Overview

• Survey data from 1,082 MacEwan University students revealed that lactose-intolerant individuals experienced significantly more severe nightmares associated with gastrointestinal symptoms.
• Women reported poor sleep quality, frequent nightmares and food sensitivities at nearly double the rate of men.
• Only a small fraction of participants believed specific foods altered dream tone, though sweets, spicy items and dairy were most often blamed for unsettling dreams.
• Researchers caution that while the lactose intolerance link is strong, broader diet–sleep relationships may be bidirectional or influenced by third factors.
• The authors are designing controlled trials comparing cheese intake with neutral foods to establish whether dairy directly alters sleep and dreaming.