Lucid dream teas are often made with herbs such as mugwort, blue lotus or passionflower. We have not established that these blends cause lucid dreams, and their safety can be uncertain. A lucid dream is one in which you know you are dreaming while the dream is happening.
Before You Try an Herbal Product
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, avoid these dream-herb blends. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) advises against mugwort and passionflower during pregnancy; little is known about their safety while breastfeeding. Safety information for blue lotus is also limited.
Talk with your healthcare professional or pharmacist before using an herbal product, especially if you take medicines, have a medical condition, or have surgery planned. Bring the product’s full ingredient list. Herbs can interact with medicines, and a label or a traditional use does not establish that a mixture is safe for you.
If you have already taken a product and are concerned about an exposure, contact Poison Control online or at 1-800-222-1222 in the United States. For collapse, seizure, trouble breathing or inability to wake, call 911.
What We Know About Common Dream Herbs
- Mugwort: NCCIH says there is not enough evidence to know whether taking mugwort by mouth is safe or useful for any health condition. It should not be used during pregnancy. Read the NCCIH mugwort overview .
- Blue lotus: Safety and effectiveness are not established. Operation Supplement Safety describes reports of serious symptoms after some products were used. Poison Control discusses possible interactions and contamination. These reports do not establish a safe amount or identify the contents of every product.
- Passionflower: NCCIH notes that passionflower can cause drowsiness, dizziness or confusion and may interact with medicines used around surgery. It should not be used during pregnancy. Evidence for sleep effects is limited and mixed. Read the NCCIH passionflower overview .
- Ginkgo: Ginkgo preparations can interact with medicines. NCCIH reports an increased bleeding risk when ginkgo is taken with warfarin and notes that it may be unsafe during pregnancy. Much of the research concerns extracts rather than a homemade tea. Read NCCIH’s interaction review .
- Kava: Some ready-made products contain kava. NCCIH links kava products to rare liver injury that can be serious or fatal and advises against combining kava with alcohol or other sedating substances. Read the NCCIH kava overview .
Products may contain several of these ingredients or other botanicals. Their effects together are not established by the information above. We do not provide a dose or recipe for a dream-herb blend.
Does Lucid Dream Tea Work?
People may describe a dream as vivid when it feels detailed or intense. A lucid dream involves recognizing, during the dream, that you are dreaming. Remembering a dream more clearly does not necessarily mean it was lucid.
Some people associate particular herbs with dream rituals, but personal experiences do not establish that a tea causes lucid dreams. We have not identified reliable evidence that the combination previously featured on this page produces them.
Keep a Dream Journal
Place a notebook and pen beside your bed. When you wake, write down whatever you remember, even if it is only a setting, image or feeling. Date the entry so you can look back over time. You can do this without taking an herbal product.
One approach studied by researchers is mnemonic induction of lucid dreams, or MILD. It involves forming an intention to recognize that you are dreaming. In a sleep-laboratory study , researchers combined MILD with a period of waking before returning to sleep. Results from a study do not guarantee an individual will have a lucid dream. If a technique disrupts your sleep or causes distress, stop and speak with a healthcare professional.
Protect Your Sleep
Keep a regular sleep schedule where you can, and make the room comfortable for sleep. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers more guidance on sleep habits. If sleep problems persist or affect your day, talk with a healthcare professional about what might help.
Common Questions
Can mugwort make dreams lucid?
We have not identified reliable evidence that drinking mugwort causes lucid dreams. NCCIH says oral safety is also uncertain, so check with a healthcare professional before using it.
Does a dream journal require tea?
No. Keep a notebook or a way to record your thoughts nearby, and write down what you remember after waking.
Are all products sold as dream teas the same?
No. Ingredients and concentrations vary. Read the full label and discuss it with a healthcare professional or pharmacist, particularly if you take medicines or have a health condition.
Optional Dream Journal
For a bedside journal, this ruled hardcover notebook is one option for writing down what you remember.
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