What Causes Nightmares?

[cyclops]

What are some of the possible reasons for nightmares? I think Ray may have mentioned they can be the result of the liver running out of glucose, but I am wondering if there are other possible reasons for them. Perhaps the subconscious mind dealing with certain things?

 

[michael94]

Have you ever had sleep paralysis?
I used to have it pretty regularly around 2 years ago, it's almost to surreal to think about now... It happened in that in state thats in between sleep and being awake, usually when my kidneys were under intense stress. In all honesty it felt like something was choking me or trying to suffocate me, it wouldn't last long but it felt like an eternity. Sometimes it would coincide with nightmares sometimes not.

 

[SOMO]

I had a period in my life where I literally had a nightmare DAILY for a month. I remember being AFRAID to go to sleep and would prefer to stay awake, for fear of experiencing nightmares.

At the same time, I was starving myself (malnutrition + calorie-restriction + lots of liquid elemental diets) and in retrospect it undoubtedly contributed to the weird sleeping I had around that area.

I also got a nightmare yesterday, and it was likely because I had a very low calorie and low-carb day (mostly meat) and only ate 1 large meal instead of grazing. I also got up to urinate frequently during the night (RP says frequent nightime urination = high cortisol/high-adrenaline while sleeping).


So nightmares can likely be caused by:
-High Cortisol/Adrenaline near bedtime or during sleep
-Hypoglycemia during sleep
-High cortisol during the day (stress, for example at work which is then incorporated into the content of the dream)


Regardless of the "content" of the dream, I think it's mostly background noise that the brain catches when it defrags the brain at night. If you learn about red butterflies and you go to bed tonight and you dream or have a nightmare, there is a good chance red butterflies will play some role in the dream, simply because the electric charge of your brain is currently processing that memory (not because red butterflies actually symbolize anything).

Have you ever had sleep paralysis?
I used to have it pretty regularly around 2 years ago, it's almost to surreal to think about now... It happened in that in state thats in between sleep and being awake, usually when my kidneys were under intense stress. In all honesty it felt like something was choking me or trying to suffocate me, it wouldn't last long but it felt like an eternity. Sometimes it would coincide with nightmares sometimes not.

Same. I had sleep paralysis daily for a while. Then sporadically.
Now, I haven't gotten it in a long time. It used to be terrifying, then it happened so frequently it just became annoying.

I know it's at least partly related to stress during the daytime and it has something to do with "faulty Acetylcholine ."


I think eating raw egg yolks can likely correct sleep paralysis and I believe it's what helped neuroprotect my brain from sleep paralysis.

 

[barefooter]

One thing that seems to cause nightmares for me is digestive upset while sleeping. I know around here people generally try to fuel up before bed, but if I eat too near sleeping, and especially if it's hard to digest food, I'll have very stressful dreams or nightmares. I'm sure there are tons of causes, but this is just one I've observed in myself. To combat this I try to be done eating at least 3 hours before bed, and if I eat later I try to make it something light like fruit or juice, or even just some honey.

 

[Stilgar]

I’m the same. If I eat too much too late, especially things that are hard to digest, I will be more likely to have nightmares. On nights I don’t eat anything and have had most of my food earlier in the day, I sleep much better.

Took me so long to realise that!

One thing that seems to cause nightmares for me is digestive upset while sleeping. I know around here people generally try to fuel up before bed, but if I eat too near sleeping, and especially if it's hard to digest food, I'll have very stressful dreams or nightmares. I'm sure there are tons of causes, but this is just one I've observed in myself. To combat this I try to be done eating at least 3 hours before bed, and if I eat later I try to make it something light like fruit or juice, or even just some honey.

e s

 

[Pulstar]

There's a popular opinion that B1 (thiamine) might help with bad dreams.

 

[Dave Clark]

Welsh Rarebit.

 

[tara]

Perhaps the subconscious mind dealing with certain things?

I'd guess that - bringing some experiences with emotional charge up to the surface to be processed maybe - as well as physical conditions being part of the trigger.
I seldom get nightmares, but overheating can be a potential trigger for me. I've had a couple of unpleasant one's lately - in this case obviously related to a real life situation, though the dreams were not realistic in a literal sense.

 

[InChristAlone]

I used to get terrifying nightmares, the kind where you wake up and think a ghost visited you. I realized they happened when I would roll over onto my back and mouth breathe. I started taping my mouth at night. I mean I still get bad dreams but nothing like the terror of mouth breathing. I also seem to get them if I gorge on nightshades for more than a couple days.

 

[cyclops]

Have you ever had sleep paralysis?
I used to have it pretty regularly around 2 years ago, it's almost to surreal to think about now... It happened in that in state thats in between sleep and being awake, usually when my kidneys were under intense stress. In all honesty it felt like something was choking me or trying to suffocate me, it wouldn't last long but it felt like an eternity. Sometimes it would coincide with nightmares sometimes not.

I think so...maybe. I've had an experience where I like I am feel half awake/half asleep. Where I can see in front of me but cannot move my body. Like my brain woke up before my body.

I had a period in my life where I literally had a nightmare DAILY for a month. I remember being AFRAID to go to sleep and would prefer to stay awake, for fear of experiencing nightmares.

At the same time, I was starving myself (malnutrition + calorie-restriction + lots of liquid elemental diets) and in retrospect it undoubtedly contributed to the weird sleeping I had around that area.

I also got a nightmare yesterday, and it was likely because I had a very low calorie and low-carb day (mostly meat) and only ate 1 large meal instead of grazing. I also got up to urinate frequently during the night (RP says frequent nightime urination = high cortisol/high-adrenaline while sleeping).


So nightmares can likely be caused by:
-High Cortisol/Adrenaline near bedtime or during sleep
-Hypoglycemia during sleep
-High cortisol during the day (stress, for example at work which is then incorporated into the content of the dream)


Regardless of the "content" of the dream, I think it's mostly background noise that the brain catches when it defrags the brain at night. If you learn about red butterflies and you go to bed tonight and you dream or have a nightmare, there is a good chance red butterflies will play some role in the dream, simply because the electric charge of your brain is currently processing that memory (not because red butterflies actually symbolize anything).

Interesting. I am trying to aggressively cut some body fat right now and am eating a much lower calorie diet then I have in a very long time. This includes some lower carb days as well. I bet this is playing into it then.

One thing that seems to cause nightmares for me is digestive upset while sleeping. I know around here people generally try to fuel up before bed, but if I eat too near sleeping, and especially if it's hard to digest food, I'll have very stressful dreams or nightmares. I'm sure there are tons of causes, but this is just one I've observed in myself. To combat this I try to be done eating at least 3 hours before bed, and if I eat later I try to make it something light like fruit or juice, or even just some honey.

Yes I notice this too, but I think it is best to eat something easy to digest before bed, or else run into hunger during the night.

used to get terrifying nightmares, the kind where you wake up and think a ghost visited you. I realized they happened when I would roll over onto my back and mouth breathe. I started taping my mouth at night. I mean I still get bad dreams but nothing like the terror of mouth breathing. I also seem to get them if I gorge on nightshades for more than a couple days.

Interesting. Is there any risk of suffocating doing this if your nose clogs up for some reason?

 

[InChristAlone]

Nose clogs are rare if you primarily nose breathe. It actually gets stuffy if you don't. But yeah I can't do it if I have cold. No risk of suffocating. I use athletic tape.

 

[tara]

Is there any risk of suffocating doing this if your nose clogs up for some reason?

When I do this, I use a tiny bit of light tape, which comes off very easily, awake or asleep, and I can breathe around it if I need to. Or a chinstrap, which I can open my mouth to breath with if I need to. You don't need to have it super securely sealed to be helpful in supporting nasal breathing/closed mouth.

The nose is much less likely to clog if the mouth is shut.

I find it much harder to do this when I have a cold, but if I can force myself to it in the evening, I usually wake up breathing through a remarkably clear nose in the morning, which is fantastic when fighting to recover from a cold.

 

[BrianF]

Jimmy Saville OBE

 

[smith]

Welsh Rarebit.

Jimmy Saville OBE

What about it, dudes?

I agree that falling asleep with a full stomach tends to make sleep worse. It's almost as if digesting food while unconscious directs most of the body's energy away from important things such as regulating the unfocused psyche to prevent open access to microbial invaders or something weird

 

[Vinero]

Have you ever had sleep paralysis?
I used to have it pretty regularly around 2 years ago, it's almost to surreal to think about now... It happened in that in state thats in between sleep and being awake, usually when my kidneys were under intense stress. In all honesty it felt like something was choking me or trying to suffocate me, it wouldn't last long but it felt like an eternity. Sometimes it would coincide with nightmares sometimes not.

Used to get sleep paralysis and horrific nightmares everytime the days after using MDMA. Terrifying stuff. I would feel an evil presence hovering above me terrifying me and unable to wake up or move. I think the high serotonin release from MDMA causes brain damage which results in those night terrors. I haven't touched MDMA for years though. The after-effects scare me. I never get nightmares from any particular foods though.

 

[Wagner83]

Used to get sleep paralysis and horrific nightmares everytime the days after using MDMA. Terrifying stuff. I would feel an evil presence hovering above me terrifying me and unable to wake up or move. I think the high serotonin release from MDMA causes brain damage which results in those night terrors. I haven't touched MDMA for years though. The after-effects scare me. I never get nightmares from any particular foods though.

It happened to me a few times in the distant past, I can see how some people become crazy as even with such pretty minor examples it's hard to be sure it isn't reality.

 

[BrianF]

MDMA- So much fun

 

[smith]

bump for some more interesting theories.. My sleep is always more exhausting and full of dreams when I sleep next to a bag of Okinawa beach sand.

 

[Frankdee20]

Acetylcholine must be involved somehow because the smoking cessation drug Chantix is notorious for causing nightmares.

 

[cyclops]

I'm almost certain active vitamin B6 causes nightmares or at least vivid dreams for me. Interesting how such a small amount of a vitamin can cause this. Think Ive been doing about 10mgs. Supposed to have benefits but think I will stop because its been disturbing my sleep. Could also be a new magnesium ive been using or the combo of Both. I take the b6 earlier in th day. I also remember in the past I think b6 causes uncomfortable tingling and numbness it my body at times. B6 is no joke, strong stuff, I usually dont feel vitamins/supps that much.