Latest news with #DrToreNielsen
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dairy at bedtime could be affecting your sleep
People who have trouble sleeping are being urged to cut one dairy product from their bedtime routines. New studies have shown that consuming cheese could be causing disturbed sleep and frequent nightmares. Experts say they have found a strong link between getting nighttime terrors and having a form of lactose intolerance. Researchers questioned more than 1,000 students at Canada's MacEwan University about their sleep, eating habits, and any perceived tie between the two. Almost a third of those asked admitted to having regular nightmares with the majority of these respondents women. Females were also more likely to remember their dreams and nearly twice as likely as men to know that they had a food allergy or intolerance. 40 per cent of the students said they thought that eating late at night or eating specific foods had affected their sleep, while a quarter believed that consuming certain foods could make their sleep worse. The study found that people with less healthy diets were more likely to have bad dreams and less likely to remember their dreams. From comparing the data collated, the experts compared reports of food intolerances to those of bad dreams and poor sleep, and found that 'lactose intolerance was associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, nightmares, and low sleep quality'. Lead researcher Dr Tore Nielsen, who helped collate the findings from the University of Montreal, said: 'Nightmare severity is robustly associated with lactose intolerance and other food allergies. '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. 'Nightmares are worse for lactose-intolerant people who suffer severe gastrointestinal symptoms and whose sleep is disrupted. This makes sense, because we know that other bodily sensations can affect dreaming.' Some 'grate' advice has been issued by top scientists who think they may have found the remedy to enjoying a peaceful night of slumber. Stomach pain from consuming dairy before laying down for the night plus gas during the night can affect sleep, researchers say, adding that the way to a getting a fully rested night could be as simple as cutting out cheese. Not consuming the dairy product could help improve sleep quality, which may already be disrupted thanks to a number of outside factors such as noise and light pollution or other health issues. Now, the authors are hoping to continue their studies to get a more in depth look at the impact certain foods have on our sleep quality. Nielsen added: 'We need to study more people of different ages, from different walks of life, and with different dietary habits to determine if our results are truly generalizable to the larger population.' The full findings have been published in journal Frontiers in Psychology.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Brits issued urgent 'nightmare' warning issued to anyone that eats cheese
A warning has been issued for anyone who eats cheese, because, as it turns out, cheese really can cause nightmares. Who knew? A study claims that fans of cheese should be warned about the potential side effects and impact. A study of over 1,000 people found that those with lactose intolerance reported overall worse quality sleep and significantly more bad dreams Can say with 100% certainty that cheese before bed does not give me nightmares. — Bob (@WausauBob) July 2, 2025 They said dairy may cause 'gastrointestinal disturbance' that can disrupt sleep. Study author Dr Tore Nielsen, from the University of Montreal, in Canada, said: 'Nightmares are worse for lactose-intolerant people who suffer severe gastrointestinal symptoms and whose sleep is disrupted. 'This makes sense because we know that other bodily sensations can affect dreaming. These findings imply that changing eating habits for people with food sensitivities could alleviate nightmares. 'They could also explain why people so often blame dairy for bad dreams. We're routinely asked whether food affects dreaming. Now we have some answers.' Experts reckon digesting dairy can cause gut pain that plays havoc with the sleeping brain. Speaking previously, Dr Dennis Schmoltzi, CEO at Emma Sleep, said: 'Whether scientifically proven or just an old wives' tale, there's no doubt that Brits have identified a link between their cheese intake, and the strange visions that feature in their dreams. Recommended reading: Ryanair issues warning to passengers over 'free' hand luggage rule Helen Skelton on mental health and importance of 'speaking to people in pubs' Nationwide offering fresh £280 in free bonuses to thousands of customers 'Unfortunately for those who believe they have had a cheese-induced night-fright, 'tis the season to be cheesy – and vivid dreams may be part and parcel with Christmas celebrations. 'The admiration and love for cheese felt by Brits is clear to see – and with Christmas on the horizon, I have no doubt that households across the country are dusting off their cheese boards. 'It is interesting to note the number of cheese-lovers who feel snoozy after indulging in their favourite snack – a relationship which might account for a portion of the unscheduled festive naps taken this Christmas.'
The Independent
03-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Eating cheese might be the cause of bad dreams, scientists say
A study has identified a strong association between nightmares and lactose intolerance, suggesting that gastrointestinal discomfort from dairy can disrupt sleep and contribute to bad dreams. Dr. Tore Nielsen, the lead researcher from the Université de Montréal, indicated that adjusting eating habits for individuals with food sensitivities could potentially alleviate nightmares. The research involved surveying over 1,000 students at Canada's MacEwan University regarding their sleep patterns, dietary habits, and any perceived links between the two. Findings showed that women constituted the majority of participants reporting poor sleep and nightmares, and they were also more prone to recalling dreams and reporting food allergies or intolerances. The study concluded that improved awareness of food intolerances could lead to better sleep quality, although further research is needed to confirm these links across diverse populations.
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
More parm than good? Cheese may be what's giving you nightmares, scientists say
Having nightmares? Scientists say a love of cheese may be linked to bad dreams. A strong association has been discovered between nightmares and lactose intolerance. In turn, stomach pain or gas during the night can affect sleep. Understanding that relationship — and potentially cutting out cheese — could help improve sleep quality, which may already be disrupted due to noise and light pollution or other health issues. Good sleep is crucial for the body to function well. 'Nightmare severity is robustly associated with lactose intolerance and other food allergies,' lead researcher Dr. Tore Nielsen, of the Université de Montréal, explained 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!' To reach these conclusions, the researchers questioned more than 1,000 students at Canada's MacEwan University about their sleep, eating habits, and any perceived tie between the two. About a third of participants reported having regular nightmares. The majority of those reporting poor sleep and nightmares were women, who were also more likely to remember their dreams and nearly twice as likely as men to report a food allergy or intolerance. Some 40 percent of the students said they thought that eating late at night or eating specific foods had affected their sleep, and about a quarter believed that consuming certain foods could make their sleep worse. Many blamed bad sleep on spicy foods, sweets, and dairy. However, just 5.5 percent felt that what they ate impacted the tone of their dreams. People with less healthy diets were more likely to have bad dreams and less likely to remember their dreams. The authors compared reports of food intolerances to those of bad dreams and poor sleep, finding that lactose intolerance was associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, nightmares, and low sleep quality. 'Nightmares are worse for lactose-intolerant people who suffer severe gastrointestinal symptoms and whose sleep is disrupted,' said Nielsen. 'This makes sense, because we know that other bodily sensations can affect dreaming.' They noted that improved awareness of food intolerance could mean students in the study ate fewer foods likely to lead to negative outcomes. A previous study, conducted by Nielsen more than a decade ago, showed even more participants reported a link between their food and dreams. Prior research, separate from Nielsen's, has also pointed to this relationship, and blue cheese specifically has been reported to cause vivid dreams. But, there have also been studies showing that dairy helps sleep quality. It remains unclear how sleep and diet impact each other. The authors said additional research is needed to confirm these links and identify the underlying mechanisms. 'We need to study more people of different ages, from different walks of life, and with different dietary habits to determine if our results are truly generalizable to the larger population,' said Nielsen.
RNZ News
01-07-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Does cheese give you weird dreams? Research say it does
Photo: News 2 Me - Dreams It is a question that may have grated on you for sometime, does too much cheese give you weird dreams? According to new research, yes it does, but not just any dreams, more often nightmares. An online survey of more than 1000 students at Canada's MacEwan University found a strong association between bad dreams and lactose intolerance, potentially because gas or stomach pain during the night affects people's dreams. Students were asked about about sleep patterns and any perceived association between different kinds of dreams and foods. About a third of respondents reported regular nightmares. Roughly 25 percent thought particular foods could make their sleep worse. Women were more likely to remember their dreams and to report poor sleep and nightmares and they were twice as likely as men to report a food intolerance or allergy. Researcher and Director at Montreal's Dream & Nightmare Lab at the Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine Dr Tore Nielsen told Checkpoint they found three key findings that all pointed to food being associated with bad dreams. "The first one was that people who had lactose intolerance were reporting more nightmares, and the severity of their symptoms was associated with the severity of the nightmares. So a linear relationship there." Nielsen said that food allergies were generally also associated with nightmares in the same way. The third finding showed that an unhealthy diet could also be a trigger for a restless nights sleep. "An unhealthy diet in general was associated with bad dreams and nightmares," Nielsen said. "By unhealthy I mean, eating very close to bedtime... but also not depending upon your internal signals or when you're hungry, and when you're full." While it was not a firm finding, Nielsen said it was very likely that the severity of lactose intolerance would have an impact on the severity of the dreams. "Many people don't know their status when it comes to lactose intolerance. I mean, it's a kind of spectrum, right? There's a there's very severe cases of lactose intolerance and then very, you know mild cases... the problem is that people will dose themselves with dairy according to their symptoms, you know, and doctors in fact tell people don't just quit entirely if you only have a mild case. "People don't always judge this accurately or adhere to a strict enough diet. So, they do end up getting these symptoms when they're sleeping and they do end up affecting their dreams." The research is yet to reach the point of discovering whether specific cheese's cause certain types of dreams, but Neilsen said it has been attempted before. "The British Cheese Board, they published a study many years ago, and of course they gave people different kinds of cheese... and they claimed that they saw different patterns in the dream content depending on the type of cheese that they'd eaten." "I forget which one, maybe the cheddar, but it triggered dreams about celebrities." However, Neilsen said he highly doubts the accuracy of those findings. "There's a conflict of interest in that it was the Cheese Board itself that ran the study, and it was never published in any kind of scientific journal. So, I think that was a little bit of disinformation that got out there on the internet." For those who struggle to recall their dreams, cheese induced or not, Neilsen said there are a few ways to spark your memory. "Have some a pad of paper or like something that you can record your dream on... it helps to have that by your bed so that if you wake up in the middle of the night, and you have a dream that you can quickly jot down some notes." "It helps if you don't move when you wake up, because movement for some reason seems to really dissipate your memory of the dream." Other ways to make your dreams stick included waking up slightly earlier than usual, people who forget their dreams often wake up in the wrong sleep stage. Neilsen said it's better to wake up from REM sleep because that's where most of the vivid dreaming occurs.
