Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lycanthrope" data-source="post: 472661" data-attributes="member: 562">Yes, there is solid evidence that nicotine before bed increases vivid dreams and can disrupt sleep architecture in ways that make dreaming more intense or memorable.Here’s what the research and clinical observations show:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Nicotine is a stimulant and activates cholinergic pathways in the brain (especially via nicotinic acetylcholine receptors). These same pathways are heavily involved in REM sleep (the stage where most vivid dreaming occurs).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Nicotine patch studies provide the clearest evidence:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A well-known 2005 study (Page et al., Sleep) gave transdermal nicotine patches (15 mg/24 h) to non-smokers and former smokers. Participants reported significantly more vivid dreams, nightmares, and dream recall compared to placebo.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Multiple follow-up studies with nicotine patches (often used for smoking cessation) consistently report increased vivid dreams, sometimes to the point that people discontinue the patch at night.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Smokers who use nicotine right before bed (cigarettes, vape, gum, lozenges, etc.) often experience:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Later REM onset early in the night (because nicotine suppresses REM initially).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Strong REM rebound in the second half of the night → longer, denser REM periods → more intense and memorable dreams.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">More frequent awakenings → you wake up during or right after REM, making dreams easier to remember.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Anecdotal reports from the smoking-cessation community are extremely consistent: people who switch to bedtime nicotine (e.g., putting on a patch at night or using late-night lozenges) almost universally report dramatically more vivid, weird, or intense dreams.</li> </ol>Caveats:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Tolerance matters. Heavy daily smokers sometimes report fewer dreams because chronic nicotine exposure can dampen the effect over time.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Withdrawal during the night (if you’re a smoker who doesn’t use nicotine overnight) can also trigger REM rebound and vivid dreams, which is why many people dream intensely when quitting.</li> </ul>Bottom line: Yes, using nicotine close to bedtime (especially if you’re not a chronic heavy user) reliably increases vivid, memorable, and often bizarre dreams in most people. It’s one of the best-documented pharmacological ways to enhance dream intensity.</blockquote>

Verification: What is the most common fish caught on this site?

Reply to thread

Recent Posts

Friends of NDA