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Survey Links Dairy to Nightmares, Researchers to Test Causation in Controlled Trials

Researchers led by Tore Nielsen aim to confirm a causal link by assigning participants to cheese versus non-dairy control foods before bedtime.

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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.