Okay, so we all know eating organic is healthy, but will it stop nightmares? This just might take the freshly-baked carrot cake. But first, consider this. Life is scary. There are serial killers, lunatic dictators, and gossip web sites who think we enjoy crotch shots of drunken starlets. And we’re not even addressing toddlers in tiaras and the sparkly vampire movement.
So it’s no wonder that many of us wake in the middle of the night, bathed in a cold sweat, trembling from images of death, despair, and drunks at the Jersey Shore. People may have evolved past loin cloths, but our dreams are as scary as the days saber-toothed tigers stalked our beds. Now they just sport spray tans!
If you know a fact or two about the poisons flying around our environments, you’re probably not sleeping well. Nor are you going to let your friends and family do the same. Note: People do not like to be reminded of environmental and product toxins while opening holiday gifts, baby bath products, or moments before they step into a hot bath to relax after a long day of listening to people worry about environmental and product toxins.
So what’s a green girl or guy to do about it? Recently, I listened to a podcast from The Leonard Lopate Show, “Please Explain Dreams and Nightmares.” It got me thinking – and this time, not about if my non-organic lotion was going to leap off its nighttime shelf and kill me. The experts on Lopate’s show point out that diet can influence a person’s dreams. So does that mean eating organic can help fight nightmares?
Consider the evidence supporting “healthy diet means pleasant dreams.” Let’s look at alcohol. Alcohol acts as a depressive that helps you fall asleep. But how many of us wake up in the middle of the night after one too many, unable to get back to dreamland? Your body is detoxing and flushing out the alcohol – which can wake you up. Caffeine apparently has the same effect. So drinking booze or coffee at night can certainly influence your sleep patterns.
Further evidence shows smokers experience more nightmares because of the toxins in their system. People who are going through cleanses point to vivid nightmares or “detox dreams.” One study shows eating right before bed can stimulate brainwaves, and junk food can make the dreams even scarier. It seems that people deal with stress in ways as unique as fingerprints.
In the end, staying healthy and most importantly, managing your stress will help you get gentler zzz’s. “More toxic” food and drinks can disrupt your sleep pattern, so it makes sense that pesticides and other added elements are not going to help things along. After all, who wants to add unnecessary pesticides to your sleepy time routine? So next time you dream of a wicked witch holding an apple – just ask her if it’s organic.
Image: gettysgirl