# Sleep and Dreams > Sleep and Health >  >  Sedatives to sleep and dream

## CrashPlague

I'm finding myself wanting to experiment with lucid dreaming techniques and after becoming lucid for the first time, but not really being able to do much with it (it ended rather shortly without me having a chance to do anything) I have this URGE to have another one. 

The problem is that I can't seem to fall asleep very easily, and I want to try sleep during the day when I have some free time. 

So, are there any common sedatives I can use to knock myself out without impairing my ability to dream?

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## tommo

People are going to inevitably tell you sedatives inhibit dreaming.  They are wrong.
It varies from person to person.  Regarding the ones I mention below, when I say "may effect brain" it doesn't necessarily mean it decreases dreams.  Sometimes it makes them a lot more vivid or crazy.

It depends what kind of sedatives you want, and what you mean by common.  There are plants such as:

Chamomile (get it from a GOOD health food store, not that dried and ground up old stuff you get in commercial tea bags.  In other words, whole flower heads).  Don't know if it affects dreams but it's mild so maybe not too much effect, if any.

Lemon balm is another herb which is pretty good for relaxing muscles.  Again, good health food store etc.  No known brain effects as far as I know.

Hops is good apparently, although you'll probably need some pill extracts or something, and good ones that have a 1-2 g dried herb equivalent extract.
It's cousin, Cannabis, is also good but some people report decreased dreams.
May affect brain with either of them.

Oat extract is a sedative too believe it or not.  Probably affects brains mildly.

There's heaps more but you can probably just google it.

Then there's OTC things like:
Doxylamine Succinate, which shouldn't affect your brain really. (Say you can't sleep properly if they ask)

Diphenhydramine, will affect your brain, but usually just crazy dreams.  (Say you have allergies if they ask)

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## CrashPlague

Thanks for the feedback. What about general thoughts on more pharmaceutical based sedatives, like doxylamine. It's a chemical and serves commonly as an active ingredient in NyQuil products. Whenever I've been sick it's done the job of putting me to sleep, however, I don't get sick very often, and back when I used to take doxylamine products I wasn't able to recall dreams very well and had no idea how to induce lucids.

Also, I'm taking a look at some of the herbs mentions at this link. How do some of these fair? Are they complete bull or do they have something to them?

 www (.) world-of-lucid-dreaming (.) com/ dream-herbs.html

The list includes; 

Calea Zacatechichi

Silene Capensis

Dreamers Blend

Wild Lettuce

Valerian Root

Calamus Root

African Dream Herb

Yohimbine

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## tommo

> Thanks for the feedback. What about general thoughts on more pharmaceutical based sedatives, like doxylamine. It's a chemical and serves commonly as an active ingredient in NyQuil products. Whenever I've been sick it's done the job of putting me to sleep, however, I don't get sick very often, and back when I used to take doxylamine products I wasn't able to recall dreams very well and had no idea how to induce lucids.



Hmmmm.... maybe it's just because you weren't trying?  It shouldn't affect the brain.  As it just relaxes the muscles.    Although maybe it does this via the nervous system, I'm not sure, check wikipedia.  Also it could have been something in the nyquil.  I know when I've taken it I had the most fucking insane dreams and even sleep walked in the morning for the first time ever lol

Try to get the pure doxylamine, the should have it OTC.





> Also, I'm taking a look at some of the herbs mentions at this link. How do some of these fair? Are they complete bull or do they have something to them?
> 
>  www (.) world-of-lucid-dreaming (.) com/ dream-herbs.html
> 
> The list includes;



Calea Zacatechichi

Silene Capensis - Not sure whether either of these will put you to sleep but they are both reputed lucid dreaming herbs.  Calea is known to relax you though.  Not sure about Silene Capensis.

Dreamers Blend - Probably some bullshit, never used it though.  The thing with these pre-mixed things is that they usually just chuck in all these herbs that may or may not cause lucid dreaming and the herbs are usually very dry and old by the time they reach you.

Wild Lettuce - Varying reports.  You can check erowid for some reports (as you can with most of these herbs and other drugs).  Some people say it's like opium but you have to decoct a shit load of it.  On a related note, opiates have always worked very well for most people to induce crazy dreams, and it definitely relaxes you.

Valerian Root - Varying reports again.  The only thing it's done for me is make me jittery and strangely fuck me up in an inexplicable way.  I took 20g of it though, hoping to get an effect, since lower doses did nothing except give me a horrible taste in my mouth lol

Calamus Root - Not completely sure.

African Dream Herb - is Silene Capensis

Yohimbine - Not sure

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## CrashPlague

What I meant is that back then I generally couldn't remember dreams and I wasn't aware of lucid dreaming, not that the drug caused a lack of dreams. Interesting that you say I can get doxylamine over the counter, I didn't think you could. I'll definitely check it out.

As for those herbs, thanks a lot man, that's some great input. I'll look through them and maybe give some of them a try.

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## CrashPlague

I've been looking at the IAmShaman website to get some herbs but I've noticed that they only accept US-verified paypal, which kinda sucks for me.

Any other places online where I can find some affordable Calea Z?

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