I think we can all agree that cheese is the best, but did you know it can also make your dreams more vivid? The British Cheese Board (yes that's real, and yes I also now want to be a member), conducted an experiment where participants ate cheese before bed and found that the majority experienced an improved memory of their dreams.
This is thought to occur as a result of amino acids produced by ripening cheese, many of which have opioid qualities. Think morphine-like effects, except way less.
This raises a lot of questions. How much cheese needs to be consumed? Will any cheese do? Do you need to go to bed immediately after eating the cheese, or should you wait? I put the cheese theory to the test in a seven-day experiment to see if cheese before bed can really impact your dreams.
Day 1
Cheese: aged cheddar
Quantity: approx. 30 grams
In bed 30 minutes after consumption
Definitely remembered that I dreamed but not what I dreamt of. Perhaps a greater quantity is in order.
Day 2
Cheese: aged cheddar
Quantity: approx. 85 grams
In bed 90 minutes after consumption
I remembered images of a dream, but again not exactly what I dreamt of. Still, this is one step further than yesterday. We shall see what tomorrow brings.
Day 3
Cheese: aged white cheddar
Quantity: approx. 60 grams
In bed 40 minutes after consumption
Success, I remember my dream! I dreamt of being stoked to go skiing but getting to the hill and realizing I forgot all of my ski stuff. Bummer, thanks a lot cheese.
Day 4
Cheese: aged white cheddar
Quantity: approx. 60 grams
In bed 40 minutes after consumption
(If it ain't broke, don't fix it)
I think we found a formula folks, dream number two. I dreamt that I was being stretched for height in a Laffy Taffy machine. You know, the way they did it in Willy Wonka. Overall it was a pretty unpleasant dream to remember. Cheese strikes again.
Day 5
Cheese: Brie
Quantity: approx. 70 grams
In bed 60 minutes after consumption
No memorable dreams. No more brie for me.
Day 6
Cheese: Raclette
Quantity: approx. 50 grams
In bed 90 minutes after consumption
This dream felt super real, like I never lost consciousness in the first place. I dreamt that my apartment had a basement and I was very pleased with the extra space. All I can say is that it was pretty disappointing to wake up to my basementless apartment the next morning.
Day 7
Cheese: Smoked Gouda
Quantity: approx. 50 grams In bed 75 minutes after consumption
After seven nights of cheese, I'm still not sure if the cheese theory is true. I did remember my dreams more than I normally would, but part of me wants to attribute that to paying closer attention than usual.
Maybe I'm being skeptical but I still loved my nightly cheese wind-downs. There is something so therapeutic about ending the day with a cheesy snack and a full belly instead of going to bed carrying the stress of the day. If nothing else, having an excuse to eat excessive amounts of cheese made this experiment a success.