Eating cheese before bed might sound like an odd habit, but if you love ending the evening with a slice of aged Gouda or a wedge of brie, there’s good news. A small piece of cheese in the evening can actually improve your sleep. At a time when more and more people struggle with sleep problems, stress and restless nights, that’s welcome news, especially for anyone who’d rather tweak their sleep with food than with sleeping pills.
What’s in cheese that makes falling asleep easier?
The key is tryptophan, an essential amino acid your body can’t produce on its own. Tryptophan is the natural building block for serotonin, which is then converted into melatonin. Serotonin calms your mind, melatonin regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Cheese is one of the richest sources of tryptophan you can put on the table, especially in harder varieties like aged Gouda, cheddar and Parmesan.
There’s more. Cheese also provides calcium, and calcium plays a role in melatonin production in the brain. The proteins and fats in cheese also keep you feeling full, so you’re less likely to wake up in the middle of the night with a rumbling stomach.
Which cheeses work best?
Not all cheeses contain the same amount of tryptophan. The more aged, harder varieties score highest. A few favorites for your evening cheese board:
- Aged Gouda: high in tryptophan, rich in flavor and pairs well with a glass of water or herbal tea.
- Cheddar: a sturdy British classic with a satisfying salty body.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: a time-honored Italian aged cheese, a small piece goes a long way.
- Brie or camembert: softer and creamier, ideal if you’d rather not finish with a sharp flavor.
- Goat cheese: easier to digest and gentler on the stomach late in the evening.
Pair it with a complex carbohydrate
Want to boost the effect? Eat your cheese on a whole-grain cracker, a slice of sourdough or a few grapes. Complex carbohydrates help tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier more easily, so your body can convert it into serotonin and melatonin faster. This is also why a classic cheese board feels so satisfying and calming. It’s not a coincidence, it’s biochemistry.
Does cheese give you nightmares?
A persistent myth holds that eating cheese just before bed causes vivid dreams or nightmares. Research by the British Cheese Board (now absorbed into Dairy UK) found no evidence to support this. In fact, the majority of participants reported sleeping better after a piece of cheese before bed. Professor Tore Nielsen of the University of Montreal, a specialist in dreams and nightmares, has also debunked the myth: there is no concrete link between cheese and bad dreams.
How much cheese can you eat before bed?
Cheese isn’t a miracle cure. It also contains salt and saturated fat, and too large a portion right before bed can actually put a strain on your digestion. It’s all about balance. A few small pieces (around 20 to 30 grams) about half an hour to an hour before bed is more than enough to reap the benefits. If you prefer eating a little earlier in the evening, that works just as well, and gives your body plenty of time to convert the tryptophan at a relaxed pace.
Make it a ritual
A small evening ritual with a good piece of cheese is about more than just a tasty snack. It’s a moment of calm, a signal to your body that the day is done. Combine it with dimmed lighting, a good book and minimal screen time, and you have a natural wind-down toward deeper sleep, no pills or supplements needed.
No firm favorite yet? With a tasting box from Cheese In A Box you can discover in a single evening which type of cheese suits your taste best. From creamy brie to spicy aged Gouda: you choose what lands on your evening cheese board.
Source
Inspired by the article Een extra stukje kaas in de avond helpt je beter slapen by Sophie Rietmulder on Metronieuws.nl.