If you drink caffeine, you probably already know that consuming it too close to bedtime can prevent you from falling asleep. However, caffeine, in the form of drinks and foods, can do more than simply delay sleep--it may disrupt it. According to World's Healthiest Foods, sleep is a complex process that can be affected by various foods and beverages. The stage of sleep in which we dream, called Rapid Eye Movement, or REM, usually occurs about 90 minutes into our sleep and is repeated cyclically several times during the night. Some research indicates that regular caffeine intake, as well as caffeine withdrawal, may affect the REM stage of sleep.
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
According to a study published in the journal "Sleep Medicine," the ingestion of chocolate may aggravate a condition called REM sleep behavior disorder. This condition is characterized by the acting out of vivid dreams during sleep, according to the Mayo Clinic. In those with this condition, a normal muscle paralysis that occurs during sleep is absent. The study in "Sleep Medicine," conducted by Robert Daniel Vorona and colleagues at Eastern Virginia Medical School, mentions caffeine as a possible factor in this reaction to chocolate.
The Phases of Sleep
In their book "The World of Caffeine," Bennett Alan Weinberg and Bonnie K. Bealer report that caffeine may have an effect on the onset and quality of REM sleep. Weinberg and Bealer report that caffeine appears to shorten the deeper phases of REM sleep and lengthen the lighter phases. Moreover, those who drink caffeine may toss and turn more frequently while asleep, the authors report, possibly the result of increased muscle tension. Those who drink caffeine are also more likely to be disrupted and awakened by noises while asleep, Weinberg and Bealer report.
Withdrawal and Dreams
Discontinuation of a caffeine habit may also have an impact on REM sleep. According to DoctorYourself.com, ceasing to drink caffeine can result in withdrawal symptoms that may last up to a year, depending on the degree of caffeine dependence. Some of the sleep disturbances caused by caffeine cessation include insomnia and nightmares related to amphetamine withdrawal, reports DoctorYourself.com.
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