Cheese And Dreams: The Strange Link

There is a common belief that eating cheese before bed can cause nightmares or vivid dreams. However, there is little evidence to support this claim. While some people report having strange dreams after consuming cheese before sleep, others find that it improves their sleep. A study conducted by the British Cheese Board in 2005 found that while different types of cheese may lead to different types of dreams, none of the participants reported having nightmares. The belief that cheese causes nightmares may be influenced by old wives' tales or the suggestion that cheese affects dreams. Additionally, the impact of cheese on dreams may be related to indigestion, lactose intolerance, or the difficulty of digesting cheese, which can disrupt sleep quality.

Blue cheese causes vivid dreams

Eating blue cheese before bed has been found to cause vivid dreams. While it won't give you nightmares, you may find yourself dreaming of a vegetarian crocodile upset that it can't eat children, or soldiers fighting with kittens instead of guns. These dreams are not nightmarish, but they are certainly wacky.

The Science

Blue cheese contains an amino acid called tryptophan, which is known to help normalise sleep and reduce stress levels. Tryptophan is also a precursor to serotonin, which has been known to cause vivid dreaming when at higher levels in the body.

The Studies

In 2005, the British Cheese Board conducted a study that found that while cheese doesn't cause nightmares, it can cause vivid dreams. Volunteers who ate blue cheese reported some very vivid dreams. However, this study was not scientifically robust and was not published in a peer-reviewed journal.

A separate study in 2015 found that people who perceived a connection between diet and dreams mostly picked out dairy products as being the cause of disturbing or bizarre dreams. Again, this was based on the participants' perceptions.

Other Factors

It's not just the cheese that can cause vivid dreams, but also what you eat with it. Crackers, for example, are high in carbohydrates, which cause your body to release extra insulin to balance your blood sugar levels. This can make you feel lethargic.

Alcohol can also disrupt sleep, so if you're having a glass of wine with your cheese, that could be affecting your sleep and dreams.

The very idea that cheese causes vivid dreams may also be a self-fulfilling prophecy. People may be more focused on their dreams after eating cheese and therefore more likely to draw conclusions.

Cheddar makes you dream about celebrities

Cheddar Cheese Makes You Dream About Celebrities

It's true – eating cheddar cheese before bed really can make you dream about celebrities. This phenomenon was discovered by the British Cheese Board, who conducted a study in 2005 to investigate the link between cheese and dreams.

The Science Behind It

The British Cheese Board's study found that different types of cheese can provoke different kinds of dreams. While the volunteers in the study didn't report any nightmares, they did experience vivid dreams. Cheddar cheese, in particular, seemed to induce celebrity-themed dreams.

Examples of Cheddar-Induced Dreams

One person who participated in the study reported dreaming about forming a human pyramid under the supervision of Johnny Depp. Another person's dream involved their family sitting in a pub with Jordan.

The Role of Tryptophan

So, what's the reason behind these cheesy celebrity dreams? It's thought that an amino acid called tryptophan, which is found in milk and cheese, plays a role in stabilising sleep patterns and reducing stress levels. This may be why most participants in the study reported sleeping well and having clear memories of their dreams.

Other Cheeses, Other Dreams

It's not just cheddar that can influence your dreams. The British Cheese Board found that eating Red Leicester cheese led to nostalgic dreams about childhood and family, while Lancashire cheese resulted in dreams about work. As for Stilton blue cheese, it induced some of the wildest dreams, including one about a vegetarian crocodile upset that it couldn't eat children.

So, if you're curious about the dream-inducing powers of cheese, you might want to start with a bedtime snack of cheddar and see if you too can dream about celebrities. But remember, while cheese may influence your dreams, it's important to enjoy it in moderation and be mindful of your overall food intake before bed to avoid any indigestion or sleep disturbances.

Eating late causes nightmares

While there is a prevalent belief that cheese induces nightmares, there is little evidence to support this claim. The idea that cheese causes nightmares may have originated from an old wives' tale to prevent heartburn and indigestion. In reality, eating late at night, regardless of the food, can cause nightmares.

Eating a large amount of food before bed can lead to a longer period of REM sleep, during which vivid dreams occur. Indigestion can also cause frequent waking, leading to better dream recall. Therefore, it is not the consumption of cheese but the late hour of eating that may be the true cause of nightmares.

A Canadian study from 2015 supports this idea, as almost half of the 396 student participants reported that eating late resulted in nightmares or disturbing dreams. Furthermore, 15% believed that certain foods, with dairy being the main culprit, made their dreams more bizarre or disturbing. However, the researchers suggested that this belief could be influenced by the aforementioned old wives' tale.

The British Cheese Board conducted a study in 2005 that examined the relationship between cheese and dreams. Volunteers who consumed cheese before bed did not experience nightmares. Instead, most reported sleeping well and could recall their dreams clearly. Different types of cheese were associated with distinct themes in dreams. For example, those who ate blue cheese had vivid dreams, while those who ate cheddar dreamed about celebrities.

While the British Cheese Board study did not find a link between cheese and nightmares, it contributed to the perception that cheese affects dream content. However, it is important to note that the study was not published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Tyramine in cheese induces dreams

Cheese is often blamed for causing nightmares, but there is little evidence to support this claim. However, it is true that eating late at night can cause nightmares, and cheese is often eaten late at night, so it may be that cheese is taking the blame for nightmares caused by eating late.

Tyramine, an amino acid found in cheese, has been suggested as a possible culprit for cheese-induced nightmares. Tyramine triggers the release of the neurotransmitter noradrenaline in a part of the brain linked to dream sleep. However, other tyramine-containing foods, such as chocolate, have not been linked to nightmares, so more evidence is needed to support this theory.

The British Cheese Board conducted a study in 2005 to investigate the link between cheese and nightmares. They found that eating cheese before bed did not cause nightmares, but it did seem to influence the types of dreams people had. For example, those who ate blue cheese had vivid dreams, while those who ate cheddar dreamed about celebrities. However, this study was not scientifically robust and was not published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Another theory for how cheese may influence dreams is that it is rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin, which has been linked to vivid dreaming. Tryptophan is also a precursor to melatonin, a hormone associated with sleep, so it could be that cheese improves sleep rather than disrupts it.

It's also possible that the belief that cheese causes nightmares is so prevalent that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. According to Tore Nielson, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal, "Just knowing that cheese affects nightmares could induce dreams, because people are suggestible."

So, while there is no definitive answer, it seems that the link between cheese and nightmares is more complicated than a simple yes or no.

Dairy intolerance may be the cause

The belief that dairy causes disturbing dreams could be linked to years of being told this old wives' tale. However, there may be some scientific basis to the claim. Dairy products are high in lactose, and lactose produces symptoms like gas, bloating, and diarrhea, which can influence dreams. Dreams draw on somatic sources, and if you have certain intolerances, you may still eat those foods sometimes.

Furthermore, cheese is often rich in the amino acid tyramine, which induces the production of noradrenaline. This hormone is associated with your body's fight-or-flight response, acting as a stimulant for the brain and impairing sleep. Another theory suggests that cheese is difficult to digest, which means your body is slightly awake while trying to process it, resulting in longer REM sleep and more dreams.

While there is no concrete evidence that cheese causes nightmares, dairy intolerance may be a factor in disturbing dreams for some people.

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