I have been taking ginkgo for 2 weeks or so. So far I haven't noticed any memory improvement, but there is one pleasant sideeffect that I would share. Recently I have very vivid, interesting and long dreams and I dream of music. Once I actually remembered the song after waking up. I also get quite sleepy by 9 pm, but that can be caused by walking the dog twice a day, so I am not sure that comes from using Gingko. Nevertheless, even if I don't get a better memory, I already got nice dreams, thanks to Gingko. I wonder if any of you had similar experiences with it....
I don't think we know why we dream. Anyway, I have found this, related to my dream experiences: (EGb is gingko) "This report focuses on the results of EGb on sleep EEG pattern. EGb significantly improved sleep pattern by an increase of sleep efficiency and a reduction of awakenings. In addition, sleep stage 1 and REM-density were reduced, while stage 2 was increased. Non-REM sleep, predominantly slow wave sleep in the first sleep cycle, was significantly enhanced compared to trimipramine monotherapy. Discontinuation of EGb reversed most of these effects. Based on the animal data, these results suggest that EGb may improve sleep continuity and enhance Non-REM sleep due to a weakening of tonic CRH-activity. " http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11302564&dopt=Abstract
If you want some vivid, LSD-like dreams, buy a bottle of 5-HTP and down a bunch of pills. You won't want to wake up.
I've been taking gingko for about a week now. Can't say I've noticed anything, but then I've been taking a few other things too. One warning about 5-HTP - don't take it if you're on SSRI's (and in general be careful with combinations) as it's a surefire way to serotonin syndrome which is some nasty shit.
I dream a lot when I use Tylenol PM. We all dream when we sleep, and I believe we only dream mostly during the REM phase. Night terrors are a different matter. But from what I've heard actually remembering your dreams is an indicator of poor sleep quality. The best sleep you can have is dreamless sleep. People afflicted with depression often sleep much longer than they should and have vivid dreams that they can remember. I had a girlfriend like this. She would sleep 10-11 hours at a time and would tell me about all of these weird and usually frightening dreams she would have. I think Sam (DarkSam) said he had something like that. He sleeps for long durations and dreams a lot. Having dreams you can remember isn't really a good thing. It's an indicator of poor sleep quality.
I have pretty amazing dreams and often, without gingko. In fact, I'm so into dreaming that I try to have an afternoon nap every day, usually 2-3 hours.
gINKO.. DOESNT IMPROVE MENTAL FUNCTION... NOT REALLY. it just increases blood flow to the brain... making you more awake. i love that shit.. i take it everyday... and before i sleep. the increased blood flow.. gives a good .. good.. good nights sleep.. so good... i only need about 5-6 hours... which is great.. cause i usually sleep 10 - 12 hours a day. I LOVE GINKO... ITS CHANGED MY LIFE. -MT
I also noticed more energy, maybe because of better sleeping. I usually take it in the morning, but I will change it to see if I take it in the evening it would give better dreams. Remembering one's dream depends on when one awakes. If it is relatively close to the REM session, one would remember it.
i find that ginko.... makes it hard to sleep... but... i manage... and i sleep really well... like a baby... and then i wake up with the sun... i love that shit.... ginko that is... -MT (IF YOU WANT MENTAL EFFECTS..... ginsing... in heavy doses... causes me... to have apiifanies of understanding, and sometimes i have heard things..... but... hearing things isnt cool.... and appifanies of understanding are only cool... if you can remember what it was you just realised and understood... but i never do. ginsing.. increases nueral transmitters in the brain.... and to much,... seems to make me suceptable to crazyness.)
Has anyone every tried Focusfactor? Its a pill thats advertised on TV and they say if you call now you get one bottle for free. 3 are like 99.99. So I ordered my bottle for free and canceled after. Ive been kind of reluctant to use them because you only get 30 days if you follow the suggested use so I want to use them in the peek of my study time. It looks like it has some preety good supplements in them and they claim to be the number 1 selling brain support supplement. If they really are good I might buy more.
You said exactly the OPPOSITE in your previous post. Why do you take it in the evening then?? :bugeye:
because i like getting up... feeling rested and refreshed... thats why. i have found that if i take two during the day.... i get the same effect... but the freshness i feel in the morning... is always better if i take it before i got to sleep. if i take it too soon... say one hour before sleep... it can make it harder to fall asleep.. but i take it... as i go to bed... and if im tired, then i have no problems. -MT
I think that Ginkgo Biloba can help improve memory a little, but in general it is better for preventing a decline in cognitive performance as the body ages. So ginkgo biloba is definitely worth taking, but isn't necessarily going to provide a noticeable difference in memory within a couple weeks. It also is packed with many antioxidants, so that's another benefit. It's definitely worth trying though, and is fairly reasonable (I found it at a good price at seacaostvitamins.com).