Why Your Flu Medicine Gives You Trippy Dreams
Last night, you wrestled a platypus, wet your pants, and caught your ex cheating on you.
It sounds like you have the flu. Correction: It sounds like you’re taking something for the flu. Many over-the-counter cold and flu remedies like Nyquil contain antihistamines that, besides stopping your sniffles, can occasionally cause wacked-out dreams, explains Alexandra Sowa, M.D., a clinical instructor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. “Although the mechanism isn’t entirely understood, the theory is that they alter rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Most dreams happen during this stage of sleep, so any changes to REM can lead to more pronounced, vivid dreams—even nightmares.”