Jeff Gibbs, the proprietor of Gibbs Cheese, was spotted selecting Pecorino Romano cheese imported from Sardinia, Italy, at his shop in Findlay Market, Cincinnati, on Thursday, April 3, 2025. For some time, dairy products, particularly cheese, have been associated with nightmares. This notion has been reinforced by cultural references, such as Ebenezer Scrooge’s remark about being visited by ghosts due to “a crumb of cheese” in “A Christmas Carol” and a comic strip from the 20th century connecting unsettling dreams to indulging in Welsh rarebit—a dish featuring cheese on toast.
A recent investigation published in the journal *Frontiers in Psychology* sought to evaluate these longstanding beliefs regarding dairy and sleep disturbances. Conducted by researchers at MacEwan University, the study surveyed 1,082 students to gauge their perceptions of how food consumption affects their dreams. Participants were asked about general eating habits, dietary sensitivities, and their sleep quality, including the nature of their dreams and nightmares.
The research revealed that nearly half of the respondents felt certain foods either negatively or positively impacted their sleep. About 20% reported better sleep resulting from dietary choices, while nearly 25% believed that food had a detrimental effect on their sleep, and 5% indicated it influenced their dreams.
According to the researchers, individuals who attributed their dreaming patterns to food experienced more frequent and distressing dreams and tended to ignore hunger signals. Among those blaming dietary choices for sleep issues, sweets topped the list at 31%, followed by dairy at 22%.
In a related note, Snickers bars from Brazil were being sold at Economy Candy in New York’s Lower East Side on Friday, April 4, 2025, adding a sweet anecdote to the food discussion.
The research also found that concerns about poor sleep were linked to lactose intolerance and gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly in individuals who snacked late at night. Around 30% of those who felt their diet negatively affected their sleep reported being lactose intolerant.
Dr. Tore Nielsen, the lead author from Université de Montréal, remarked, “These new findings imply that changing eating habits for people with some food sensitivities could alleviate nightmares. They could also explain why people so often blame dairy for bad dreams!” He noted that dairy consumption could lead to digestive discomfort, which may in turn affect dream quality and overall sleep.
Conversely, some participants shared that their sleep improved with the addition of fruits and vegetables to their diets. Approximately 18% of regular fruit consumers noticed better sleep, while 12% of those favoring vegetables and 13% of herbal tea drinkers reported similar benefits.
While the research confirmed a strong association between diet and sleep, the precise dynamics remain uncertain. It is possible that poor dietary habits lead to inadequate sleep, or that lack of sleep influences food choices, or that another factor might impact both.
These intriguing findings pose the possibility that digestive issues stemming from dairy could contribute to unusual or disturbing dreams, paving the way for further exploration into the relationship between food and dreaming. In the meantime, some individuals may feel motivated to adjust their diets on their own accord, without seeking professional guidance.
