The Latest Medical News

A Summary of The Latest Medical News: **Dairy, Nightmares, and Your Sleep: What the Latest Study Reveals** A new scientific study has confirmed that **eating too much dairy—especially for those with lactose intolerance—can increase the risk of nightmares and disrupt your sleep**[4][2][1][3]. **The Study and Its Participants** Researchers from MacEwan University in Canada surveyed over 1,000 university students, collecting detailed information about their sleep quality, dream patterns, eating habits, and food sensitivities, such as lactose intolerance[1][2][4][5]. **Key Findings: Lactose Intolerance and Bad Dreams** The study revealed that **people with lactose intolerance frequently reported nightmares and sleep disturbances**. There was a clear link between the severity of a person's lactose intolerance symptoms and the severity of their nightmares and disturbed sleep[4][1][2][3]. **Why Dairy and Intolerance Affect Sleep** The researchers suggest that **digestive issues caused by lactose intolerance—such as gas and stomach pain at night—can negatively influence dreams, making them more likely to be negative or emotionally intense**[2][3][5]. This means your stomach discomfort might be haunting you in your sleep as well as during the day. **Unhealthy Eating Habits Worsen the Problem** Participants who reported unhealthy eating habits, such as frequent late-night meals, fast food, or skipped meals, were more likely to have negative dreams, regardless of whether they were diagnosed with full nightmare disorders[1][3]. Healthier evening eating was generally linked to better sleep and more positive dream recall[3]. **Do Other Foods Cause Nightmares?** While dairy was among the most commonly blamed foods, people also suspected desserts, meats, and spicy foods of affecting their dreams[5]. Around 22% of respondents who noticed worse dreams pointed to dairy products as the culprit[5]. **How Strong Is the Evidence?** Although folk wisdom has long linked certain foods to nightmares, robust scientific proof has been scarce. This new study uses self-reports, which are inherently limited, and the authors emphasize the need for further controlled experimental studies to confirm direct cause-and-effect[1][2][3]. **Takeaway: Should You Cut Out Dairy?** If you are lactose intolerant and are suffering from nightmares or poor sleep, **adjusting your dairy intake could help improve your sleep quality and reduce disturbing dreams**[4][2][5][3]. Addressing food sensitivities and adopting healthier eating habits, especially in the evening, may be a new tool in the fight for better sleep—one that's simple, practical, and backed by growing scientific evidence[3][4]. Help with your insurance? https://tally.so/r/n012P9