Influence of Food on Dreams

Kaveesha Kodituwakku

Gateway Thesis Proposal

Influence of Food on Dreams

Introduction:

        Dreams are important because they provide information on human behavior, both psychological and physiological. We study and interpret dreams to gain valuable insight about human development. Hundreds of psychologists and other dream theorists have proposed multiple ideas about the true purpose of dreams, but currently there is no infallible scientific evidence backing up their claims. Theorists like Sigmund Freud, Calvin Hall, Carl Jung, etc have put forth hypotheses such as:

        -the function of dreams is to preserve sleep

        -the function of dreams is to compensate for underdeveloped parts of the brain

        -dreams solve problems that people can't in real life

These hypotheses are very believable but do not explain how or why dreams work.
        There are multiple psychoanalysts who critique methods of gaining insight into dreams. Studying and comparing these dream theories will be important in deciding how I approach the study of dreams and what research path I will be going down. I want to focus on factors that influence dreams, particularly food.

        Although, dreams do have a prominent function in different cultures. Shamans have used dreams to diagnose certain illnesses, which they believed were caused by evil spirits. Additionally dreams have been employed for the use of hunting game, predicting the weather, and as a tool in psychic abilities. In the 1900's, dreams were used in psychotherapy, as it was easier to not take responsibility for one's actions during a dream. Patients would have an easier time talking about their problems this way. In modern day, dream dictionaries and other various items convince many about the hidden meanings behind different dreams. It has been said that dreams reveal what is on a person's mind, even when they do not want to admit it.

        Throughout the school year, I will be taking on the challenge of interpreting dreams and the effect of eating various foods before bedtime on dreams. I hope to add to the slew of data available on dream theories, possibly even creating my own theory. I believe that the composition of foods clearly affect the nature of the dreams one has and that dreams can be altered or instilled in an individual through coaching.

Approach, Methods, Design:

Definition-

My research project will be diving into how eating certain foods before bedtime can impact the subject of an individual's dreams.

Description of Existing Data and Research-

Existing research on “how food affects dreams” focuses on the composition of foods and their contribution to the nature of dreams. Some research talks about how the brain is very active when it is asleep and requires a lot of sugar to function. The sugar from certain foods supply energy to the brain, which also increases the serotonin levels in the body. This leads to a peaceful and calming sleep filled with happy dreams. Most of the vivid and descriptive dreaming occur during the REM or rapid eye movement stage—this is when the brain is most active. If one drinks alcohol before bedtime, then they will most likely experience nightmares due to the lack of REM (the amino acid Glutamate is inhibited). Some studies state that eating large meals before bedtime can cause nightmares to occur because digestion requires energy and the body becomes hotter. Becoming overheated disrupts the cycles of sleep and causes the body to be frightened. Articles in “Psychology Today” discuss the correlation between eating spicy food before bedtime and the occurrence of strange dreams. For example, Nutmeg contains myristicin that is converted into ecstasy by our bodies, which in turn causes wicked and crazy dreams. Canadian psychologists Tore Nielsen and Russell Powell have hypothesized that “ people's eating habits can have disruptive effects on their patterns of sleep and dreaming.” Many dream theorists have conducted experiments with dairy products such as cheese. Their research states that dairy products induce better sleep because they release chemicals in the body that send signals to the brain. There are thousands more experiments on the effect of food on dreams, but I will be focusing on the basic necessities.

Required Materials-

• 20+ participants for my experiments in all age groups
• dream journals for the participants to keep
• healthy and junk foods
• Sleep cycle app

Methods, Research design, and Procedures-

I will start off the first month by researching about foods as much as I can. Then for the next three months, I will be conducting experiments with different people for various foods. They will be keeping a journal to track all of the data. The data will be compiled into a table and then translated into graphs for the general population. I will also be visiting sleep study centers and interviewing multiple people.

Data Collection-

Data will be collected through the use of dream journals. I will gather as many friends as I can and ask them to keep track of foods they eat before bed and the dreams they experience. This will be ongoing for 3 months, where I will analyze the findings into a table. To expand on this, I will also be using a sleep cycle app to see patterns in sleep.

Outside Resources-

My uncle is a psychologist and will be working with me on analyzing my data and helping me set up the experiment.

Research Project Timeline: