How To Stop Nightmares With Nutrition
Summary
Nightmares in both children and adults may be linked to a simple nutritional deficiency rather than psychological causes. Dr. Berg identifies vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency as a primary driver of nightmares. Addressing this deficiency through diet or supplementation may eliminate nightmares entirely.
Key Takeaways
- Thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency is identified as a root cause of nightmares
- Excessive refined sugar depletes thiamine levels in the body
- Alcohol consumption is a significant contributor to thiamine deficiency
- Refined grains — including bread, pasta, cereal, crackers, and white rice — reduce thiamine availability
- Excessive stress can also deplete thiamine
- Taking one tablespoon of nutritional yeast daily is a simple dietary remedy
- Vitamin B1 can also be taken as a natural supplement to resolve the deficiency
Details
The Thiamine-Nightmare Connection
Dr. Berg proposes that nightmares are a symptom of insufficient vitamin B1 (thiamine) in the body. This is presented as a straightforward nutritional issue that can be resolved without complex interventions.
What Depletes Thiamine?
Several common dietary and lifestyle factors are identified as thiamine “anti-nutrients” or depleting agents:
- Refined sugar (not whole food sugars, but processed/refined forms)
- Alcohol
- Refined grains, including:
- Bread
- Pasta
- Cereal
- Crackers
- White (light) rice
- Excessive stress
How to Restore Thiamine Levels
Two straightforward approaches are recommended:
- Nutritional yeast — Take one tablespoon daily as a whole-food source of B1
- Natural B1 supplement — Take a thiamine supplement as an alternative or addition
The claim made is that addressing the deficiency can cause nightmares to completely go away.