When you’re making any kind of a big change in your life, it is perfectly reasonable to expect your subconscious to weigh in on the subject while you’re fast asleep. We noticed that this was particularly true when it comes to a drastic change in diet. Suddenly cutting out the foods you love can send you chasing them through your dreams. During our last CleanStart challenge, we heard from many of our participants who had dreams about all kinds of foods — even ones they never eat in real life. Ben found himself somnambulantly salivating over roast beef sandwiches and curly fries throughout the challenge, even though he never eats roast beef.
It was Freud’s theory that your dreams are an expression of what you’re repressing during the time you are awake. Carl Jung posited that dreams provide messages about “lost” or “neglected” parts of ourselves that we yearn to reintegrate (1). It doesn’t take an hour on a fancy leather couch to make the connection between your dreams and your diet. Many dreams simply come from a preoccupation with the day’s activities. So if you’re having strange dreams about gorging on non-challenge foods… relax! It’s perfectly normal, given the changes you’ve made. There’s no need to feel guilty. Besides, if you get the chance to chow down on some bacon cheeseburgers during your midnight reveries, you might as well enjoy it, because when your alarm goes off, it’s back to work!
Join CleanStart!
This article is part of a 6-week, modified-paleo nutrition and fitness challenge that introduces you to the smarter way to eat and stay fit for life. Learn more.
Email me when Vimify publishes or recommends stories