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The following is a visitor-submitted question or story. For more, you can submit your own sleep story here, or browse the collection of experiences and questions other visitors have shared here.
Foods Induced Sleep Terrors?
by AJ
(Colorado)
65 year old male, after eating some pickled Herring in wine sauce one evening, I awoke to a horrific sleep terror. Don't know if I screamed or not as I live alone, but woke to a cold sweat. I also felt I needed to commit suicide to keep from going insane with my mind going off the deep end. At the time I didn't connect the pickled Herring to my terror until about a week later I once again had the pickled Herring as an evening snack before going to bed. Once again I had my horrific sleep terror, with the same need to commit suicide to keep from going crazy. The only change of my routine was the pickled Herring, so I quit having it for an evening snack before going to bed. I have since ate the pickled Herring after lunch, and didn't have any problems sleeping at night. So problem solved, or at least I thought....
Then last night I had a re-visit with the sleep terror, I was dreaming I was going through a cave system with tunnels and became very claustrophobic in my dream. So much so I became frantic! Once again I don't remember screaming or if I even did, but I was covered in sweat and my heart was racing when I awoke. Once again I felt I needed to commit suicide because my mind was uncontrollable and I was going insane.
What did I do different yesterday evening that I haven't done in the past 8 months since my last episode? After thinking I realized, I was drinking my water with apple cider vinegar mixed with the water. It was a drink my daughter related was full of antioxidant properties and would give flavor to the water. Yesterday was the first time trying this drink. At least that is what I am thinking at this moment. I'll quit drinking this mixture for a few days then try it again to see if the sleep terror accrues again.
Beginning to think vinegar just may be my nemesis.....
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