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LATE-NIGHT FRIDGE RAIDS often lead to dairy – a slice of cheese, a cup of milk, or a sneaky dessert. But what if these innocent indulgences are quietly wreaking havoc on your dreams?
A recent Canadian study, led by researchers surveying 1,082 university students, adds scientific weight to a long-standing folk belief: that certain foods, particularly dairy, can affect sleep and even shape our dreams.
Roughly 40% of those surveyed felt food had an impact on their sleep. Of those, a fifth singled out dairy as the culprit. When it came to dreams, the numbers were smaller but still striking. Just over 5% believed what they ate changed their dreams – and again, dairy ranked second only to sugary desserts as a perceived trigger for disturbing or bizarre dreamscapes.
What makes dairy such a prime suspect? The researchers found that participants who reported being lactose intolerant were notably more likely to experience frequent nightmares. The connection was strongest in individuals who also suffered from bloating or cramps, pointing to the gut as a possible gateway to troubled sleep.
This stomach-sleep connection isn’t just speculation. The study’s statistical modelling suggests that digestive discomfort may partly explain the uptick in vivid or negative dreams. Physiologically, it makes sense: abdominal distress can rouse sleepers into lighter sleep phases, where intense dreaming is more likely. The accompanying inflammation and cortisol spikes – the body’s stress response – may further shape the emotional landscape of these dreams, making them more fraught or anxious in tone.
These findings echo earlier research. A 2015 survey found nearly 18% of Canadian undergraduates linked food to their dreams, with dairy topping the list. In 2022, an online group of self-identified “dream enthusiasts” revealed that sugary snacks were associated with more remembered nightmares.
More broadly, the study slots into a growing body of work on how diet shapes sleep. Diets rich in fibre, fruit, and vegetables are associated with deeper, more restful sleep, while high-fat, high-sugar meals often lead to fragmented or lighter sleep.
Late-night eating in general has also been tied to poor sleep quality and a preference for staying up late – an “evening chronotype” that’s itself linked with a higher likelihood of nightmares.
So where does this leave us? For now, the science is still evolving. The study sample was young, predominantly healthy psychology students, and the data was self-reported – meaning memory lapses or the power of suggestion could skew the results. Only 59 participants believed food influenced their dreams, raising the risk of unreliable conclusions from too small a group.
Importantly, this was a survey – not a controlled trial. It can suggest associations, but it can’t prove causation. Cheese might be cropping up in nightmare folklore for a reason, but the evidence isn’t strong enough yet to say definitively that it’s to blame.
Still, if you’re waking up frazzled from anxious dreams and have a habit of dairy-rich dinners or midnight scoops of ice cream, it might be worth experimenting with changes. Swapping to low-lactose options, eating earlier in the evening, or choosing gut-friendly meals might just give your digestive system – and your dreams – a gentler night.
Based on a research article by Timothy Hearn, originally published on The Conversation UK.
