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Separating Nightmare Myths From Reality

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A local sleep lab separated myth from reality when it comes to bad dreams.

Let's begin with why there are some nightmares we all seem to have in common. Like the one where you're being chased and your legs feel like rubber, or the one where you're late for class and haven't studied for a test. There's also the old I'm naked in front of everyone dream.

Click here to watch Brian Andrews' report. 

"There's some themes, and we're not sure why, but they do recur," said Dr. Daniel Shade, of the Allegheny Health Network Sleep Institute. "Mostly, they're fear based or an expectation you haven't quite met."

At the Allegheny Health Network's Sleep Institute, patients can stay over and have their sleep studied.

So what can trigger nightmares?

1.) Spicy Food
Can eating spicy food before bed really cause nightmares? The answer is, yes.

"A jalapeño pizza, something spicy, that's probably not good. It's going to interrupt your sleep in general," says Dr. Shade.

He said actually any type of food kicks up your metabolism, which can make your brain more active.

2.) Cold Room
Does sleeping in a cold room cause nightmares? Dr. Shade said he's not sure if temperature really affects your dreams.

"A little bit cooler temperature tends to help a lot of people sleep better," said Dr. Shade.

But he says a room that's too cold or too hot for that matter is never good for sleep.

3.) TV Shows
What about seeing something on television that disturbs you? We all know that can cause a bad dream. So if you think something will bother you, what can do you?

Let's say clowns freak you out and snakes do, too.

Dr. Shade said practice thinking about those things differently.

"That's image rehearsal, and what you can do and one of the treatments for chronic nightmares is to picture whatever is happening that is bad and put it in a different light," said Dr. Shade, "Actually rearrange it the way that you want it to be in your brain."

He also said just telling yourself you will not have a bad dream can help.

4.) Alcohol
What about alcohol, does that affect your dreams? Dr. Shade said yes. After a few drinks, you'll dream less when you first go to bed.

"People will start to have vivid dreams later on. That may disrupt sleep and may have even more nightmares," said Dr. Shade.

He said having a fever can affect dreaming, as well as some medicine like blood pressure pills.

The doctor also said if you get to a point where you're sleep deprived, that could cause bad dreams.

He said exercise, going to bed at the same time, and not having a television, computer or cell phone in the bedroom will lead to better sleep.

Finally, is it true faces you see in dreams are ones you've seen in your awake life? He says not necessarily.

"One of the goals of sleep is to strengthen some memories," said Dr. Shade.

Those are memories you'll need, like your address.

"And another goal of sleep is to get rid of connections that you no longer need," said Dr. Shade. "So a face you may have recognized, it may have been one you've seen, it's just tucked away somewhere or it may be nothing."

For some people, nightmares can become a real problem.

They suffer from chronic nightmares and it makes them stressed and anxious far after the dream is over. For those people, going to a place like the Sleep Institute may really help.

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