Simple, homemade recipes with natural ingredients that will help you go to sleep. But most importantly, they’ll facilitate the REM stage where most of the dreams occur. Sleep and Dream Deeper!
Doctors call it a “sleep deprivation epidemic”. We’ve already talked about how most people don’t get enough hours of sleep. Everyone knows that, right?
But what we tend to downplay is the second-order effects. When your sleep is suboptimal, your dreams become hazy and unclear. Eventually, they stop altogether.
And if you’ve been reading our blog for a while, you already know how important it is to have a strong connection with the subconscious. It’s the control panel of your mind!
Recently, we published a book teaching you how to lucid dream – you can grab it here by the way (free).
In this short guide, we mention how it’s imperative to sleep deep to be able to have a lucid experience. To go a step further, you need to increase the frequency and strength of dreams.
Of course, if you check Google, you’ll find all sorts of advice. You know, the “go to sleep at the same time each day and use blue blocker glasses” trite advice. But no one talks about ways to increase the intensity of your dreams!
Well, in this post we’re going to explore different recipes, concoctions with natural ingredients, and safe supplementation that you can implement. I’ve personally tested everything in the list I’ve compiled for you.
It goes without saying that you’ll have to experiment and find the right one for you.
Having said that, it’s time to open your cabinets and get ready to create these magical, dream-inducing potions!
1. Tried and Tested Methods with Natural Ingredients
These are the traditional sleep remedies.
The good news is that you probably have everything you need to make them right now!
Warm Milk and Honey
I used to make this when I was a kid a lot. Recently, I’ve started preparing it again and I found that it still works.
Beyond the fact that this is a delicious drink, the honey will provide enough glucose and fructose to keep you full throughout the night and your cells well-energized. In practical terms, this means that you won’t be waking up by abnormal cortisol release in the early hours of the day, ensuring you’ll spend all of your sleeping time dreaming!
At the same time, the slow absorption of casein protein will keep your blood sugar stable. No sugar crashes or spikes.
Best to be consumed a half an hour before going to bed.
Good choice for: People who have late-night cravings and need to satisfy their sweet tooth. It’s also a great snack to replace a meal if you’re on a diet.
Bad choice for: Those of you who cannot tolerate dairy, the A1 protein, that well. If that’s the case, I suggest trying full-fat goat milk. It has worked for me. Another thing, if you’re allergic to honey, you can either try raw honey or substitute it with sugar.
Chamomile Tea
Ah, one of the best ways to end the day. The thing with this little herb is that it creates potent lethargy. So, if you’re thinking that you can have a cup and still read or work for a few more minutes, well, you’re mistaken!
Much of chamomile’s effects on sleep stem from its rich flavonoid content. It’s one of the safest sleep interventions you could try out tonight.
There’s plenty of research (here, here, and here) on its effectiveness on sleep and insomnia. But the most interesting research I’ve seen suggests it might affect the GABAergic system, promoting more frequent dreams!
If you want to spice things up, instead of sugar use pure glycine – it’s super sweet! We’ll talk more about this little amino acid in the next section.
Good choice for: People who prefer pure, natural products. You can literally go out and pick it up yourself!
Bad choice for: Those who want to relax, maybe read or listen to music. Chamomile is meant to put you to sleep.
2. Recipes from Folklore traditions
As you know, we trust the ancient wisdom of the common folk. Whether it’s coming from old cookbooks or oral mythology, we love to try out these different recipes.
And given how much they cared about sleep and dreams back then, we’ve found more than a few!
Blue Lotus Flower
The Egyptian dream flower has been used for thousands of years to induce powerful, lucid dreams.
In Buddhism, the lotus flower has a deep symbolic meaning associated with the triumph of the spirit over the senses.
There’s evidence indicating that this little water lily has anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects as well.
Empirical pharmacology suggests that in larger doses, it might also induce hallucinations so keep that in mind.
Super easy to brew an “intuitive tea”, as I like to call it!
Good choice for: People who want to awake in their dreams
Bad choice for: Those who want more mild sedation rather than psychic excitement!
Mugwort
Did you know that Artemisia vulgaris has been cited as a psychoactive substance used by alleged “witches”?
The myth of a woman wearing a pointy hat and flying on her broomstick comes from the use of the common mugwort and its effect on making you “high”.
But you don’t have to worry about that unless you… smoke it!
What I suggest here is either to drink the tea – which has been shown to have myriad of benefits including antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antispasmolytic, antinociceptive, estrogenic, cytotoxic, antibacterial, and antifungal effects.
And when it comes to dreams, it has a hypnotic-like effect.
Good choice for: Weird and hyper-realistic dreams.
Bad choice for: People who want a dreamless, restful sleep. Things can get crazy really fast with mugwort.
Aromatherapy
The last section in the traditional folklore recipes is aromatherapy.
Herbs in frequent and large dosages can be problematic, even toxic in some cases.
A simple solution is to create little satchels with different kinds of herbs, spices, and essential oils.
(Even though some of the claims regarding aromatherapy are exaggerated, there’s strong evidence showcasing moderate to high effectiveness for sleep and reducing anxiety)
These little bags are very easy to make in 3 simple steps:
1. First of all, pick the herbs you want to include. Usually, you want to match them with a few drops of their corresponding essential oil but that’s not necessary.
Some good choices are:
- Mugwort – hyperrealistic dreams
- Lavender – relaxes and soothes the central nervous system
- Anise – protects from negative energy
- Jasmine flowers – romantic dreams
- Rosemary – is said to protect you from nightmares
- Chamomile flowers – sedative effect
2. Let them dry and place them in a bowl, adding your essential oils. Mix well with clean hands.
3. Get a cotton muslin bags. Start filling them to the brim. You can place them near your bed or under your pillow for maximum effectiveness.
Good choice for: People who have a sensitive stomach and want to avoid a lot of herbs and brews.
Bad choice for: Those who want a strong (short-term) effect.
3. Modern Methods and Supplementation
Finally, let’s explore the modern approach to induce wild dreams.
Some of these solutions require supplements, vitamins, and minerals but I’ve made sure to find the purest forms for each one.
Having said that, consult your physician if you choose to use any of them.
Magnesium Chloride and Malate
Magnesium is an essential mineral, taking in part in more than three hundred biochemical reactions in the body.
From cellular respiration to hydration, we require ~400mg-500mg of elemental magnesium. And given how blue light exposure, stimulants like coffee, and stress can deplete our storage, I’d argue that a big portion of the population is deficient.
But what about sleep and dreams?
Well, the research is straightforward. Magnesium improves insomnia symptoms (1,2,3), improves sleep and has a potent effect on vagal tone and parasympathetic system activation (1,2,3).
Unfortunately, the most “mainstream” magnesium supplements tend to have many allergenic fillers. At the same time, the required dosage cannot be met using magnesium citrate and oxide, ie the widely available forms.
Instead, I suggest magnesium chloride and malate. These are the purest forms, easiest to absorb, and cheap!
You can also make magnesium oil by mixing 50 grams of magnesium chloride and 1L of water. Spray away!
Or you can have a relaxing bath!
Good choice for: Everyone. Literally.
Bad choice for: People with gastrointestinal problems? It takes time to increase your magnesium tolerance. Until then, you can apply topically and orally until you’re comfortable enough with upping the amount you consume.
L-Theanine, Glycine, and Melatonin
These three substances are powerful on their own, but when combined they can induce the wildest, weirdest dreams.
I have to warn you that people who try this concoction report that their dreams were so intense they didn’t want to continue.
Having said that, all three of them are very safe in the normal dosages and have benefits beyond a good night’s rest.
- L-Theanine has been documented to improve cognitive function and stress-related disorders. Beyond that, it extends the time you spend in the REM state – where most dreams occur. If you don’t want a supplement, green tea is a great natural source!
- Glycine is an underutilized amino acid that’s missing from our modern diets. Muscle meats (chicken breasts, beef, etc) lack glycine, which is usually found in collagen. Bone broths are a great way to naturally get your daily requirements and get the sleep-promoting and GABAergic enhancement (1,2).
- Melatonin has been used as a circadian rhythm regulator for many years. Even though most people use it as a “sleeping pill”, the real use of melatonin is in creating a proper sleep schedule helping you get into the REM stage faster. I suggest taking no more than 5mg per night since studies have shown that microdoses are more effective.
It’s important to experiment with dosage, timing, and combination. Some people don’t respond well to certain brands as well.
Good choice for: A consistently good night of sleep. But more importantly, these supplements have the potential to improve your health all around.
Bad choice for: If you don’t want to burden your system with supplements. That’s perfectly fine.
Bonus: The Dreams and Mythology “Secret” Recipe for Deep Dreams
If you’re reading this, congratulations! You’re about to find out one of the most potent, no-bs, effective recipes to induce intense dreams.
Do not abuse this. And do NOT attempt this if you want a restful sleep…
This isn’t about getting your 8 hours in, no. This is for communicating with your subconscious and having lucid experiences.
30 to 60 minutes before sleep, do this:
Step 1
- 5 grams of inositol
- 200 grams of L-theanine
- 3 grams of glycine
Dissolve these in water and drink up!
(You might need to play around with the dosage to find what works for you)
Step 2
Dissolve 5 grams of magnesium chloride in half a cup of water. Stir well until there’s no sediment at the bottom.
Using your fingers, apply the solution to your temples and back of the head. You can drink what’s left.
Step 3 (booster)
If you need the extra boost and you’re looking to have a lucid dream, 10-12 grams of potato starch dissolved in water will do the trick.
Make sure there are no fillers and ingredients you don’t need. The purer, the better!
Hang Tight!
If you implement all of the above, I assure you that the line between reality and the dream world will become blurry…
In my experience, I consistently get deep dreams AND a good night of sleep every time.
But there’s another component that plays a role here.
While these recipes will definitely “put you under”, it’s important to keep in mind that a good night of sleep (and dreaming!) begins in the morning.
What you do during the day is as important as what you do before hitting the sack. No matter what supplements or sleeping aids you take, unless you’re implementing the necessary strategies for deep sleep during your waking hours, you won’t dream consistently nor deeply enough!
So, if you want to take this to the next level, click this link and check out the DreamSoil manual.
And no, you won’t read the typical advice you’ve heard a million times about getting plenty of exercise and avoiding your phone.
Don’t get me wrong, these are valid suggestions but let me ask you something. Have they worked for you?
In our book you’ll find a 3-Frame strategy, guiding you step by step to enter the dream state consistently but also providing you with the necessary tools to take advantage of your newly-found ability.
*Frame 1: This is where we focus on what you should be doing during the waking hours. From red-light therapy and the proper magnesium repletion protocol to reverting the diurnal cortisol slopes to normal.
*Frame 2: Breathing techniques that will stimulate the vagus nerve and trigger a parasympathetic nervous system response. We’ll also dive into a unique technique that allows you to get your questions answered straight from your dreams.
*Frame 3: At this point, you should be experiencing wild dreams. We equip you with all the tools you need to untangle the web. This Frame includes a power technique Jung used for his patients — and himself.
Let me know what you think.
P.S – What recipes do you utilize to induce deep dreaming? Let us know in the comments!
George K has been immersed into the world of myths and dreams for a very long time now, attempting to find the numerous symbolisms and meanings attached to them. He is a prolific writer along with being an independent researcher. Contributing his knowledge and learnings to several magazines and blogs, he has the unique ability to simplify and explain even the most intricate subjects.