Stress Management -or- The Effects of Stress on Dreams
Dreamer: Kathy, 34, North American
I was wondering if there have been any studies to determine if there is a correlation between vitamins and the effect they may have on dream activity.
I seem to have bad dreams about twice a week. The dreams often involve family members and an injury. I wonder if an increase in specific vitamins or food groups would deter bad dreams.
Mr. Hagen's Reply: Stress Management
Folklore provides a variety of reasons for dreams and dreaming. Some conjecture that eating certain types of food will induce certain types of dreams. Spicy foods, for example, are said to produce nightmares.
I am not aware of any studies correlating the effects of vitamins on dreams.
However, a study done by Louis Breger, "The Effect of Stress on Dreams," relates bad dreams to unresolved stress during the day. This could be called the stress-memory consolidation theory of dreaming. The dream, which processes the "day's residue," fails to process the information in an adaptive fashion. The dream cannot find a solution to the problem the person is wrestling with. This creates more stress, often becoming a vicious circle and a primary cause of recurring dreams.
The stress may originate within your family, since your dreams involve family members? You have not provided enough information for me to be more specific. Injury or harm evidently is the result.
The answer to your question would then read, the best deterrence for stressful dreams is stress management
Hope these thoughts are of help and provide some insight,
Mark H.