Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Induce nightmares
• Method 2 of 2: Control your dreams
• Tips
• Warnings

Do you like the adrenaline that is released when you have a nightmare? If you enjoy it, or if you want to confront yourself with fears that bother you during the day, you can induce nightmares. If you learn to control your dreams, you can make them more or less intense.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Induce nightmares

1. Sleep face down. A study from the University of Hong Kong shows that people who sleep face down have more dreams about being tied up, choking, or other themes associated with nightmares. Note that this also increases the likelihood of erotic or sexual dreams, which may not have the desired effect.
   • If you cannot fall asleep on your stomach, the next most nightmare position is on the back, followed by the left side.
2. Consume certain foods before going to sleep. It is said that eating spicy, salty, or fatty foods can cause nightmares, although scientists are not yet in agreement about the effect of these foods. Some even say that disrupting your sleep cycle can actually cause fewer dreams, so you also have fewer nightmares. Others believe that it can increase dream intensity, at least in some people, so it is recommended that you monitor your own body's response.
3. Scare yourself a little before going to bed. Try watching a horror movie, playing a scary computer game, or reading a ghost story before going to sleep. If you have a specific fear, look at pictures of it or just imagine a "nightmare scenario" while lying in bed. Try to make yourself a little scared or nervous. If you are really terrified, you may not be able to fall asleep.
4. Consider taking vitamin B6. Although the effect of B6 on dreams has not yet been thoroughly researched, there are those who swear by this vitamin's ability to enliven dreams. A study shows that it can be effective, either by its effect on the dream process itself or by improving your ability to remember dreams.
   • Regardless of whether you get it from your diet or from a supplement, the recommended daily amount should not be exceeded. This is 60 mg for children between the ages of 9-13, 80 mg for teens between the ages of 14-18, and 100 mg for adults 19 and older.
5. Try melatonin. Some people have more vivid or bizarre dreams when they take melatonin, which can also give you a new dream experience if you don't want nightmares. There is at least one research that supports this idea. It is suggested that the use of melatonin mainly involves dreams in which transformations take place.
   • Melatonin is usually taken in a dose of 1-20 mg, and it rarely causes side effects. However, as it can interact with other medications, have potential negative effects during pregnancy and have the potential for an allergic reaction, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before taking melatonin.
6. Take certain drugs in moderation. Caffeine, alcohol and nicotine can all disrupt your sleep cycle. This can cause nightmares if taken in small amounts. But if you take too much of it it can cause sleep too much to disturb. Reduce your intake of these drugs if you have trouble falling asleep, if you often wake up in the middle of the night, or if you still feel tired in the morning. These are all signs that you are not getting enough sleep, making you dream less.
   • If you never or rarely take these drugs, the effect will likely be stronger. It is not advisable to use these remedies just to induce nightmares.

Method 2 of 2: Control your dreams

1. Think of a topic you want to dream about. While falling asleep, try to think of an image or concept that you are afraid of. If you try this every night, chances are you will start dreaming about it later. You can put your dreams or nightmares to good use when you need to solve a problem that you fear; your brain may continue to "work" on the problem while you sleep, which may help you find a solution.
2. Sleep eight hours or more every night. While you can induce a nightmare by disrupting your sleep, you will have far fewer dreams if you try this too often. Make sure you are well rested and you will have deep REM sleep more often, which is where most long dreams occur.
   • REM means Rapid Eye Movement, which describes the sleep phase where your eyes move back and forth very quickly.
3. Stay in bed after you wake up. Instead of getting up right away, lie down and try to remember or relive your dreams. If nothing comes to your mind, try examining your emotions. When you wake up scared or exhausted, try to focus on those feelings and you may remember your nightmare.
4. Write down your dreams so that you can remember them better. Every person dreams every time he / she sleeps for a long time, but most dreams you cannot remember. Writing down your dreams in a notebook that you keep next to your bed as soon as you wake up will help you remember them. Write down all the dreams you remember, not just your nightmares, as this habit can help you start remembering all the dreams.
5. Try to dream lucidly. In a lucid dream, the dreamer is aware that he is dreaming. This results in vivid dreams that are better remembered, and sometimes, but not always, the dreamer can control what happens in the dream. While there are many ways to induce lucid dreaming, you can start with two simple steps:
   • Concentrate on the concept of dreaming while falling asleep, or on a particular topic you want to dream about. Choose the same topic every day for two weeks.
   • Try to find out if it is "real" during your dream and when you are awake. Many people find that in a dream you can't really read, or tell the time, or look different every time. During the day try to always look at a clock or read a sign to see if you are dreaming, then after a while you will also do that in your dream.

Tips

• After having a nightmare, write down how you felt the night before. If you start to see a pattern, you may be able to mimic it to have a nightmare.
• In a dream you cannot read because that part of the brain that sends your dreams is on the other side than the part you need to read. Remember this if you want to see if it is real.

Warnings

• Never use drugs or drugs to induce nightmares. That can seriously or permanently damage your body.
• Inducing nightmares is not recommended if you have a mental health disorder, if you are depressed or anxious, or if you are taking medication to regulate your emotions or mental health.
• Inducing nightmares too often can lead to chronic sleep deprivation or anxiety attacks.