Thread: weed and dream recall

how much does weed effect dream recall

Cannabis effects dream recall negatively to various degrees because it fucks up your short term memory. Luckily, I am able to remember quite a few dreams every night and I smoke habitually. Although this is not the case for many people it seems. It definitely will not help matters and I suggest quitting if you want to maximize dream recall, at least to see if it helps.

thanks. mayb i can be like u and remember dreams while still smoking. =]

Originally Posted by bobbyhill007

thanks. mayb i can be like u and remember dreams while still smoking. =]

Don't you know that already? Or are you considering the downsides of smoking it?

Im an everyday smoker and when I dont smoke for 1-2 days my recall gets longer and alot more vivid...unfortunately :'(

Generally, it's bad for recall because weed is not great for having good memory. You may want to try cutting back or stopping for a while if you want your recall to improve. Everyone has a little different brain chemistry, so each person will feel more or less of the bad recall effects of the drug. It sounds like you're unfortunate enough to be on the bad recall end of the spectrum. Again, it all really boils down to your priorities....how important smoking is vs your dreaming goals. You will probably find a balance if you do a little experimentation with how much or how little you smoke. Good luck.


(PS. Drugs are bad, etc.)

Originally Posted by Naiya

(PS. Drugs are bad, etc.)

mmmmmkay

Originally Posted by LikesToTrip

mmmmmkay

Obligatory.

Originally Posted by Naiya

Obligatory.

Lol, you liked that over a two weeks ago and are just now commenting? Rofl?

Originally Posted by LikesToTrip

Lol, you liked that over a two weeks ago and are just now commenting? Rofl?

Yes, well...I had finals.

I've found for me, smoking cannabis 3-5 days out of a week begins to cloud my recall, however when it's 3 days a week with good breaks in between etc or so, it begins to make my dreams even more vivid.


And all in all when I do not smoke for a good 3 days my dreams become incredibly vivid and emotional again.


Its all just in what your mind wants to tell you, I find.

Weed is a physchoactive drug. It slows your thinking, coordination, and short term memory. That makes it not only hard to remember dreams, but extremely difficult to induce lucid dreaming. Also, if you smoke for too long, your attention span will shorten incredibly, making it next to impossible to tell a realistic dream from reality.

I wouldn't say it slows thinking. Coordination and short term memory yes. I have experience in smoking regularly for several months and I can still very much tell the difference between dream and reality.

Then again everyone's mind goes through different experiences. so...it's probably best to just take things on a per situation perspective.

Originally Posted by Sasso

I wouldn't say it slows thinking. Coordination and short term memory yes. I have experience in smoking regularly for several months and I can still very much tell the difference between dream and reality.

Then again everyone's mind goes through different experiences. so...it's probably best to just take things on a per situation perspective.

Indeed! Me too. Most of the dreams I actually do remember end up being lucid.
I suffer from poor recall but lately I've noticed despite smoking even "way too much" and too often for my standards, if I sleep LONG enough I have dream recall.

This could be because the effects of the THC dwindles the longer I sleep.

Since I started smoking weed I've had about a 90% decrease in lucid dreams (due to lack of recall at all).

I sometimes think of quitting to lucid dream again

Originally Posted by Chatter-Box

I sometimes think of quitting to lucid dream again

>I sometimes think of quitting to lucid dream again
>I sometimes think of quitting
>quitting
>Location: California

Yeah I don't think that's gonna happen any time soon.

Originally Posted by Slawter

>I sometimes think of quitting to lucid dream again
>I sometimes think of quitting
>quitting
>Location: California

Yeah I don't think that's gonna happen any time soon.

hehehehehe

Originally Posted by Chatter-Box

Indeed! Me too. Most of the dreams I actually do remember end up being lucid.
I suffer from poor recall but lately I've noticed despite smoking even "way too much" and too often for my standards, if I sleep LONG enough I have dream recall.

This could be because the effects of the THC dwindles the longer I sleep.

Since I started smoking weed I've had about a 90% decrease in lucid dreams (due to lack of recall at all).

I sometimes think of quitting to lucid dream again

How often do you toke up? Because I find taking regular breaks helps keep dreaming fairly memorable. Whereas toking every day (and a moderate to high amount per day) does tend to decrease recall.

Originally Posted by Chatter-Box

This could be because the effects of the THC dwindles the longer I sleep.

Since I started smoking weed I've had about a 90% decrease in lucid dreams (due to lack of recall at all).

The decreases will probably continue just like someone who [newly] smokes weed isnt "burnt out" but after years and years becomes burnt. I think this long term effects on your brain will also effect your ability to become lucid, if not yet, eventually. May I add that is based on personal concept and slight experiences [smoking over years].

Originally Posted by MrTantalizin

The decreases will probably continue just like someone who [newly] smokes weed isnt "burnt out" but after years and years becomes burnt. I think this long term effects on your brain will also effect your ability to become lucid, if not yet, eventually. May I add that is based on personal concept and slight experiences [smoking over years].

THC doesn't really exert many long-term effects upon the brain besides a mild increase in Neurogenesis which is not a bad thing.

Unless you view being "burnt out" as a changed perspective of life, there is no such thing.

P.S. I don't smoke cannabis.

I'm taking it upon myself to try and smoke weed the next time I go lucid.

I used to smoke all the time and hoestly my recall was dead for months because of it

I smoked weed for roughly 10ish years with maybe a combined 2 years in the midst when I didnt. But ever since I started smoking weed 10ish years ago, I havent recalled any dreams, and I know a close relative that used weed to cure constant nightmares (if only he could dream lucidly). As mentioned above, weed is terrible for your memory in general and even though certain individuals can smoke and still recalled dreams upon awakening, I wouldnt suggest it. There is still the possiblity of: 1 your dream recall ability dwindling 2: you not being able to recall at all (like me).

I just smoked last night and had a semi lucid dream and remember bunch of vivid realistic dreams, but that probably because i was writing down my day journal (Waking-life) and was reviewing my dream journal. I think if you smoke and get into the dream mode like reviewing ur dream journal and trying remember bunch of dreams while high would give u more detailed realistic dreams, I don't know but i'm going try it on Friday

I really don't mean to discredit most replies, but I honestly believe dream recall is directly proportional to the amount of effort you put forth in order to improve it. Coming from someone who has been "420 friendly" (if you know what I mean lol) for a long time, all I have to say is that it's depends on the individual and what he is doing to remember his dreams.

Cannabis does have an impact on short-term memory, but there is a HUGE difference between folks who just started using it, and people who have been on the habits for years. A seasoned toker will smoke a fat blunt and be high for 45 minutes, 60 tops, whereas noobs will be retarted for three hours+. You would expect this difference in other aspects too, including dream recall.

I take tolerance breaks every now and then, and I can tell the difference. My dreams become less vivid when I'm taking a break.

I guess the reason why I can remember my dreams fairly easily has to do with how I record my dreams, and how often. I wake up three to four times a night to pee, and always drink some water before going back to bed. Before I get back to sleep, I pop a mini recorder and just narrate the last dream I can remember, usually the one I was having right before I woke up. Next day, I listen to the recordings on my way to work. They are short, but not only do I remember my dreams very vividly, I also end up remembering other dreams I had during the night for some reason. The only difference between when I'm taking a break and when I'm smoking chib, as I said earlier, is that my dreams are usually less vivid during breaks. Not on a break, my dream become very real, very entertaining, surprising, and surreal (when it feels real, but you can't help but notice the absurdity of it, like talking to your dead grandmother lol)

Originally Posted by padawan

I really don't mean to discredit most replies, but I honestly believe dream recall is directly proportional to the amount of effort you put forth in order to improve it. Coming from someone who has been "420 friendly" (if you know what I mean lol) for a long time, all I have to say is that it's depends on the individual and what he is doing to remember his dreams.

Cannabis does have an impact on short-term memory, but there is a HUGE difference between folks who just started using it, and people who have been on the habits for years. A seasoned toker will smoke a fat blunt and be high for 45 minutes, 60 tops, whereas noobs will be retarted for three hours+. You would expect this difference in other aspects too, including dream recall.

I take tolerance breaks every now and then, and I can tell the difference. My dreams become less vivid when I'm taking a break.

I guess the reason why I can remember my dreams fairly easily has to do with how I record my dreams, and how often. I wake up three to four times a night to pee, and always drink some water before going back to bed. Before I get back to sleep, I pop a mini recorder and just narrate the last dream I can remember, usually the one I was having right before I woke up. Next day, I listen to the recordings on my way to work. They are short, but not only do I remember my dreams very vividly, I also end up remembering other dreams I had during the night for some reason. The only difference between when I'm taking a break and when I'm smoking chib, as I said earlier, is that my dreams are usually less vivid during breaks. Not on a break, my dream become very real, very entertaining, surprising, and surreal (when it feels real, but you can't help but notice the absurdity of it, like talking to your dead grandmother lol)

This, this, this, A THOUSAND TIMES THIS.

The effect weed has on your dream recall is precisely how much you BELIEVE it effects it. I smoke a shitload of weed and all of my dreams stoned or otherwise are FINE. It's all in your head. Instead of quitting weed, double your efforts in terms of daytime awareness and recording dreams upon waking. Although, quitting weed with the intent of improving your lucid dreaming, and all the willpower involved in doing that, is of COURSE going to improve your lucid dreaming, not because of the lack of the drug, but because of the ritualistic effect of exerting willpower with intent. Convincing yourself that doing 100 pushups will guarantee yourself a lucid dream, and then doing them, will have the exact same effect.

EDIT: I suspect all the people in this thread who claim that once they started smoking weed, their recall fell, are actually experiencing a dwindling interest in lucid dreaming as a result of being high all the time. As in, if your life is unsatisfying, lucid dreaming offers you escape/satisfaction, so your motivation to work for dream recall and dream awareness is HIGH. However when you GET high (heh heh) often, you feel generally less unsatisfied with your life, and your motivation suffers.