Toxic Dream Type

A toxic dream is usually a very realistic, upsetting dream that is most likely to occur when your body is physically, mentally, or emotionally overloaded during sleep. They are usually terrible nightmares and their purpose can often be interpreted simply as a signal that you were in a toxic state at the time of the dream. These dreams can result from a number of factors the day before, including:

  • Eating refined carbohydrates (sugar, white flour), processed or junk food, additives or preservatives
  • Eating any foods within 2 hours before going to bed, or overeating during the day
  • Ingesting drugs or other substances that stress the body
  • Encountering environmental toxins (mold, exhaust fumes, etc.)
  • Being stressed (stress hormone by-products load the body's cleansing system just like external toxins do)
  • Being emotionally toxic, such as going to bed angry or hateful (holding on to emotional upset can create a stressful physical state)
  • Not getting enough rest (sleep deprivation can rob the body of its critical nighttime cleansing cycle, leaving more toxins in the body)

Example A

You eat a large piece of pie just before going to bed, and you dream that a monster is coming after you and inflicts serious physical harm on you.

This dream may point to a subconscious fear of being victimized, but the main significance is the physical state of overload while they body is going through its sleep-cleanse cycle. To avoid this situation, avoid sugary foods, and don't eat so close to bedtime or stay up a little longer to let your food digest before you go to sleep.

Example B

You have been incredibly stressed the last 3 days and haven't slept well for the last week. You dream that you seriously injure yourself in a household accident, but when you pick up the phone and dial 911 you keep getting the wrong number and can't get through.

This dream indicates an underlying feeling of helplessness, mostly likely caused by a feeling that your life is out of control due to your recent stressful situation. On a physical level, your body is overloaded with stress hormones and an over-stimulated condition, creating an extra challenge during the sleep-cleanse cycle. To avoid this situation, apply some stress management techniques such as planning how to reduce your stress load, free-form writing to get out your frustrations, and/or meditating before sleeping.

Dream Types