Eating a spicy meal before bed can be a real nightmare. A study looked at how what you eat- and when- affects your dreams. Experts say eating anything too close to bedtime can cause more dreaming because it heightens your metabolism, leading to increased brain activity. It's possible certain heavy or spicy foods could trigger strange or scary dreams, since digesting them can interfere with the sleep cycle. As for the embarrassing things you say when you talk in your sleep? I'm not sure you can blame that on your dinner.