# Lucid Dreaming > General Lucid Discussion >  >  (guys) does masturbation affect dreams?

## westonci

does excessive masturbation affect ones ability to dream  positively or negatively, especially before you go to sleep?

Does it affect vividness or ability to have  a lucid dream?

I hear that masturbation drains acetylcholine and seratonin from your brain, and that you need both for dreams.

----------


## RooJ

This topic crops up alot, here be some links to reading materials, hope they help  :smiley: 

_Masturbation?_ 
http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...d.php?t=36854&

*Masturbation/Sex: Effects on Recall, Vividity & Lucidity* 
http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...d.php?t=23254&

*Masturbation Does Work!* 
http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...d.php?t=31748&

*Masturbation* 
http://www.dreamviews.com/community/...d.php?t=30596&

Maybe we should sticky a masturbation thread (no pun intended)

----------


## LucidInCuB!zt

hahaha!!! lol its funny how u say it lol

----------


## TheUniversalOne

Masturbation decreases your energy level and I think a relatively high energy level will increase ability to LD (think those that are well rested usually have a better shot at LDing and remembering their dreams than those who are sleep deprived). I worked with energy raising for a while and noticed an increase in my number of LD's so I'm sure energy does affect your ability to LD. I don't think it'll mess up your chances completely, probably just make the chances lower. Perhaps raising energy after would reverse this. Just my thoughts...

 ::banana::

----------


## Spamtek

There are some pretty tried and true facts about ejaculation and hormone/neurotransmitter levels, although I doubt there's been any scientific study done specifically about dreams and wanking.  Masturbation (for men at least - I don't know _what_ is up with ladies) will demolish your testosterone levels, even at just a single pass, and will take upwards of an entire week before they reach their peak again.  Testosterone is definitely responsible for imparting energy, assertiveness, motivation and drive to a person, and frequent (several times a week or more) masturbation _I can only suspect_ has a negative impact on lucid dreaming which so often requires focus, drive, and enthusiasm to execute successfully.  When you wake up at 3:00 AM for your WBTB and you are acutely out of testosterone, you have very little hope of being able to rouse yourself.  Masturbation also temporarily depletes dopamine levels which are also involved in motivational behavior, and frequent masturbation also increases prolactin levels which, aside from being the main mechanism that antagonizes testosterone production to begin with, will probably give you manboobs.

Not that manboobs strictly correlate negatively with LDs, but hell if I want them on _my_ body.

----------


## Astral__Explorer

For me it does. I will have very short dreams and my recall isn't as good because I'm now seeing 10-20 quick dreams.

When I haven't jerked in maybe 1-2 days then I start to notice I'm recalling 1-2 long dreams. If it's a week it tends to be many long dreams and some rather unique dreams too.

----------


## zobey

I aint touchin' this one. (no pun)

----------


## EVIL JOE

Damn it! Now I'm tempted to stop slapping the meat walrus for like a week to see if I get any progress. Alright. That's it. I'm on a masturbation diet for a week to see how it affects my dreams. Wish me luck.

----------


## Mega93

Now this'll be a hard one  :tongue2: 
I managed to stay 10 days, and a difference indeed. They say that the one who really wants lucid dreams should stay 15 days without wanking.

----------


## Jdeadevil

> does excessive masturbation affect ones ability to dream  positively or negatively, especially before you go to sleep?
> 
> Does it affect vividness or ability to have  a lucid dream?
> 
> I hear that masturbation drains acetylcholine and seratonin from your brain, and that you need both for dreams.




So *that's* why I have no recall!

----------


## Nefarious

Ill tell you guys a secret masturbation before sleeping makes lucid sex last much longer cause you dont get too exited  ::D:  It also doesnt affect my dream recall and lucidity at least I dont feel like it does.

----------


## Spamtek

> makes lucid sex last much longer cause you dont get too exited



If it's not exciting then why do it?

----------


## Nefarious

> If it's not exciting then why do it?



Belive it or not its still fun you just dont finish but you still feel great. If you would get exited you would wake up and that is not fun  :Sad: 

note that I said: you dont get TOO exited  :smiley:

----------


## sloth

To choose between lucid dreaming and masturbation...
What a terrible world.

----------


## Snooze

I wouldn't know, i dont think i had a non  postmasturbation dream yet  ::D:

----------


## Silvanus350

This topic is _hilarious_.  ::chuckle:: 

That being said, it probably kills all hopes of a WBTB, but I doubt it would ruin your attempts altogether.  Then again, it really raises a question of _frequency_...

----------


## The Cusp

I've done extensive research on the subject, and have to conclude it doesn't have much effect on dreams at all.

----------


## Awhislyle

I personally have more DILDs if I don't masturbate for a few days

----------


## Zotoaster

> They say that the one who really wants lucid dreams should stay 15 days without wanking.



15 days is a bit much. I don't think it's worth it to be perfectly honest  :tongue2:  I'll wait till I get a little better at LDing. Maybe that way I can just do it in my dreams, so then I get the best of both!  ::D:

----------


## hawkeye

ROFLMFAO this is a funny one

I have heard that for some people it makes DILDing better but for others it wrecks the whole process.
After reading about the 15 days not tossing i had a think about personal exp. i think that this is based in truth, not sure why but i went for about 11 days with out having a bat a few weeks ago (due to total exhaustion brought on by uni exams, now that was a tough few days) and my dreams (no real LDs) were very vivid and long and my recall was up slightly. Now im not sure if there is a connection but after reading this im tempted to try it again and se how it goes.

----------


## Torcher

it tends to reduce/eliminate the chance of sex being a subject in my dreams that night

----------


## tekkendreams

> Damn it! Now I'm tempted to stop slapping the meat walrus for like a week to see if I get any progress. Alright. That's it. I'm on a masturbation diet for a week to see how it affects my dreams. Wish me luck.



dude the LD will be worth it 100% even if it lasts a short time , its worth worth worth

----------


## iadr

> Masturbation decreases your energy level and I think a relatively high energy level will increase ability to LD (think those that are well rested usually have a better shot at LDing and remembering their dreams than those who are sleep deprived). I worked with energy raising for a while and noticed an increase in my number of LD's so I'm sure energy does affect your ability to LD. I don't think it'll mess up your chances completely, probably just make the chances lower. Perhaps raising energy after would reverse this. Just my thoughts...



Excellent observation UniversalOne. I was just reading a book called DreamGates yesterday that discusses the idea of raising ones sexual energy and then going to sleep without releasing that sexual energy in order to increase dream recall and vividness of ones dreams. 

I've also noticed this myself, that on the nights I go to bed with an unusually high level of sexual energy still intact, that those are the nights I remember the most dreams and have the most vivid dreams.

In fact, I experimented with this last night, and woke up literally every hour to an hour and half in the middle of a vivid dream.

Not sure how this might effect lucidity, but it sure can help in having a lot of vivid dreams.

----------


## EVIL JOE

> dude the LD will be worth it 100% even if it lasts a short time , its worth worth worth



I haven't done it since posting that. No lucids yet, but I'll keep trying.

----------


## tekkendreams

i havent masturbated in over 10days not , just been thinking about LD ing to much lol

----------


## Beksinski

I've several times gone around 10 days without ejaculating, and haven't noticed any difference in my dreams.  Were you to abstain from ejaculation completely, you would eventually start experiencing nocturnal emissions, so you would be ejaculating either way.  Regardless, so far as your hormones are concerned, there's no difference between having sex and masturbating, and daily sex is viewed as an extremely healthy activity for both body and mind, so daily masturbation likely won't harm anything.  I wouldn't worry too much about it.

----------


## Spamtek

> I've several times gone around 10 days without ejaculating, and haven't noticed any difference in my dreams.  Were you to abstain from ejaculation completely, you would eventually start experiencing nocturnal emissions, so you would be ejaculating either way.  Regardless, so far as your hormones are concerned, there's no difference between having sex and masturbating, and daily sex is viewed as an extremely healthy activity for both body and mind, so daily masturbation likely won't harm anything.  I wouldn't worry too much about it.



I've gone upwards of a month without an eruption and I can honestly say I've never had a wet dream in my life... just doesn't happen for some of us.  I think if you're a raging hormone machine it's a different story, but apparently my testosterone plateaus well before it can punch the manual override on my wanking habits.

Also, digging the Beksinski motherlode in your sig.

----------


## Secret Neo

I found that masturbating but not dumpin a load (hope not to forward there) has a greater effect. might be hard for some guys tho.

----------


## Javan

Well damn...thats why I have no recall...I masturbate 2-3 times a day. 

I need to calm it down a little. lol

----------


## _Sapphire_Cross_

THAT'S why I haven't had a LD! Damn you teen hormones! *kicks self in crotch!* Oh God that hurt...

----------


## Silent_Lucidity

I read masturbation would decrease dream recall or something. Of all things, masturbation?!  ::embarrassed::  The longest I've not masturbated is six days.  ::embarrassed::  I would have to give up one pleasure to increase my chances to get good at an even greater experience, eh? Or cut down on it maybe.

----------


## Anaxamander

First of all, it's hilarious how everyone is talking about masturbation like it's the only way to ejaculate. It's like plain old sex is some kind of alien concept.  :smiley: 

Anyway, I seem to recall from LaBerge's book that people frequently had lucid dreams right after having sex in the middle of the night. That's part of the reason he developed the WBTB method.

----------


## LucidDreamGod

I don't think it has anything to do with dreams, it's just what you think it has to do, if you think it makes you less lucid and less aware then you'll have a lower chance at lucidity, if you think it is a lucid aid then you'll be having lucids more often when you jack off  :tongue2: 





> The longest I've not masturbated is six days.



Thats my record as well.

----------


## Desa

15 days is brutal  ::?:

----------


## Robot_Butler

> First of all, it's hilarious how everyone is talking about masturbation like it's the only way to ejaculate. It's like plain old sex is some kind of alien concept. 
> 
> Anyway, I seem to recall from LaBerge's book that people frequently had lucid dreams right after having sex in the middle of the night. That's part of the reason he developed the WBTB method.



I think that sex and masturbation are two very different things when it comes to dreaming.  I find that they stimulate very different parts of my brain.  During sex, physical activity is increased, and my mind is kind of blank.  During masturbation, physical activity is pretty minimal, but my mind and imagination are very active. Big difference there.

I don't think your body's chemistry has much to do with it to tell you the truth.  From all the experiments I've done and everyone I've talked to, the important thing is your state of mind and your brain's activity level.  Whether or not you orgasm or ejaculate or both (my tantric friends) is sort of a nonissue.

Also, just like any form of meditation used to induce LDs, the timing is crucial.  Sex before you sleep is different than sex during a WBTB. 

I find that masturbation gets the visual center of the brain cranked into overdrive, which makes for more vivid dreams.  Sex during a WBTB is the perfect mixture of physical activity to wake you up, and relaxation to help you fall back asleep.  Just be sure that dreaming is the last thing on your mind when youre falling asleep.

I would advocate it all.  Don't try to hypnotize yourself into believing you need to choose between dreams and sex.  What a terrible thing that would be.

----------


## darkhawk918

Yeah it totally does! Last night I had a really good jerk and then went lucid perfectly! I'm going to do it every night! Works for me...or maybe it's just an excuse

----------


## damnpamn

Why did you direct this question just toward guys?

----------


## Aendri

::lol:: yay, excuse. Yeah, i have never noticed any change in my lucidity or recall based on how often I jack it. And it is disappointing to see such lack of determination in some of you. 6 days? be men. 17 ::D:

----------


## ChrissyMaria

> I hear that masturbation drains acetylcholine and seratonin from your brain, and that you need both for dreams.




lol funny cause i take acetylcholine every day and 5-htp which makes serotonin  ::D: 


(I guess im safe)






> Why did you direct this question just toward guys?



No idea, girls do that too..does it effect your dreams? (girls)

----------


## TrakTaneT

Ou yeah, I can say, that for me it has negative effect and I&#180;ve noticed that a few years ago. After a few days off I feel more determined, full of energy and motivation, my dream recall is stronger and IR interaction with people easier, better concentration etc and I have BETTER chance to have a LD. I think it HAS something to do with neurotransmitters in th brain - orgasm is strong excitation of neurons and after that as autoregulation the inhibition follows and other changes in neurochemistry. 
Also I agree with the opinion that sex and masturbation have different effects on brain and psyche, maybe (metaphysical or not) energy levels. So it is possible that it all depends on how is one mentaly "tuned"...I dont know, what do you think?

----------


## Draoi

> I've also noticed this myself, that on the nights I go to bed with an unusually high level of sexual energy still intact, that those are the nights I remember the most dreams and have the most vivid dreams.



I've read that, but what does it _mean_ exactly? Do you spank it until you're just about to blow, then stop and go to sleep with blue-balls? Or does it mean to abstain from sex during the period you're trying to induce a lucid dream?

----------


## Flavour of Night

> does excessive masturbation affect ones ability to dream  positively or negatively, especially before you go to sleep?



Hell, I dunno.

I do know that excessive dreaming likely has an adverse impact on one's ability to masturbate. 
 ::laughhard::

----------


## DreamingGod

I don't think that Masturbation effects Lucid Dreaming

----------


## little nemo

Don Juan had some interesting things to say about managing sexual energy. He explained that some people are the product of a bored fu*k, and need to be very careful about depleting their energy stores, that frequent ejaculation can be hugely draining. Everyone else can go at it like bunnies and not run themselves down.

So if you want to know if you can toss off with no adverse effects just ask your parents about the night that..... ::shock::

----------


## Soldier

> Orginally by *Nefarious*  
> 
>   Ill tell you guys a secret masturbation before sleeping makes lucid sex last much longer cause you dont get too exited  It also doesnt affect my dream recall and lucidity at least I dont feel like it does.



I dont think this should be overlooked, maybe you wont "fire the gun" in bed if you already unloaded. it sure felt like i was going to explode right after i had sex, i felt it in the dream and when i woke up. (i woke up right after having sex)

----------


## Blade_Rain

*crying*

This thread has completely crushed my hopes and dreams of lucidity  ::damnit:: 

Stop wanking?!?! YARGLE FLABBIN STAPHOR DAMNIT!  ::embarrassed::

----------


## Vex Kitten

Wouldn't it be cruel beyond words if celibacy and no monkey spankage = lucid dreams every night.

----------


## Aendri

::shock::  Kill me.

----------


## Idolfan

I've given this topic a little thought, but in my journal I haven't written "had a wank last night" every other day so there's no way of telling yet. I did notcice that it doesn't affect whether I have a sex dream or not.

----------


## Dreamworld

Im one horny son of a bitch, and ussualy jack off around 2-3 times a day. My dreams are extremly vivid.

----------


## heumy

> Im one horny son of a bitch, and ussualy jack off around 2-3 times a day. My dreams are extremly vivid.



Same here, I satisfy myself several times a day, and when I don't go for a couple of days, I can't stand it. I have to go on a one-week fast, but I don't think I can take the pressure. I'm so addicted. I always want to have sex dreams, but I definitely think that my masturbation habits and my dreams are related.

----------


## Schmaven

I think the most important factor in having lucid dreams is belief.  So if you believe that masturbating will hep with lucid dreaming, it will!  But you have to honestly believe it will.  Hell if I'm going to give it up.  

I'm interested what girls' view on masturbation and lucid dreaming is.

----------


## Jorge

Uh-Oh, looks like I gotta be nice to the monkey now. I'll give it a shoot, if I can tell no progress, then I guess I'll just *shoot another way*

* HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH!*

----------


## Dreamhope11

Hmmm mastubation or LDing, well lets put it this way if mastubating does negatively effect LDing just mastubate in a LD, im sure it'll feel better.

----------


## lysergic

well... so does sex do the same?

i'm sure it has to do with when and how often you ejaculate rather than how right?

----------


## Binsk

Lol odd topic... But crud, 15 days? I have trouble lasting over a week! I do have to say that masturbation DOES effect my dreams and such. I noticed even before these topics. But I didn't know it would take that LONG to start getting better... As said, CRUD! CRUD CRUD CRUD! Eh well, gives me more motivation for LD'ing, and it is totaly worth it!

----------


## dylanshmai

I jack off every day, and I take my time which is can easily be over an hour, and I also get lucid dreams. I even get board of having lucid dreams. There's no way I could even begin to count them. All you have to do is think about dreaming

----------


## Robot_Butler

I used to worry about this as a teenager.  I would worry about it affecting everything from dreaming, to acne, to energy levels.  Finally, I realized that I was just looking for any reason to not masturbate five times a day (never did find a good reason  :wink2:  ).  It is sort of a strange thing to be trying to find an excuse for.  I guess when something seems too good to be true, you get suspicious.  Just enjoy yourself.  It can be fun to be human, sometimes.

----------


## Lëzen

> Why did you direct this question just toward guys?



Probably because women don't masturbate nearly as much as men do on average. Either that or most women are lying through their teeth about it as an unfortunate result of the fact that the notion that women enjoy sexual stimulation is still considered absurd by many, even in civilized societies. Only once that sort of ignorance evaporates will women finally start being (almost) as sexually active as men...

Anyway, there simply isn't enough data out there to make any conclusion about this topic one way or the other.

All I know about male masturbation (that is proven fact, that is) is that: 

a) it reduces stress [and stress is a huge inhibitor if you're a WILDer]; 

b) by relieving stress it puts you in a much more relaxed state [a huge catalyst for WILDers]; 

c) it greatly reduces the risk of prostate cancer; 

d) if done recently before sex, increases your stamina during the act [which is why I believe Nefarious' assertion that a good wank before bed makes lucid sex last longer]; and 

e) it feels good. Oh, and 

f) just about every assertion of the negative effects of masturbation is mythical and nothing less than false.

Personally, I'm an average masturbator (about 1.5 times per day) and I find that my dreams are still easily memorable. Even during times when I've been forced to go a week without wanking (like spending a week out of town), recall has remained average... or even worse sometimes.

So... *shruggeth*  ::?:

----------


## Kuhnada29

> Don Juan had some interesting things to say about managing sexual energy. He explained that some people are the product of a bored fu*k, and need to be very careful about depleting their energy stores, that frequent ejaculation can be hugely draining. Everyone else can go at it like bunnies and not run themselves down.
> 
> So if you want to know if you can toss off with no adverse effects just ask your parents about the night that.....



hey i know this is an old thread, but i just started coming across this topic

i read that excessive masturbation depletes certain chemicals in the brain, which causes memory loss, feeling tired all the time, etc.





> Frequent masturbation and ejaculation will stimulate the acetylcholine/parasympathetic nervous functions. Excessive masturbation and ejaculation can, and often times will, result in over-production of sex hormones and neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine, dopamine and serotonin. An unnatural abundance of these hormones and neurotransmitters can cause the brain and adrenal glands to perform excessive dopamine-norepinephrine-epinephrine conversion, in turn, making the brain and bodily functions perform at an extreme level. In other words, there is a huge change in body chemistry when one masturbates excessively.



Notice those chemicals above are the main ones needed for dream recall, or spacial memory period. 

I've been reading up on the benefits of abstaining from masturbation ( not sex ), and it seems it increases energy, alertness, motivation, focus. We don't recall dreams every night because we don't have enough energy. 

This isn't saying not to have sex, but I think all this implies that a little self-control and moderation is in order.

----------


## opalwolf

i would say sexual release does NOT affect lucidity in dreams. that is under your own control. but it DOES affect the types of dreams I have and also, where i can go in my dreams. I seem to have longer more intense dreams and also am able to go to some really crazy places that usually i would wake up from even attempting to enter if i am sexually depleted.
i'm not totally sure about this though and i think i'm going to experiment a little bit more with it.

----------


## Mrsf0011

> does excessive masturbation affect ones ability to dream  positively or negatively, especially before you go to sleep?
> 
> Does it affect vividness or ability to have  a lucid dream?
> 
> I hear that masturbation drains acetylcholine and seratonin from your brain, and that you need both for dreams.




well how many times could you possibily masterbate before going to sleep. it must be alot to be causiong concern or a enquiry  ::lol::

----------


## yj1214

> Hmmm mastubation or LDing, well lets put it this way if mastubating does negatively effect LDing just mastubate in a LD, im sure it'll feel better.




Hey! What are you talking about!!
Masturbating in LD? I would just have a sex.

----------


## Saizaphod

I have been fap-free for 12 days now. For the first 7 nights most of my dreams had something to do with sex/sexuality, but didn't have any wet dreams. Now it's quite the same as if would do the act, nothings different, yet. The only side effect is that if I get the urge to do the act when wake, it's killing me. 19 days to go, I guess it's worth it.

----------


## SinisterDezz

> This topic crops up alot, here be some links to reading materials, hope they help 
> 
> _Masturbation?_ 
> Masturbation?
> 
> *Masturbation/Sex: Effects on Recall, Vividity & Lucidity* 
> Masturbation/Sex: Effects on Recall, Vividity & Lucidity
> 
> *Masturbation Does Work!* 
> ...




...

----------


## Laurelindo

Hopefully not, I masturbate like 10 times a week.

Oh well, anyway, I don't think it should have any negative effects on lucid dreaming, in fact it would probably have a positive effect because orgasms make you very relaxed and at peace with yourself;
it's a fantastic way to relieve stress.

----------

