Vitamin B6 supplements may help people recall their

Vitamin B6 supplements may help people recall their DREAMS

22:05 28 April 2018 Read: 1925

Researchers from The University of Adelaide found that taking a strong dose of such supplements for just five days improves people's abilities to remember their dreams by 64 per cent, the Daily Mail reported.

Vitamin B6, which is found in tuna, bananas and chickpeas, may help people better recall their dreams, new research suggests.

Taking a strong dose of such supplements for just five days improves people's abilities to remember their dreams by 64 per cent, a study found.

Although unclear exactly why this occurs, one theory is vitamin B6 helps to convert an amino acid to a chemical messenger that influences emotion and sleep.

Study author Dr Denholm Aspy, from the University of Adelaide, said: 'The average person spends around six years of their lives dreaming.

'It may be possible to use lucid dreaming for overcoming nightmares, treating phobias, creative problem solving, refining motor skills and even helping with rehabilitation from physical trauma.

'In order to have lucid dreams it is very important to first be able to recall dreams on a regular basis.'

Lucid dreaming occurs when people know they are dreaming while asleep.

Less than eight hours sleep is linked to anxiety and depression

This comes after research released last January suggested having less than eight hours sleep is linked to anxiety and depression.

Insomniacs are less able to overcome negative thoughts than those who get sufficient shut eye, a study found.

Being unable to nod off also reduces people's ability to disengage from negative emotions, the research adds.

Study author Professor Meredith Coles, from Binghamton University, said: 'We found that people in this study have some tendencies to have thoughts get stuck in their heads, and their elevated negative thinking makes it difficult for them to disengage with the negative stimuli that we exposed them to.

'We realized over time that this might be important - this repetitive negative thinking is relevant to several different disorders like anxiety, depression and many other things.'

WHAT IS VITAMIN B6? AND WHAT FOODS CONTAIN IT?

Vitamin B6, which is also known as pyridoxine, allows the body to use and store energy from protein and carbohydrates in food.

It is also involved in the formation of blood cells that carry oxygen around the body.

Food sources include: