Could Dairy Be Causing Your Bad Dreams?

Follow Drugslib on

By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com

via HealthDay

WEDNESDAY, July 2, 2025 — Having bad dreams after eating ice cream or cheese? Your stomach may be trying to tell you something.

New research shows that people with worse symptoms of lactose intolerance tended to report more frequent nightmares, NBC News reported.

The research, published July 1 in Frontiers in Psychology, looked at the eating and sleeping habits of more than 1,000 people. It’s a followup to a 2015 study of food and dreams.

“In the earlier study, people were blaming cheese all the time for their bad dreams,” said study co-author Tore Nielsen, a psychiatry professor at the University of Montreal. "I think we got some better answers in the study for that."

Participants filled out a detailed survey as part of a college psychology class. Those who said they had severe digestive symptoms from eating dairy also reported more nightmares.

That included more frequent bad dreams, greater emotional distress from the dreams and longer-lasting effects that sometimes interfered with daily life.

The foods most often blamed for the nightmares were dairy and sweets, NBC News said.

Experts say stomach trouble could be disturbing sleep in ways that affect dreaming.

“If you have GI issues, that could account for a lot of what’s happening in terms of your sleep disturbances that could be associated with different dreams,” said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia University.

If someone eats a trigger food for their lactose intolerance, that can cause sleep disruptions known as "micro-arousals," Patrick McNamara, a neurologist at Boston University who studies sleep and dreams, told NBC News.

These disruptions may make nightmares feel more intense.

Still, experts warn that the study doesn’t prove dairy directly causes nightmares. Other unknown factors could also be involved.

Researchers also hope to test other groups to gain even more insights.

In the meantime, people who suspect dairy is disturbing their sleep might try cutting back.

You can look at your diet and make small changes without needing a doctor to help, Nielsen added.

Sources

  • NBC News, July 1, 2025

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2025-07-03 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords