New study confirms cheese can give you nightmares

The latest research supports the idea that consuming cheese prior to bedtime might boost the likelihood of experiencing distressing dreams during the night.

In Frontiers in Psychology, a study was published that investigated links between various foods, food intolerances, sleep patterns, and the nature of dreams, using data from more than 1,000 participants.

The study revealed that eating dairy items such as cheese might increase the chance of experiencing troubled dreams. Around one quarter of the participants who mentioned dreaming about food attributed their dreams to dairy intake.

Cheese isn’t the only food that causes nightmares

Additionally, it was found that other types of food are connected to having nightmares. Interestingly, desserts and sweets stood out, being associated with disturbing dreams a remarkable 31% of the time.

People who have food allergies or lactose intolerance seem to be at a higher risk of experiencing nightmares after consuming dairy products. Discomfort in the digestive system, like bloating or cramps, might interfere with sleep, leading to short awakenings called micro-arousals. These minor disturbances during sleep are believed to make individuals more likely to remember intense or disturbing dreams.

The research additionally looked into various eating patterns. It revealed that snacking late in the evening or eating when you’re not truly hungry can negatively impact sleep quality and increase the likelihood of unsettling dreams. On the other hand, diets abundant in fruits, vegetables, and herbal teas were shown to promote better sleep and fewer nightmares.

It’s no secret that cheese has been linked with bizarre dreams for a while now, as cultural allusions to this notion date back to the start of the 20th century.

In recent times, this isn’t just any study that has gained widespread attention on social media; similar occurrences have happened before. For instance, a research paper published in May highlighted the text messages that had a strong emotional impact on recipients.

Read More

2025-07-03 17:49