Overview

• A peer-reviewed Frontiers in Psychology survey of 1,082 Canadian undergraduates found that dairy consumption correlates with more frequent and vivid nightmares.
• Lactose-intolerant and allergy-affected individuals reported gastrointestinal distress that led to micro-arousals and intensified negative dream content.
• Just over 5 percent of respondents identified specific foods as influencing their dreams, with dairy and sweets topping the list of perceived triggers for disturbing sleep experiences.
• Major news outlets amplified the study with sensational headlines suggesting cheese directly causes nightmares despite its correlational design.
• The research team plans controlled experiments to determine whether cheese truly alters sleep and dream patterns under standardized conditions.