This post and the photos within it may contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a commission at no extra charge to you.
Galantamine is a lucid dreaming promoter, that can help you to have more awareness when you dream.
The secret is that galantamine is acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEls), and a recent study proved that –
Treatment with galantamine stimulates lucid dreaming.
In this article, we will explore how galantamine promotes lucid dreaming, and is it an effective way of inducing lucid dreaming.
We will go through the following:
1. What is galantamine?
2. Galantamine as a lucid dreaming stimulant: The study
3. How to use galantamine for lucid dreaming? (Dosage + important notes)
4. FAQ:
What is the function of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEls)?
How does galantamine works?
What are the side effects of galantamine?
5. Final tips on lucid dreaming with galantamine
What is galantamine?
Galantamine is an alkaloid that has been isolated from the bulbs from a variety of flowers.
It is found, in daffodils, and also found in the red spider lily.
Galantamine is associated with shortened REM response time and increased phasic activity, including REM density!
The supplement was approved by the FDA in 2001.
It is used treat mild to moderate dementia, associated with Alzheimer’s disease since it is proven that improves both short and long-term memory.
Galantamine as a lucid dreaming stimulant: The study
The latest research into galantamine’s effect on dreams was done August 2018. Let’s look more in-depth in it.
Important notes for the study:
- Involves 121 participants (63 males, 58 females)
- The investigation was 3 consecutive nights
- It is combined with some of the most effective methods for lucid dream induction: sleep interruption, roughly the third REM cycle (REM cycle is where dreams occur), and MILD technique
THE PROCESS:
Participants were randomly assigned subject numbers.
On each night, they received a coded packet, according to their subject numbers, containing capsules with 0 mg, 4 mg, or 8 mg of galantamine.
Numbered packets were arranged to provide a balanced order of doses.
Both of the participants and experimenters didn’t know which of the dose the participants received on a particular night.
Each night, the participants interrupted their sleep with a 30-minute period of wakefulness after approximately 4.5 hours of sleep.
They had to recall a dream, take the given capsule, and then be awake for 30 minutes, engaged in a quiet wakeful activity of their choice (e.g., reading about lucid dreaming or recording or reviewing their dreams).
When returning to sleep, participants practiced the MILD technique, each of these 3 nights until they fell asleep.
For all awakenings after the period of sleep interruption, participants completed the report form and recorded the time they woke up and the type of dream.
In the dream report forms, participants categorized their dream as:
- none (did not recall a dream)
- non-lucid dream
- DILD (dream-initiated lucid dream)
- WILD (wake-initiated lucid dream)
THE RESULTS:
For these 3 nights, the results were:
- 75 participants (62%) reported one or more lucid dreams during the study
- 69 (57%) on one or more nights with galantamine
- 51 (42%) participants with the 8 mg dose
- 33 (27%) participants with the 4 mg dose
- 17 (14%) with the active placebo procedure
A significantly increased occurrence of lucid dreaming was observed for both 4 mg and 8 mg doses of galantamine, compared to the active placebo.
The 8 mg dose resulted in a remarkably higher number of lucid dreams compared to the 4 mg dose.
Across all dream reports, participants reported a total of:
- 43 DILDs on the 8 mg dose
- 27 DILDs on the 4 mg dose
- 19 WILDs on the 8 mg dose
- 15 DILDs on placebo
- 10 WILDs on the 4 mg dose
- 3 WILDs were reported on placebo
Both DILDs and WILDs were significantly increased on an active dose of galantamine compared to placebo.
THE CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY:
This study provides strong evidence that galantamine causally increases the frequency of lucid dreams in a dose-related manner.
This research resulted in a total of 69 out of 121 participants (57%) successfully having a lucid dream on at least one out of two nights on an active dose of galantamine.
Results show that galantamine substantially and significantly increases the frequency of lucid dreaming.
Participants reported significantly higher sensory vividness, clarity, positive emotion, control, self-reflection, and increased complexity.
How to use galantamine for lucid dreaming? (dosage + important notes)
When combined with a lucid dream technique you will experience long, colorful and vivid dreams!
Galantamine is best, when combined with some of the following lucid dream techniques:
Dosage & when to take galantamine:
A common dose for lucid dreaming is 4-8mg.
Take the pill after 4-6 hours of sleep. It will gain its highest activity in an hour.
Hypnagogia:
Also referred to “hypnagogic hallucinations”, is the experience of the transitional state from wakefulness to sleep.
It may be accompanied by a wide variety of visual experiences and vivid hallucinations, such as:
- random speckles
- lines or geometrical patterns, or as figurative forms
- monochromatic or richly colored
- still or moving
- flat or three-dimensional
So, back to galantamine – just before you enter the half sleep state, press gently your closed eyes, with your fingers the back of your eyelids.
This will create some awesome hypnagogic hallucinations!
Galantamine will prolonge the duration of time in REM sleep (rapid eye movement), as well as your lucid dream, too!
Your memory, along with other cognitive abilities, will be enhanced, which will allow you to recall better your outstanding lucid dreams!
FAQ:
What is the function of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEls)?
Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neurotransmitter, a chemical in the brain that transmits messages from one nerve to another.
Most importantly, changes in neurotransmitters manage our sleep cycle.
By observing this neurotransmitter, scientists acknowledge the fact that acetylcholine is essential to sleep, dreaming, learning and memory.
More specifically, AChE and its inhibitors are involved with REM sleep.
Taking supplements that raise ACh levels, such as galantamine will increase the awareness of your brain while dreaming.
All things considered, acetylcholine:
- improves our dream memory
- promotes REM sleep
- boosts the ACh levels which will promote vivid and most likely conscious dreams
- Can help you to maintain your consciousness, inside the dream
How does galantamine work?
As mentioned above, the chemical acetylcholinesterase is responsible for breaking down acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter.
Galantamine is blocking this process, which results in an increase in acetylcholine.
This provides a higher memory allowance, which improves dream recall as well as the ability to lucid dream.
Galantamine has powerful mind-inducing effects, too.
It belongs to a class of drugs that includes components, frequently reported to increase the vividness and intensity of dreams.
What are the side effects of galantamine?
Some of the side effects of galantamine include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Loss of appetite
If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks.
If any of these effects persist or become worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Another not common but possible “side effect” is sleep paralysis.
The sleep paralysis is not that bad IF you know what is it.
With that said, I recommend, in order to avoid it or to simply be prepared, to inform yourself a bit more about it.
If you experience it, do not freak out, but rather look at this positively! 😀
You can transform a sleep paralysis into a lucid dream – find out how to do it HERE!
Final tips on lucid dreaming with galantamine
If you want to lucid dream, you should put some extra effort.
Galantamine, as well as any other ”lucid dreaming” pill, will not magically make you lucid dream.
You cannot expect miracles after taking one pill alone.
When combined with a regular practices, a dose of galantamine should produce vivid, brightly colored and extremely detailed dreams.
It is highly recommended to combine the supplement with:
Daily mindfulness:
During the day, or even right before going to sleep, meditate for at 10-15 minutes.
This is a great way to assure that you will experience more often lucidity in your dreams.
See our extremely easy guide on how to Meditate.
Visualization:
Anticipate your desired dream scene, try to imagine it and repeat in your mind something similar to this mantra: “In the next scene, I will be in a dream.”
A lucid dream technique:
Galantamine will work great when combined with a lucid dream technique. You can choose between MILD, WBTB, WILD, or SSILD.
Good sleeping patterns:
Unfortunately, if you are struggling with irregular sleeping patterns and other sleeping issues, do not expect to have a lot of success with lucid dreaming.
Experiencing lucid dreaming will only be possible if you have a good quality sleep!
If you have irregular sleeping patterns, check these 20 tips on how to improve your sleep.
Disclaimer:
We always recommend taking forethought before trying supplements. We work with information that is for the majority of people.
This website is for educational purpose and it is not a health organization.
Our purpose is to help you, but to avoid any unpleasant reactions or side effects, we advise you – do a piece of (more) research or simply check with your doctor before you take it.
If you decide to try it – do it at your own risk.
