Can consuming cheese trigger bad dreams?
What we eat does not only affect the waistline or growth, it can affect our sleep patterns too. There are studies where participants have perceived a relationship between food and dreams.In a study published in Frontiers Psychology, over 1000 participants were surveyed for the concept of food-dependent dreaming. Around 40.2 per cent reported that certain foods affected their sleep. About 31 per cent blamed desserts or sweets, while 22 per cent held dairy as the culprit.And when it comes to dairy, cheese takes the spotlight owing to all the folklore it has driven in the past.
Cheese may affect sleep (Photo: Unsplash)
advertisementWhat's interesting is that most people who reported bad dreams due to dairy products were also lactose intolerant.'Nightmare severity is robustly associated with lactose intolerance and other food allergies,' said Dr Tore Nielsen, Universite de Montreal, lead author of the article in Frontiers in Psychology, in a statement. "These new findings imply that changing eating habits for people with some food sensitivities could alleviate nightmares. They could also explain why people so often blame dairy for bad dreams!'Say cheese or not?In agreement with Dr. Nielsen's statement, Dr. Pushkar Arvind Shikarkhane, Internal Medicine, Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai, explains India Today how cheese can affect sleep and dreams."Some cheeses, especially aged and fermented varieties like cheddar, blue cheese, and camembert, contain higher levels of tyramine. Tyramine is an amino acid that can stimulate the brain and adrenal glands, potentially leading to a "fight or flight" response. While most people can process tyramine without issues, in sensitive individuals or those on certain medications, it can potentially interfere with sleep and may lead to nightmares."Experts believe that certain kinds of cheese may affect the body more due to its tyramine content, which makes it hard to fall asleep. Mild cheese like mozzarella and cottage cheese are generally considered less likely to cause sleep disturbances.advertisementSo, if your midnight snack is a slab of stinky blue cheese, don't be surprised if your dreams get equally funky.But, it's not just cheeseDo you remember the episode from Disney's show Hannah Montana where Miley Cyrus experiences bad dreams after sipping a piping cup of hot chocolate right before bed? Well, cheese might not be the only mischief-maker.Sugar in desserts may disrupt your sleep cycle because of a blood sugar spike. "Eating sugary or fatty foods at night, like sweets, desserts, or ice cream, can mess with your blood sugar and digestion. This may lead to poor-quality sleep, more awakenings during the night, and sometimes restless or bad dreams," says Dr. Rahul Agrawal, HOD and clinical director of internal medicine, dietician, diabetologist, CARE Hospitals, Hyderabad.But food is not the only villain. Lifestyle and health issues can trigger it as well. "Nightmares are not caused only by food. They can happen due to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) also. The most common symptom of OSA is snoring," cautions Dr Shikarkhane.Food for thoughtBefore you toss every candy bar, there's more to the story. Experts say that moderation and time are key. Here are some expert-backed tips for a good night's sleep and to avoid nightmares:advertisementAvoid heavy meals, cheese, sweets, and desserts at least two - three hours before bedtime.Choose light snacks like a small banana or nuts if you are hungry.Don't drink tea, coffee, or chocolate in the evening.Maintain a two-three-hour gap between dinner and bedtime. Going to bed by 11 pm is ideal as per experts.Diabetics should consume balanced meals inclusive of protein, veggies, and whole grains, to keep sugar stable.Stay hydrated throughout the day, but don't drink too much water right before bed.While research on food-dependent dreams and their impact on the sleep cycle is still limited, it's gradually growing. The study's author also notes the need to expand this research across diverse age groups, backgrounds, and habits to better understand and generalise the findings for a broader population.- Ends
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Woke up sweaty because of a bad dream? Maybe it's the cheddar cheese pizza that you had for dinner that is keeping you and bad dreams have been the centre of debate for a long time. Even Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol blamed his 'crumbs of cheese' and his food for the ghost he saw. Now, a recent peer-reviewed study claims that there can be a link between nightmares and out, cheese and crackers might be racking up more than calories; they could be stealing your sleep!The study says... What we eat does not only affect the waistline or growth, it can affect our sleep patterns too. There are studies where participants have perceived a relationship between food and a study published in Frontiers Psychology, over 1000 participants were surveyed for the concept of food-dependent dreaming. Around 40.2 per cent reported that certain foods affected their sleep. About 31 per cent blamed desserts or sweets, while 22 per cent held dairy as the when it comes to dairy, cheese takes the spotlight owing to all the folklore it has driven in the past. Cheese may affect sleep (Photo: Unsplash) advertisementWhat's interesting is that most people who reported bad dreams due to dairy products were also lactose intolerant.'Nightmare severity is robustly associated with lactose intolerance and other food allergies,' said Dr Tore Nielsen, Universite de Montreal, lead author of the article in Frontiers in Psychology, in a statement. "These new findings imply that changing eating habits for people with some food sensitivities could alleviate nightmares. They could also explain why people so often blame dairy for bad dreams!'Say cheese or not?In agreement with Dr. Nielsen's statement, Dr. Pushkar Arvind Shikarkhane, Internal Medicine, Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai, explains India Today how cheese can affect sleep and dreams."Some cheeses, especially aged and fermented varieties like cheddar, blue cheese, and camembert, contain higher levels of tyramine. Tyramine is an amino acid that can stimulate the brain and adrenal glands, potentially leading to a "fight or flight" response. While most people can process tyramine without issues, in sensitive individuals or those on certain medications, it can potentially interfere with sleep and may lead to nightmares."Experts believe that certain kinds of cheese may affect the body more due to its tyramine content, which makes it hard to fall asleep. Mild cheese like mozzarella and cottage cheese are generally considered less likely to cause sleep if your midnight snack is a slab of stinky blue cheese, don't be surprised if your dreams get equally it's not just cheeseDo you remember the episode from Disney's show Hannah Montana where Miley Cyrus experiences bad dreams after sipping a piping cup of hot chocolate right before bed? Well, cheese might not be the only in desserts may disrupt your sleep cycle because of a blood sugar spike. "Eating sugary or fatty foods at night, like sweets, desserts, or ice cream, can mess with your blood sugar and digestion. This may lead to poor-quality sleep, more awakenings during the night, and sometimes restless or bad dreams," says Dr. Rahul Agrawal, HOD and clinical director of internal medicine, dietician, diabetologist, CARE Hospitals, food is not the only villain. Lifestyle and health issues can trigger it as well. "Nightmares are not caused only by food. They can happen due to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) also. The most common symptom of OSA is snoring," cautions Dr for thoughtBefore you toss every candy bar, there's more to the story. Experts say that moderation and time are key. Here are some expert-backed tips for a good night's sleep and to avoid nightmares:advertisementAvoid heavy meals, cheese, sweets, and desserts at least two - three hours before light snacks like a small banana or nuts if you are drink tea, coffee, or chocolate in the a two-three-hour gap between dinner and bedtime. Going to bed by 11 pm is ideal as per should consume balanced meals inclusive of protein, veggies, and whole grains, to keep sugar hydrated throughout the day, but don't drink too much water right before research on food-dependent dreams and their impact on the sleep cycle is still limited, it's gradually growing. The study's author also notes the need to expand this research across diverse age groups, backgrounds, and habits to better understand and generalise the findings for a broader population.- Ends
