Question: 65 year old male, after eating some pickled Herring in wine sauce one evening, I awoke to a horrific sleep terror. Don’t know if I screamed or not as I live alone, but woke to a cold sweat. I also felt I needed to commit suicide to keep from going insane with my mind going off the deep end. At the time I didn’t connect the pickled Herring to my terror until about a week later I once again had the pickled Herring as an evening snack before going to bed. Once again I had my horrific sleep terror, with the same need to commit suicide to keep from going crazy. The only change of my routine was the pickled Herring, so I quit having it for an evening snack before going to bed. I have since ate the pickled Herring after lunch, and didn’t have any problems sleeping at night. So problem solved, or at least I thought….
Then last night I had a re-visit with the sleep terror, I was dreaming I was going through a cave system with tunnels and became very claustrophobic in my dream. So much so I became frantic! Once again I don’t remember screaming or if I even did, but I was covered in sweat and my heart was racing when I awoke. Once again I felt I needed to commit suicide because my mind was uncontrollable and I was going insane.What did I do different yesterday evening that I haven’t done in the past 8 months since my last episode? After thinking I realized, I was drinking my water with apple cider vinegar mixed with the water. It was a drink my daughter related was full of antioxidant properties and would give flavor to the water. Yesterday was the first time trying this drink. At least that is what I am thinking at this moment. I’ll quit drinking this mixture for a few days then try it again to see if the sleep terror accrues again.Beginning to think vinegar just may be my nemesis…..