Yesterday, I had late-night spicy tacos with too much queso, and I woke up freaking out, thinking zombies were chasing me. This isn’t the first time eating certain foods has given me weird and messed-up dreams. Maybe you can relate, as there’s actually a scientific explanation for this.
Which Foods Can Affect Dreams?
Annie Miller, LCSW-C, therapist and owner of DC Metro Therapy, says there is growing evidence that certain foods can influence sleep architecture, especially REM sleep (the primary stage where vivid dreams occur). When digestion is disrupted or blood sugar fluctuates, it can fragment REM sleep, leading to more vivid, intense, or emotionally charged dreams.
Here’s a breakdown of how food might play a role:
- Dairy can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, especially in people who are lactose intolerant. This can trigger micro-arousals during sleep, making dreams more likely to be remembered, and potentially more bizarre or disturbing.
- Spicy foods may increase core body temperature, which is linked to higher dream intensity and reduced sleep quality.
- Sugary foods can lead to blood sugar crashes and activate the sympathetic nervous system, increasing night wakings and cortisol release, both of which can intensify dreams or make them more emotionally vivid.
Miller adds that just as having caffeine late in the day or using screens before bed can interfere with sleep, heavy, rich, or sugar-laden foods can also disrupt REM cycles.
When REM is disrupted, dreams tend to feel more vivid or strange—not necessarily because the food causes those dreams, but because of what it does to the quality of sleep.
Understanding Dreams and Sleep
The sleep cycle consists of four stages, with the first three belonging to non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and the fourth being REM sleep.
- Stage one is a brief transition into sleep.
- Stage two is where the body and brain activity slow down significantly.
- Stage three, or deep sleep, is crucial for memory and physical restoration.
- About 90 minutes after falling asleep, the brain enters stage four. During REM sleep, there is increased brain activity, rapid eye movements, and muscle atonia (temporary paralysis).
This cycle repeats every 90 to 120 minutes, and adults typically experience four to five full sleep cycles per night.
Dreams are thought to help the brain consolidate memories, process emotions, and strengthen neural connections. While dreaming can happen during all stages, REM dreams are the most intense and frequent. The brain’s heightened activity during REM sleep allows for the reorganization of daily experiences and emotional processing.
What’s the Link Between Food and Dreams?
Rachel Gargano, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS , chief registered dietitian at Live it Up, explains that the food-dream correlation is incredibly interesting but poorly studied, and with good reason. There are a few factors that can confound these types of studies, including existing sleep disorders, expectations, individual bias, general health, and emotional factors, among other things.
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Eating
Despite the limited research, Gargano shares that a few studies have recently come out with fascinating findings. They showed that healthy eating habits, including a diet rich in fruit with lower consumption in the evening, may result in more vivid dreams and better dream recall.
On the other hand, a diet with unhealthy habits, such as not following hunger and fullness cues, higher sugar intake, emotional and binge eating, and the inclination to eat in the evening, is potentially linked with bizarre or negative dreams and nightmares.
The Impact of Food Intolerances
Food intolerances and the gastrointestinal symptoms they cause, such as lactose intolerance, may also lead to negative dreams. Gargano says that one hypothesis is that someone following a healthy diet who listens to their body and eats intuitively may be better clued into what helps their body function well and feel good overall. This may, in turn, affect dreaming, whether they are more inclined to recall positive dreams or if it indeed helps them have more positive dreams.
Gargano shared that another hypothesis is that late-night eating could disrupt sleep because of its impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This is because the gastrointestinal tract’s circadian rhythm prefers to rest during the night, and introducing an evening meal may impact the speed of digestion and the body’s response to it, potentially affecting cortisol levels.
So far, it’s unclear if diet causes changes in dreaming or if changes in dreaming and sleep influence our dietary choices.
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RACHEL GARGANO, MS, RD, CSSD, CBS
How to Have Better Sleep and More Pleasant Dreams
Gargano says the impact of food on sleep quality has been more thoroughly studied than its impact on dreams. Generally, when someone’s overall diet has more fruits, vegetables, fatty fish, and dairy, they’re more likely to have better sleep quality. However, a diet heavy in added sugars, fat, and processed foods may cause fragmented sleep and low sleep quality.
Alexis Law, a registered dietitian nutritionist, adds that caffeinated foods and beverages can make it more challenging to fall asleep and may impact the amount of rest you get. Foods that people may be sensitive to, like cheese, could also cause discomfort, making sleep less peaceful.
Foods to Promote Deep Sleep
Here are some expert-recommended foods that promote a quality slumber:
- Gargano shares that a diet with enough tryptophan, an amino acid found in dairy, seeds, chicken, and egg whites, may promote better sleep. Tryptophan plays a role in the synthesis of serotonin, which is important for certain facets of sleep.
- Montmorency tart cherries and Jerte Valley cherries may also have a positive effect on sleep quality. These are usually recommended to be taken as 100% unsweetened juices in a dose of about 8 ounces both in the morning and about one to two hours before bedtime.
- Foods rich in magnesium may also support better sleep, though research is mixed. You can find magnesium in pumpkin and chia seeds, nuts such as almonds and cashews, beans including black beans, kidney beans, and edamame, as well as some fish and vegetables.
- Miller recommends having light, balanced meals in the evening to minimize digestive strain and temperature shifts. Eat low-glycemic snacks to stabilize blood sugar overnight.
- Lastly, herbal teas like chamomile or valerian can help support relaxation and reduce nighttime arousal.
“[W]hile food can influence sleep and dreams, I believe our behaviors and thought patterns play a much larger role in overall sleep quality. Sleep hygiene, stress management, and cognitive approaches have the strongest and most lasting impact,” advises Miller.
Key Takeaways
- Incorporate more fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish into your diet for better sleep quality.
- A diet heavy in added sugars, fat, and processed foods may cause fragmented sleep and low sleep quality.
- Certain foods may disrupt REM sleep, which could lead to intense dreams, but the jury’s still out on whether diet has a direct impact on dreams.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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