# Lucid Dreaming > Attaining Lucidity > Lucid Aids >  >  Guayusa tea and its effect on sleep and dreams?

## filipk

Hi there.

I'm wondering if anyone here has ever had guayusa tea and if it has had any affect on your dream recall or lucidity. As far as I know, some use its high caffeine level and drink it in the morning for energy and awareness, and when they fall asleep at the end of the day, it potentiates lucid dreams.

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## midnightfire

I have a whole bunch of guayusa tea that is being sold as "lucid dreaming tea". 
I haven't noticed much of a difference with it initially, but initially I was taking it without doing other things like reality checks etc. Now that I have a better daily practice of reality checks, keeping dream journal every night etc. I am giving it a go again. 

The idea with guayusa tea is that it builds up in the body. That is the main reason to drink it first thing in the morning to give it more time to work. The idea is also to drink multiple cups of it a day. You can drink it before bed also - the caffeine level supposedly does not work in the same way that coffee will. 

From my understanding it works similar to other herbs like calea in that it just helps keep you more aware/focused when you are dreaming so you have a better chance of recognising that you are dreaming and remembering your dreams.

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## MarioTheStoner

I in particular haven't really found any help with using Lucid aids you have to ingest.

If you are to use Lucid Aids however maybe binaural beats would work better? I found that using a 90 minute sleep cycle binaural beat track made my dreams more vivid, but however it majorly improved my ability to recall the dreams. They may not work for everyone but the 90 min sleep cycle is almost like an automated WBTB technique because at the end of the Delta (i think it's delta) wave the frequency emitted is supposed to wake your brain up, not so much your body, so that relaxation phase isn't a prerequisite. 

But nonetheless haha, you should experiment with all forms of lucidity induction to see which one works best for you, then modify from there.
On a little sidenote, The best and most promising technique which improved my recall and vividness was a WILD WBTB technique by a user called CrazyInsane -- here's the link to it http://www.dreamviews.com/wake-initi...torial-**.html -- it's really effective if done correctly/

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## midnightfire

Thanks for the link I will check out that technique!

I have tried binaural beats I have found that they definitely make me super relaxed however being a very light sleeper I just can't sleep with any noise so their use seemed limited as it just results in me lying there very relaxed but no dreaming (I am assuming you wake up after sleep and then listen to them and fall back asleep?)

That being said I haven't tried it in a while so maybe will try again.

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## MarioTheStoner

Oh that's perfect for the technique then! (you being a light sleeper). 

For that specific technique which I linked there's an app for apple users called Alarm Clock Bud, it produces this sharp beeping noise for 5 seconds then shuts itself off. Since you're a light sleeper you should be alerted to this and it should 'wake' your brain up. The key is not to move, or move as little as possible, once you hear the alarm. Because of this you'll already be relaxed and the whole essential relaxation phase needed is eliminated

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## midnightfire

Thank you very much for the referral to that Can-WILD technique, this looks like a promising option for me! 
The only success I have had thus far involved getting up and then going back to sleep, but currently there is only one night a week I can practice that as all other nights I have to get up way too early (4:30am) and so getting up and moving around would just be too risky cutting into my already limited sleep time. This technique however might work, and if it doesn't, shouldn't wake me up too much, exactly as he says wont screw up your sleep pattern.
I am a bit confused at how you go into the dream however once you are awake. Because the technique sounds like what I understand to be a technique for astral projecting – if this is the case you should be able to float right up into your ‘dream/astral body’ and would be able to look down and see your other body still sleeping...which I'm not sure if I want to do which is why I like the idea of waking up in the dream first. 

Anyway  will give it a go and post in that thread when it works  :tongue2:

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## DreamBliss

Any additional information on this? Supporting evidence for using it throughout the day VS when you go to sleep at night? I just bought 4 cans of it at $5.09 each at Safeway, some sort of clearance sale. Never saw the stuff there before. When I saw it there tonight I nabbed it. Going to brew a cup and see if I can sleep afterwards. If not will use some Chamomile. But I would like to get some more info on using this tea to aid in dreaming.

Thanks!

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## Voldmer

I occasionally use guayusa at WBTB-time; it helps "lifting" my awareness a couple of notches higher, so that I am more aware of the dreams following. I consider it a viable alternative to caffeine- or guarana-tablets.

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## midnightfire

Its not supposed to keep you awake. But im such a stresser i cant tell. I was watching the guy who owns lucid dreaming tea make his batch he puts 3 spoonfulls for one cup! So mayve try it strong if you can handle the taste. Supposed to have many other health benefits anyway. And it supposedly uncalcefies the pineal gland which helps with awareness. I still havent taken it seriously for days in a row and havent noticed much effects taking it during the day or b4 bed. Might try it during WBTB then.

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## DreamBliss

I thought tonight I would take it a few hours before bed, maybe 2 or so. I had very clear dreams after taking it with chamomile last night, but my dreams are usually very detailed in any case. I think I used a teaspoon or half a teaspoon. I made two cups, took the rest when I got up today, no noticeable extra dream recall. so not sure of any effects yet.

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