TO SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO DREAM

I had a horrible nightmare last night, worse than any Wes Craven movie, but fortunately, most of the details disappeared within a few moments of awakening.  I decided to do a little research on it, because the biggest complaint I hear from my friends is about sleep, or the lack of it, and crazy dreams.

Some experts on the NBC’s Today Show offered some good advice: slow down (mentally and physically) before bedtime, hide the clock, drink less alcohol and caffeine, sleep in a cooler climate (or less clothes), and turn off the TV.  I can’t tell you how many times I fell asleep to Family Guy or Stephen Colbert and woke up to a weight loss infomercial (a nightmare in itself).

Okay, good advice, but what about the nightmares?  The list of possible causes was extensive, including stress, alcohol, drugs, and the wrong foods.

In the Bible, Book of Matthew, Jesus apparently drove demons out of a man and sent the demons into a herd of pigs.  I guess that makes sense, as he was Jewish.  But as a result of that story, pork is believed to be a cause of nightmares?

Other foods that may have adverse effects on sleep include most meats (high protein) cheese, chocolate, potatoes, tomatoes, sugar, spices, tobacco, energy drinks, caffeine, ethnic food and fast food.  Geez, what else is there?  Even worse, one study showed 75% of people who eat pepperoni pizza will have nightmares.

One anonymous blogger explained the problem is not with the food and that nightmares are a result of unexpressed fears, anxieties, trauma or stress. 

Luckily, some foods contain melatonin, which promotes sleep.  This smaller, unappealing list includes warm milk, turkey, grains, bananas, cherries and grapes.  Alcohol seems to promote sleep initially (also known as passing out), but it is actually a stimulant and causes problems later in the sleep cycle and again the following morning. 

So let me get this straight.  I’m supposed to eat dinner as early as a senior citizen, dining on turkey and oatmeal, followed by warm milk, de-stress, turn off the TV, turn down the thermostat, hide the clock, and fall into a dreamy, uninterrupted 8 hours of sleep?  What a nightmare!