Study Shows How Your Diet Could Be Shaping Your Dreams and Nightmares

A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology delves into a question many people have wondered about: can the food we eat affect our dreams? By surveying over 1,000 Canadian psychology students, researchers explored how diet, food allergies, and intolerances may impact not only sleep quality but also the vividness and type of dreams, including nightmares.

The study revealed that more than 40% of participants felt certain foods either improved or worsened their sleep quality, while around 5% believed their diet influenced their dreams, with desserts, sweets, and dairy cited most often. Those with food allergies or gluten intolerance were more likely to perceive a connection between food and dreaming, and participants with lactose intolerance reported poorer sleep alongside more frequent and severe nightmares.

Notably, the researchers found a link between gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain and the occurrence of nightmares in individuals with lactose intolerance. This supports growing evidence for the gut-brain axis, which connects digestive health with brain function and mental states. Their findings suggest that discomfort in the gut can manifest as psychological symptoms during sleep.