{"id":678580,"date":"2025-07-04T16:25:16","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T13:25:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-dairy-might-disrupt-your-sleep-and-dreams\/"},"modified":"2025-07-04T16:25:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T13:25:16","slug":"how-dairy-might-disrupt-your-sleep-and-dreams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-dairy-might-disrupt-your-sleep-and-dreams\/","title":{"rendered":"How dairy might disrupt your sleep and dreams"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3b505ab771a\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3b505ab771a\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-dairy-might-disrupt-your-sleep-and-dreams\/#What_the_research_cant_prove\" >What the research can&#8217;t prove<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/cheese-1.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/cheese-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/cheese-1.jpg\" alt=\"cheese\" title=\"Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Ebenezer Scrooge tried to wave away the ghost of Jacob Marley by <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesdickenspage.com\/carol-dickens-reading-text.html\" target=\"_blank\">blaming<\/a> the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>arition on &#8220;an undigested bit of beef \u2026 a crumb of cheese.&#8221; Charles Dickens might have been writing fiction, but the idea that late-night dairy can warp dreams has now gained scientific support.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers in Canada <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/journals\/psychology\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1544475\/full\" target=\"_blank\">surveyed<\/a> 1,082 university students about their eating habits, sleep patterns and dreams.\u2006 Remarkably, 40% reported that certain foods affected their sleep. Of that group, 20% blamed dairy\u2014suggesting that Scrooge&#8217;s midnight cheese might have had more of an impact than he realized.<\/p>\n<p>Just 5.5% believed food changed their dreams, but among those respondents dairy again loomed large, second only to sugary desserts as a perceived trigger for bizarre or disturbing dreams.<\/p>\n<p>The researchers asked about everything from nightmare frequency to food allergies and intolerances. A clear pattern emerged: participants who reported lactose intolerance were significantly more likely to have frequent nightmares. And the link was strongest in people who also experienced bloating or cramps.<\/p>\n<p>Statistical modeling suggested the stomach distress partly explains the bad dreams. In other words, food that keeps the gut churning can also set the imagination spinning.<\/p>\n<p>That gut\u2013brain route makes physiological sense. Abdominal discomfort can <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC4849511\/\" target=\"_blank\">jolt sleepers<\/a> into <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15288405\/\" target=\"_blank\">lighter stages<\/a> of sleep where <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aafp.org\/pubs\/afp\/issues\/2000\/0401\/p2037.html\" target=\"_blank\">vivid or negative dreams<\/a> are most common. Inflammation and spikes in cortisol (a stress hormone) triggered by digestive upset <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC534695\/\" target=\"_blank\">may further shape<\/a> the emotional tone of dreams, especially by amplifying anxiety or negativity.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier work backs the idea. A 2015 survey of Canadian undergraduates found that nearly 18% linked what they ate to their dreams, with dairy the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC4330685\/\" target=\"_blank\">top suspect<\/a>, while a 2022 online study of 436 dream enthusiasts reported that people who ate more sugary snacks <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de\/index.php\/IJoDR\/article\/view\/86509\" target=\"_blank\">remembered more nightmares<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The new study from Canada echoes a wider literature on diet and sleep. Diets rich in fiber, fruit and vegetables are <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/40506285\/\" target=\"_blank\">associated with<\/a> deeper, more refreshing sleep, whereas meals high in saturated fat and sugar <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/26156950\/\" target=\"_blank\">predict<\/a> lighter, more fragmented rest.<\/p>\n<p>Eating late in the evening has been tied to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/39088487\/\" target=\"_blank\">poorer sleep quality<\/a> and to an <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC9685668\/\" target=\"_blank\">&#8220;evening chronotype&#8221;<\/a> (that is, night owls), itself linked to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/38469083\/\" target=\"_blank\">nightmare<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20075301\/\" target=\"_blank\">frequency<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If future work confirms the cheese\u2013nightmare connection, the implications could be practical. Nightmares affect about 4% of adults worldwide and are particularly common in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC6263296\/\" target=\"_blank\">post-traumatic stress disorder<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Drug treatments <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC5991964\/\" target=\"_blank\">exist<\/a> but carry side-effects. Adjusting the timing or composition of evening meals, or choosing low-lactose dairy options, would be a far cheaper, lower-risk intervention.<\/p>\n<p>Gut-friendly diets such as the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/39806712\/\" target=\"_blank\">Mediterranean diet<\/a> are already being explored for mood disorders; nightmares may be another frontier for nutritional psychiatry.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_research_cant_prove\"><\/span>What the research can&#8217;t prove<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>That said, the new findings come with caveats. The sample was young, mostly healthy psychology students filling out online questionnaires. Food intake, lactose intolerance and nightmare frequency were all self-reported, so &#8220;recall biases&#8221; (inaccurate memory) or the power of suggestion could inflate the associations.<\/p>\n<p>Only 59 participants believed food influenced their dreams, so a small number of effects (unreliable results from too little data) are possible. And a survey can only reveal associations\u2014it can&#8217;t prove that cheese causes bad dreams.<\/p>\n<p>Cheese keeps cropping up in nightmare stories, and people who struggle to digest dairy report the worst of it. Scientists still have to match meal diaries, gut clues and lab-monitored dreams to prove the link. In the meantime, try eating earlier or choosing low-lactose options. Your stomach\u2014and your dreams\u2014may calm down.<\/p>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium my-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Conversation<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use href=\"https:\/\/medx.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n                                                This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/from-scrooge-to-science-how-dairy-might-disrupt-your-sleep-and-dreams-260328\" target=\"_blank\">original article<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/260328\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/>\n                                            <\/p>\n<p>                                        <!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>\n                                                 <strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n                                                 How dairy might disrupt your sleep and dreams (2025, July 4)<br \/>\n                                                 retrieved 4 July 2025<br \/>\n                                                 from https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2025-07-dairy-disrupt.html\n                                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                            This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n                                            part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.\n                                            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/news\/2025-07-dairy-disrupt.html\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain Ebenezer Scrooge tried to wave away the ghost of Jacob Marley by blaming the apparition on &#8220;an undigested bit of beef \u2026 a crumb of cheese.&#8221; Charles Dickens might have been writing fiction, but the idea that late-night dairy can warp dreams has now gained scientific support. Researchers in Canada surveyed&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":678581,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/cheese-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-678580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=678580"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678580\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/678581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=678580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=678580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=678580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}