis

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## clarkkent

I just bought a packet of sage herb tea for the first time&#33;
It smells quite a bit. The taste is good, with sweetener, at least.
Before sleeping I&#39;m taking a 2nd cup of it with peppermint tea too.

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## Axis

> I just bought a packet of sage herb tea for the first time&#33;
> It smells quite a bit. The taste is good, with sweetener, at least.
> Before sleeping I&#39;m taking a 2nd cup of it with peppermint tea too.
> [/b]



That&#39;s a nice combo.

- Axis

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## magicrules22311

To get the full effects of the tea, make sure you drink it 2-3 hours prior to going to sleep, because it takes time to be absorbed through your digestive track.

-Rob

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## magicrules22311

To get the full effects of the tea, make sure you drink it 2-3 hours prior to going to sleep, because it takes time to be absorbed through your digestive track.

-Rob

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## Kyhaar

I like drinking hot drinks (tea, apple cider, hot chocolate, instant cider, etc) before I go to bed. They relax me and make me feel very relaxed, and sometimes tired (caffeine doesn&#39;t really work on me. After having tea I can fall asleep easily. Not sure if this is good or bad)

Now, do you think I could try this using other hot beverages besides tea and see how they effect my LDing? I&#39;m not really allowed to drink tea, and I prefer drinks tha naturally have sugar in them  :wink2:

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## DreamDudeDave

This may be a bit off topic (ofcourse).

Varieties of Incense may be Lucid Dream Inducing as well. For example my bro has alot of incense variety, one of them is green tea.

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## Adagio molto

For about a month I drank a cup of green tea right before I went to bed, not knowing about this experiment&#33; Oh well. I&#39;d say that my dream recall was better during the time I drank nightly tea, then when I don&#39;t drink tea before bed. But I haven&#39;t recorded any data, so many I should.

and what about eucalyptus?

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## Axis

Thanks for the work guys.

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## Spamtek

I&#39;ve been drinking 2-6 cups of green tea a day for the last half a year, and I&#39;ve have to say that if I could peg the change in my dream recall (no lucid ability; haven&#39;t had one yet), I would say it&#39;s gone slightly down.  It tends to be as vivid as before, but upon waking my recollections are typically more disjointed and there feels like there&#39;s less "plot" behind the imagery, connecting everything together.

This could very well be a function of my living in a college down now, too, which I&#39;ve been doing for about the same amount of time.  I sleep in a loft, there are noisy people in rooms all around me all night long, and my roommate comes in noisily at 1:00 AM and leaves again at 5:00 AM, ensuring that I wake up twice a night and feel exhausted in the mornings...  so yeah, I&#39;d actually have to say that changes in my dream experiences would be more reliably pegged to those variables than my tea-drinking.

While we&#39;re at it, I think I can reasonably conclude that 180-ing your diet from "bread and cheese" to a buttload of fruits and veggies every day has no positive impact on your (or at least, my) dream experiences, either.  Shame.

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