A recent study from the UK overturns traditional beliefs, confirming that eating cheese before bed does increase the likelihood of having nightmares, with Brie being identified as the main culprit most likely to provoke bad dreams.
According to a report by the Daily Mail, this experiment was launched by luxury sleep brand The Odd Company and invited 30 participants to eat four common British cheeses (Brie, mature Blue Stilton, Cheddar, and Mozzarella) across four nights, with each serving being 30 grams. Results showed that overall, eating cheese before bed raised the chances of having nightmares by 93%. Specifically, Brie triggered nightmares in 68% of cases, far higher than Mozzarella's 40%.
Participants reported that their dreams were mostly negative and emotionally stressful, including scenarios such as “being cheated on,” “encountering an ex,” “having a forgotten birthday,” “friends being attacked by robots,” and “being rebuked by a teacher in dance class”—all showing high tension and psychological impact.
The study also pointed out that cheese affects sleep quality and duration, with half of the participants losing on average 1 hour and 7 minutes of sleep per night, and women being slightly more affected than men.
Nutritionist Yami Alexander explained that cheese is high in saturated fat and protein, takes longer to digest, and can raise body temperature, thus disrupting deep sleep. On another note, cheese is rich in tryptophan, which is involved in the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin—neurotransmitters responsible for mood and the biological clock, and also related to the formation of dreams during REM sleep.
Additionally, aged cheeses such as Parmesan, Gouda, and Roquefort contain high levels of tyramine, an amine that stimulates brain activity and may lead to more vivid dreams and an increased chance of waking during REM sleep.
According to available data, the more aged or artisan the cheese, the higher its tyramine content. This also explains why mozzarella is comparatively mild, since it is a fresh, non-aged cheese.
The Odd Company’s general manager Syd recommends: “Cheese lovers, please try to finish eating cheese 2 to 4 hours before bedtime to avoid affecting your sleep quality.”
However, this new study contradicts some previous findings. According to an experiment by the British Cheese Board involving 200 participants, after eating 20 grams of cheese 30 minutes before bed, 72% said they had excellent sleep quality every night, and none reported having nightmares. At that time, Dairy Council nutrition scientist Bryony S. Pugh noted that tryptophan helps reduce stress and promote sleep, suggesting that cheese may also have a positive effect on sleep. (Source: CTWANT)