“Eating cheese before bed causes nightmares.”

The idea that a late-night snack of cheese could summon disturbing dreams is a long-standing misconception, deeply woven into popular culture. This myth gained significant traction through literary works, most notably Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," where Ebenezer Scrooge attributed his ghostly visions to "a crumb of cheese" among other indigestible supper (Review) items. Later, the early 1900s comic strip "Dream of the Rarebit Fiend" further cemented this notion, depicting characters experiencing bizarre nightmares after consuming Welsh rarebit, a dish of melted spiced cheese on toast. These cultural touchstones helped to popularize the belief that cheese had a peculiar power over our slumbering minds.

Despite its prevalence in folklore, scientific evidence does not support a direct link between eating cheese and experiencing nightmares. In fact, a 2005 study by the British Cheese Board found that participants who ate cheese before bed reported no nightmares and, in many cases, experienced pleasant dreams, with different cheeses purportedly inspiring distinct dream themes. While that particular study had limitations, more recent research suggests that any perceived connection between dairy and unsettling dreams is more likely due to digestive discomfort. Cheese, like other foods, contains amino acids such as tryptophan, which the body uses to produce serotonin and melatonin, hormones crucial for regulating sleep.

People often believe this myth because there's a kernel of truth in the broader idea that what we eat can affect sleep. Consuming any heavy or rich meal too close to bedtime, not just cheese, can lead to indigestion and discomfort, which can disrupt sleep patterns. When sleep is frequently interrupted, individuals are more likely to wake during the rapid eye movement (REM) stage, where vivid dreams occur, and thus remember them more clearly, including any unpleasant ones. Additionally, for those with lactose intolerance, dairy products can cause gastrointestinal distress, further fragmenting sleep and potentially leading to more negative dream experiences.