30 Foods That Give Us Nightmares

1. Alcohol

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Having a hangover the morning after a heavy drinking session is bad enough but recovering from the nightmares that alcohol can bring on is just as bad!  Reports have intimated that drinking before falling into a deep sleep can lead to stressful dreams.  You feel relieved that you've woken up in your own bedroom!

2. Cheese

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Even though dairy products contain tryptophan which releases serotonin, a sleep inducing hormone, studies have shown that those who choose to eat cheese before bed are more likely to have bad dreams.  If you are toying with the idea of finishing that left over slice of pizza at 10 pm, think again!

3. Caffeine

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We all know that caffeine is seen as being a bad choice to have before you turn in for the night as it is a stimulant and might keep you awake for ages once your head is on your pillow.  There's another reason to keep away from it in the evening.  It can cause you to have vivid dreams that may turn into nightmares.

4. Hot Cocoa

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Surely a cup of hot cocoa is recommended to calm and relax you before bed time.  That may be the case but the mix of milk and sugar in your cocoa could result in upsetting and bizarre dreams.   Opt for a caffeine free hot drink for a restful slumber and less chance of waking up during the night.

5. Pasta

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When pasta is consumed with a rich sauce, the dish can be calorie dense.  Eaten during the day, your digestive system has a chance of breaking it down but having it in the evening can cause a spike in levels of blood sugar and then the crash happens.  This can disrupt your sleep and may increase the chances of experiencing a nightmare.

6. Hot Sauce

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According to a recent study, participants who ate spicy foods  two hours before bed had a hard time falling asleep and then staying asleep.  Some of them reported having stressful dreams which suddenly woke them up.  You don't have to give up hot sauces but have them at least 5 hours before you take yourself off to bed.

7. French Fries

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Practically all Americans love French fries and because they contain neither caffeine nor sugar, it's ok to eat them before bed.  Stop right there.  No it isn't!   The grease can disrupt your digestive tract, making it harder for you to stay asleep.  You may even experience nasty dreams which unsettle you and wake you up.

8. Bread

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Digesting a dense meal which includes nice, crispy bread,  takes a lot of energy and it can raise your body's temperature.  This could potentially interfere with the natural cooling process that helps to get you to sleep and to stay asleep.  Discomfort during the night can initiate nightmares and unsavory dreams.

9. Marmite

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Marmite - you either love it or hate it!  If you are a lover, try and stay away from the jar during the evening.  High levels of vitamin B6, which are present in Marmite, assist in converting amino acids into serotonin and may be responsible for the lucidity of your dreams, possibly bad ones.

10. Salmon

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Salmon is filled with lots of great vitamins and nutrients as well as essential fatty acids to help keep our insides in good working order.  What you probably did not know is that salmon, including tinned salmon, is high in melatonin, making it a likely dream influencer, good and bad!

11. Chocolate

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Who would have thought chocolate could be bad for you at night? That is when many of us get a craving for it as we watch our favorite tv programs  After dairy products, chocolate is the second most "dream-influencing" foods there is!   That goes for dark chocolate as well.  Be wary or be prepared for a nightmare!

12. Cookies and Cake

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This is madness - out of a recent American research study 30% of individuals reported strange, unsettling dreams after consuming sugary products, including cake and cookies!  Get this: In the study,  We know these are tempting before bed but not advisable, believe us!

13. Nuts

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Nuts are high in melatonin and pistachios have the highest amount, followed by walnuts, almonds and cashews.  Many nuts have high levels of magnesium to help with restlessness and help us sleep for longer.  So why are they bad at night?  Well, eating more than a handful could cause big issues with your digestive system and might encourage more dreaming, not always pleasant ones.

14. Spicy Foods

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If you’ve ever thought about having a curry late at night, because you've got a craving for one, talk yourself out of it for your own good!  Tabasco, a common ingredient in spicy meals, has been linked to disturbed sleep and to nightmares.  Brain activity is disturbed as your meal brings up your body temperature.

15. Processed Meats

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Heavily processed meats, such as sausages, hamburgers, hot dogs, salami and sausages, all contain high levels of tyramine.  This hormone triggers the release of noradrenaline which affects an area of the brain which is linked to dream sleep.  You could, therefore, have disruptive dreams that upset you. potentially disrupting dreams and causing nightmares.

16. Soda

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Research in 2014 found that participants who drank soda in the afternoon or evening, reported having bad dreams.  Most sodas contain caffeine as well as lots of sugar.   Caramel colored dye and other additives are sometimes carcinogenic so no good for you anyway!

17. Milk

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Warm milk is a drink which is well known for helping us to nod off.  We always think of it as the best drink you can have at night. It is, however,  believed to be an influencer of dreams because of the tryptophan it contains.  It could bring on nightmares, especially the full fat milk.

18. Ice Cream

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As ice cream, lovely as it is, contains similar compounds and ingredients to milk, enjoy a waffle cornet earlier in the day rather than later.  It may have no effect on your sleep but for those with more sensitive "insides", upsetting dreams and nightmares could be on the horizon.

19. Cherries

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You know what it is with cherries - once you start eating them you can't stop!  They are good for you so who cares?  We do!  Cherries, particularly sour cherries, contain a high amount of melatonin.  Higher levels of melatonin will increase REM sleep which is the time when we do most of our dreaming and they could be vivid ones.

20. Chicken Tenders

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Chicken tenders, especially home made ones, are often breaded or deep fried which can make them heavy on the digestive system.  The fat content of them can be very high, with both saturated and trans fats.  There's a chance, if you consume them at night, that they can disturb your sleep, make you restless and bring on nightmares.

21. Juice

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Though they are often described as a healthy choice, some bottled juices are as bad as a can of Pepsi!  This is because they are laden with sugar.  Even the "no added sugar" varieties have lots of natural sugar which can affect your sleep pattern.  Unless you want to risk a bad dream, dilute juice with some water." dilute it with a little bit of water.

22. Ketchup

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In recent studies, sweet foods were shown to contribute towards scary dreams.  Not all sugar comes from obvious sources such as milkshakes and donuts.  Hidden sugars can be lethal!  Ketchup has spoonfuls of sugar hidden in the acidic tomatoes to cause discomfort and maybe nightmares.

23. Yogurt

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Yogurt is a dairy product and can affect those who may be lactose intolerant or sensitive to dairy.  If you eat dairy before going to sleep, this can lead to digestive discomfort, gas and bloating, disrupting your slumber and running the risk of bad dreams.  Some fruit yogurts contain caffeine so that in itself is not the best thing to have before bed time.

24. Vinegar

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Vinegar is, of course, naturally acidic as it is primarily acetic acid!  These type of products can cause or exacerbate acid reflux and irritate the lining of the stomach in some people.  Thus could make it difficult to stay asleep, causing you distress.  The ast thing you want on top of that is a possible nightmare.

25. Onions

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Onions, white or red,  contain compounds which can irritate the lining of the stomach and could lead to heartburn or indigestion.  If consumed close to your bed time, you may suffer bloating when you are in bed.  A restless sleep can sometimes mean bad, vivid dreams.

26. Potato Chips

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In simple terms, digesting food uses up energy and can increase your metabolic rate,.  This can make it more difficult to get to sleep and actually stay asleep. Fatty foods, such as potato chips can cause discomfort to affect your sleep and might get you dreaming more than usual. Bad dreams can't be ruled out.

27. Foods To Prevent Nightmares - Complex Carbs

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If you want to reduce your chances of having a nightmare (and we all do),then by eating complex carbohydrates before bed , you can help stabilise blood sugar levels and in turn reduce the likelihood of nightmares.  Sources of complex carbs include wholegrain bread,  sweet potatoes and brown rice.

28. Tryptophan-Rich Foods

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High tryptophan foods might be able to prevent you having nightmares.  It's worth a shot!  Types of food that fall into this category are chicken, tofu, turkey and eggs.  As a rough guide, a person who weighs 70 kg should eat about 280 mg of tryptophan every day.

29.  Vitamin B6

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Vitamin B6 could be the answer if you are having nightmares.  Worrying abut it can make the dreams worse so try this compound.  Vitamin B6 could help your body produce serotonin that is involved in regulating sleep patterns.  Foods that are high in this vitamin are bananas and whole grains.