Staying inside days on end can get boring, and I think we’ve all experienced that at least once by now. The question is, what other things can we possibly do? There’s knitting and sewing, cooking and baking, spring cleaning and renovating, but we’ve already checked those off the list and done them twice. So what’s next? Lucid dreaming! I know that sounds a bit far out, but get this: our blue lotus tea can help you lucid dream! Want to know more? Continue reading down below.

What is lucid dreaming?

Lucid dreaming typically occurs when a dreamer is completely aware that they are dreaming. In this state, you can recognize your own emotions and thoughts, and sometimes you can even control the dream itself. Awareness allows you to maybe change the plot, the setting, or the entire storyline of your dream, and before you know it, you’re directing your own movie as you sleep.

What are the benefits of lucid dreaming?

A lot of people turn to this method of dreaming as it is way of providing relief to those who experience frequent nightmares, anxiety, insomnia, substance abuse, and depression. It can also assist in several other ailments as well. This happens because with awareness also comes realization. You are able to control any nightmares or subsequent symptoms by turning them into more neutral and pleasant thoughts or experiences.

Lucid dreaming, while having several aforementioned benefits, is also a great way to increase your motor skills, enhance creativity, and overall have fun. It is a journey of self-realization that has yet to be traveled if you haven’t tried it.

How can I lucid dream?

The first step to lucid dreaming is getting more REM sleep. Like most dreams, lucid dreams usually happen during the REM cycle, so if you're never reaching REM sleep you'll be much less likely to have a lucid dream. We know that getting good sleep can be hard, but you can check out our article where we share 29 natural remedies for getting better sleep. (1)

Another thing you can do is practice reality testing. A lot of us go throughout the day without being aware of what is going on around us. But by stopping and paying attention to yourself and the world around you through reality testing you'll boost your consciousness. Since your consciousness is similar during the day as it is while you're dreaming, you'll be able to boost your consciousness in your dreams by boosting your consciousness in your daily life. 

So how do you practice reality testing? There are a few common exercises you can try. 

• Try pushing your fingers through your opposite palm. If you're dreaming, your fingers will pass through your palm. 
• Pinch your nose and close your mouth. If you're able to breath then you are dreaming. 
• If you are dreaming your reflection will look normal. Glance at yourself in reflective surfaces like mirrors to check and see if you're dreaming or not. 
• When your reading look away from the text. If you're dreaming then when you look back at the text, it'll be different.

Besides exercises like these ones you can trying methods like "Wake Back to Bed," where you set an alarm to wake up five hours after you fall asleep. Once you're awake, go back to bed and you'll most likely enter REM sleep again. By going from being awake to be in REM sleep, you'll be more likely to lucid dream.

There are also certain foods and drink that can help enhance your dreams.

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What foods cause vivid dreams?

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that gets converted into serotonin and niacin by the vitamin B6. This process helps the body regulate things like sleep.  Low levels of tryptophan are also linked with poor dream recall. (2) But without getting into all of the nitty-gritty, foods that naturally contain tryptophan can help you have more vivid dreams, which could help with lucid dreaming. 

Some examples of food that is high in tryptophan include:

• Chicken 
• Soybeans 
• Turkey 
• Tuna 
• Venison 
• Lamb 
• Salmon 
• Halibut 
• Shrimp 
• Cod 
• Kidney beans
• Pumpkin seeds

But drinks like our blue lotus tea can also help induce lucid dreaming. 

How can The Qi Blue Lotus tea help induce lucid dreaming?

The effects of lotus flowers date back to ancient Egypt with their wines and medicines; and have very similar properties to the cannabis plant and small amounts of other psychoactives. This means it can create a feeling of relaxation, euphoria, and happiness—not necessarily in that order; and it has long been known to improve the ability of lucid dreaming.

If you want to do a little experimentation, take just about a pinch (or one flower from The Qi) in a hot cup of water before bed. Once it settles, it will likely produce more vivid dreams and increased awareness of those dreams. To even further your practice, pair the nightly exercise with some meditation, dreaming techniques, or restorative yoga.

Happy dreaming! 

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