Can Sugar Cause Nightmares?

Can Sugar Cause Nightmares? (Answered!)

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Sugar certainly does lead to a lot of bodily side effects which could then lead to nightmares. Some research suggests that there is a direct link between eating sugar too shortly before sleep and increased risk of nightmares. That said, it also isn’t a guarantee.

 

So, the short answer is yes.

The long answer is a bit more complicated and involves a fair few caveats.

For example, a lot of what is true about sugar and its associations with nightmares is also true of many other foods.

Let’s look further into this.

Can Sugar Cause Nightmares?

Does sugar cause nightmares?

Yes, sugar can indeed cause nightmares—although it’s never guaranteed to do so.

There are a number of reasons why this might be the case, as I’ll get into, but let’s just look at what the science says about the relationship, first.

One study, published in 2015, showed that there was a direct correlation between food and our overall diet and what we dream about.

Indeed, as long ago as the early 1900s people were consuming spicy cheeses that were causing nightmares and disturbing dreams.

In the study, around 31% of participants experienced bad dreams after eating sugary snacks right before falling asleep.

So, while the connection doesn’t occur in the majority of people, clearly it is common enough to address the cause.

So, yes, sugar can cause nightmares.

But there’s no guarantee, and indeed there’s not much about sugar specifically which causes bad dreams which is not also true of other foods.

Let’s look at why sugar can cause nightmares.

 

Why does sugar cause nightmares?

The simple answer is that it relates to how restful our sleep is.

When we sleep each night, we go through cycles of sleep.

The deepest of those cycles, REM sleep, is where most of our dreaming occurs.

When that stage of sleep isn’t as deep as it could be, or it’s interrupted, then the chances are that we are more likely to remember the dreams that we have.

When we are more aware of our dreams, they tend to feel more vivid and even nightmarish.

Sugar is a pretty calorific foodstuff, and when we eat it shortly before bed, our bodies are working hard into the night breaking it down as we sleep.

Though this isn’t a conscious process, it still prevents us from sleeping as restfully as we might.

There is even some suggestion that sugar itself leads to increased brain activity at night, but there is little peer reviewed evidence for this.

So, yes, sugar can cause nightmares—but so can many foods if eaten late at night.

Anything you eat late at night is going to keep your mind more active as it is digested, making you more susceptible to nightmares.

The basic point, then, is that eating late at night can lead to nightmares whatever you eat. sugar, potentially, is worse for this, but there is no guarantee.

How can we stop these dreams, then?

 

How to stop sugar nightmares

The best advice I can give is to stop eating sugar late at night!

Try to stop eating at least three hours before you go to bed, where possible.

Sugar, especially, can have something of a stimulating effect, too, which can make it far worse as a cause of nightmares.

If you are having particular trouble even without eating it shortly before bed, there are two things I would suggest.

One, that there is a different cause for your nightmares. Two, that you are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of sugar.

In which case, you may have to seriously cut down on your sugar intake.

It may not be what you want to hear, but it’s your best bet.

Basic relaxation techniques, like meditation, yoga, and even aromatherapy, can be helpful to general trouble sleeping—but the best chance against it is to cut down your sugar intake.

Especially late at night.

 

Does sugar cause night terrors?

It’s very unlikely, and no peer reviewed science has ever shown a direct relationship.

Indeed, in adults, night terrors are vanishingly rare—if you aren’t already predisposed to nightmares, you’re very unlikely to experience night terrors from eating sugar.

That said, for children who do already have night terrors, sugar late at night could be a big problem.

As I said, it’s stimulating, and they’re much more likely to have such night terrors if their brain is more active from sugar.

 

Eating before bed is just not a good idea, then. it will make your body overly active in the night, and even if you don’t have nightmares, you’re still likely to wake up feeling less well rested.

Sugar, though, is unique as a foodstuff in that it has somewhat profound psychological effects, comparatively speaking.

There’s a good deal of the body’s reaction to sugar that can lead to nightmares.

Avoid the sweet snacks before bed if you want the best chance of giving yourself sweet dreams.

 

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