Food And Nightmares: The Surprising Link: Ep. 1253 AUG 2025

A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology surveyed 1,082 participants to investigate how food influences sleep and dreams, exploring direct food effects, physiological symptoms (food distress), and altered sleep quality. The study found that 40.2% of participants reported food affecting their sleep, with 24.7% claiming it worsened sleep and 20.1% reporting improvement. Furthermore, 5.5% of participants experienced food-dependent dreaming. The perceived effect of food on dreams was linked to higher nightmare recall and Nightmare Disorder Index scores. Desserts/sweets (31%) and dairy (22%) were most frequently blamed for disturbing dream changes. The study also revealed associations between perceived food-dependent dreaming and food allergies and gluten intolerance, while worse sleep perceptions were tied to lactose intolerance. Importantly, higher Nightmare Disorder Index scores were strongly associated with food allergy and lactose intolerance, with the latter being mediated by the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms. Healthy eating, such as less evening eating, predicted higher dream recall, while unhealthy eating, including gastric symptoms, lower reliance on hunger/satiety cues, and evening eating, predicted nightmares and dream negativity. These findings suggest that food sensitivities, particularly lactose intolerance, can contribute to nightmare prevalence, potentially through gastrointestinal symptoms, opening new avenues for research on food-dependent dreaming and non-pharmacological interventions for sleep disturbances.
Disclaimers:
"This information is for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice." "The study discussed was conducted on humans via an online survey and focuses on perceived effects and associations. Further experimental research is needed to confirm direct causal links between specific foods and dream content." "Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, supplement regimen, or treatment plan, especially if you have a medical condition or are taking medications." "This channel is not monetized and does not provide medical advice
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Nielsen T, Radke J, Picard-Deland C and Powell RA (2025) More dreams of the rarebit fiend: food sensitivity and dietary correlates of sleep and dreaming. Front. Psychol. 16:1544475. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1544475
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