Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Sounds
• Method 2 of 4: Nutrition
• Method 3 of 4: Dream visualization
• Method 4 of 4: Stress reduction
• Necessities

Your body processes stimuli from your life through dreams. The things you do, see, smell, or hear right before going to bed can affect the nature of your dreams. Fortunately, you can learn how to have sweet dreams by adjusting your environment and visualizing sweet dreams.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Sounds

1. Before going to sleep, listen to calming music. The music you listen to in the hours before going to bed can positively or negatively influence your dreams.
2. Avoid watching horror movies or heavy movies before going to sleep. Shouting and heavy music create stress, which can negatively affect your dreams.
3. Buy a device that gives out white noise. You can buy small electric speakers that are specifically designed to help you sleep better. You will hear forest sounds, for example, or the sound of the sea, or static noise.
   • Some studies have found that people have better dreams when they listen to ambient sounds. When you hear the sound of the sea in the background, you may think back to your happy childhood.

Method 2 of 4: Nutrition

1. Never go to bed hungry. That can wake you up, and then your sleep is interrupted all the time. Eat a small banana and drink a glass of milk before going to sleep.
2. Eat foods that contain tryptophan. This chemical stimulates the production of serotonin, which can lead to finer, lucid dreams.
   • Examples of foods rich in tryptophan include: soybeans, chicken, tuna, kidney beans, pumpkin seeds, game meat, turkey, lamb, salmon, and cod.
3. Take a vitamin B6 supplement. You probably get enough vitamin B6 from your diet to function properly, but a supplement of 100mg per day can lead to more vivid dreams.
   • Research has shown that there is a correlation between more vivid dreams and vitamin B6, but supplements are not recommended from a nutritional perspective as it is much more than the recommended daily amount.

Method 3 of 4: Dream visualization

1. Write down your dreams within 5 minutes of waking up. Scientists claim this is the length of time you normally forget your dreams.
   • For example, start a dream diary in which you write down your dreams every morning. You will get better and better at remembering your dreams.
2. Read back your dreams. If you have had many nightmares, you can practice new dreams while you are still awake.
3. Write a new ending for your dream. In other words, you rewrite the script of your dream, after which the dream ends well.
4. Read the sweet dream you wrote down. Now you spend 5 to 20 minutes visualizing the sweet dream while you are still awake.
5. Do this with any bad dreams you have. Research has shown that people can turn recurring nightmares, especially dreams based on traumatic events, into sweet dreams through visualization.

Method 4 of 4: Stress reduction

1. Avoid stressful activities, such as work, exercise, or arguments before going to sleep. This increases the chance of sleeping badly and bad dreams.
2. Do yoga or meditate a few minutes before going to bed. You reduce the risk of nightmares by calming your brain.
3. If you are under a lot of stress, breathe deeply for 2 minutes before going to bed. Continue to breathe in for 10 seconds and out for 10 seconds until you feel yourself relax.

Necessities

• Device that gives out white noise
• Calming music
• Light snack
• Food rich in tryptophan
• Vitamin B6 supplement
• Dream diary
• Dream visualization