Sweet dreams soured by dairy, researchers say – CTV
July 01, 2025
A new Canadian study suggests that consuming dairy may increase the likelihood of nightmares and poor-quality sleep.
The research, published in Frontiers in Psychology Tuesday, examined self-reported links between eating habits, gastrointestinal discomfort, and dreaming in more than 1,000 students at MacEwan University in Edmonton.
About a third of respondents said they experienced regular nightmares. Among them, those with food sensitivities, and particularly lactose intolerance, were significantly more likely to report both disturbed sleep and emotionally intense or negative dreams.
“The severity of lactose intolerance symptoms was associated with the severity of nightmare disorders,” said Dr. Tore Nielsen, lead author and director of the Dream and Nightmare Laboratory at Université de Montréal, in a video interview with CTVNews.ca. “So, the more severe the symptoms, the more severe the nightmare problem.”
Participants filled out extensive questionnaires that asked about food sensitivities, sleep habits, dream recall, emotional tone of dreams, and general health. Researchers also gathered data on eating patterns and diet quality, categorizing participants as having healthier or less healthy eating habits.
Read more: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/sweet-dreams-soured-by-dairy-researchers-say/
