Research Additional Vitamin B6 helps to remember dreams

How does taking vitamin B6 before sleeping??

Many people can not remember their dreams of last night after awakening. Researchers have now found that an average dose of vitamin B6 before bed leads to a better memory of dreams and even leads to improved control over experienced dreams.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide have found in their recent research that taking vitamin B6 results in improved memory and control of their dreams. The physicians published the results of their study in the English language journal "Perceptual and Motor Skills".

Vitamin B6 helps people better remember their dreams of the previous night in the morning. In addition, the intake improves the likelihood of so-called lucid dreams. (Image: fizkes / fotolia.com)

What are clear dreams?

This was the first large-scale study into the effects of vitamin B6 and other B vitamins on human so-called lucid dreams (lucid dreams), the experts explain. In dreams, the dreamer is aware that he is dreaming, study author Dr. Denholm Aspy of Adelaide University's School of Psychology.

Participants took vitamin B6 before sleeping

Subjects taking the study consumed 240 mg of vitamin B6 immediately before bedtime. Before taking the supplement, many of the participants said they rarely remembered their dreams. At the end of the study, however, many of the subjects reported improvements. A stronger memory of past dreams has many potential benefits, such as the treatment of nightmares, creative problem-solving, recovery, perhaps even skill enhancement, or rehabilitation purposes, the researchers say.

Study included 100 subjects

In order to have so-called lucid dreams, it is first very important to be able to remember dreams regularly. The findings of the study suggest that taking vitamin B6 could be an effective way to make people dream lucidly. Similar studies have previously been conducted on a group of twelve, but the current study, which involved 100 participants, now provides more conclusive evidence. Vitamin B6 increases levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain, which regulates the type of sleep people experience at night.

Vitamin B6 increases serotonin levels

Taking vitamin B6 raises the level of serotonin at the beginning of the night and serotonin increases deep sleep, so vitamin B6 suppresses your dreams during the first half of the night Aspy. When this effect subsides, the brain tries to compensate it. This creates a so-called REM rebound effect, which intensifies the dreams in the second half of the night. The timing is very important because most dreams occur in the last few hours of sleep, the expert adds.

Further research is needed

Further investigations will in the future combine the intake of vitamin B6 with techniques that facilitate lucid dreams. One technique is to wake up after five hours of sleep and then repeat the sentence: the next time I dream, I want to remember that I'm dreaming, say the authors of the study. This process is repeated until the intention has anchored in the head and then sleep affected the rest of the night on. When the technique works, sufferers start to dream, but can additionally remember their intention. In a so-called lucid dream, the dreamers can do basically anything they want, the researchers explain.

Where does the body get vitamin B6 from??

Vitamin B6 is available as a nutritional supplement in pharmacies. But vitamin B6 also occurs naturally in foods. These include, for example, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and fish. If people are interested in experiencing lucid dreams, they should take vitamin B6 before going to sleep, study author Dr. Aspy. However, people should not take vitamin B6 every night and not over-dose it, adds the doctor. Stay with the dosages stated on the packaging. Also talk to your doctor if you experience problems or side effects, the expert said. (As)