#there are plenty of studies showing that blocking the adenosine receptors can reduce nightmares

[purplesaline]

If you're prone to nightmares try having some dark chocolate before bed! Any chocolate (except white chocolate) may help in a pinch but the darker the better cause we're looking for the chemical Theobromine here.

Theobromine helps block the production of norepinephrine, which is a neurochemical that triggers the fight/flight response and may be responsible for some of your nightmares.

People with PTSD who have a lot of nightmares are often prescribed Prazosin, a high blood pressure medication that also helps block production of norepinephrine (and likely far more effective than eating some chocolate before bed so if your nightmares/night terrors are bad enough and regular enough to disrupt your life tall to your doctor about this option).

Green tea is also another good option, while it has slightly less theobromine it also contains L-Theanine which an amino acid that helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Though the addition of caffeine may offset that despite the l-theanine countering some of the negative effects. There are some low caffeine green tea options which may work better for you.

Even if you don't pre-empt the nightmares, keeping some dark chocolate (or any chocolate as above) on your bedside table may help prevent you from slipping back into a nightmare if you wake up from one in the middle of the night, or at least help your brain steer away from it sooner if you do still slip back into it.

The amount of theobromine in chocolate or tea is pretty minimal compared to the active ingredient in Prazosin so it may or may not be very effective depending on how much norepinephrine your body is producing.

A theobromine supplement may provide better results but check with your doctor first if you want to go the supplement route. Theobromine can cause increased heart rate, low blood pressure and may interact with some prescription medications.

Important note!!

It's always a good idea to check with your doctor before starting any supplements, especially if you take regular medications.