Scientists currently researching how cheese affects our sleeping patterns are looking for people to take part in a new study.
The best bit? You'll actually get sent loads of free cheese if you sign up.
New research has found that, while nearly a third of Brits say cheese is one of their favourite foods - and honestly, who can blame us? - almost a quarter of have actually avoided eating it too late into the evening cheese for fear it’ll give them nightmares or vivid dreams, The Manc reports.
Out of people who reported they’ve had vivid dreams or nightmares after eating cheese, 70% said it was cheddar they’d been eating, 40% said mozzarella, and 35% said brie.
But, to actually test whether this old wives’ tale is true or just a myth, popular sleep company Emma is calling on people to join a new sleep-science experiment in which they’ll get the chance to eat their favourite cheeses for 15 days, all to test the effects of the cheesy goodness on our sleep quality and dreams.
So, how does it work then? Well, teaming up with cheesegeek, Emma will send selected participants a hamper consisting of three types of delicious British festive cheeses, along with a guide on how much of it to eat before going to bed.
They’ll then be asked to record their dreams to be analysed by the Emma sleep research team.
Scientists researching how cheese affects sleep are looking for people to take part in a new study / Credit: Damir Spanic (via Unsplash)
Putting a call out for people to take part in this cheesy test, Theresa Schnorbach - Sleep Scientist at Emma - said: "When it comes to cheese, we know there are elements at work that can have both a positive and negative impact on our sleep - from increasing your REM sleep density to inducing hormone production which aids in regulating your body clock.
"Through this experiment, we’ll explore the extent of these elements and put this old wives’ tale to the test.”
With Christmas - and cheese board season - fast approaching, the research also found that 32% Brits eat more cheese over the festive period compared to any other time of year, and just over one in seven said that they find they get less sleep over the Christmas period - with over a quarter (27%) admitting their sleep lessening around the festive period could be linked to their cheese intake at the time.
You'll be sent plenty of free cheese for your troubles / Credit: Adana Eisagholian (via Unsplash)
The types of festive cheeses provided in the experiment were all found to be some of the most popularly consumed around Christmas.
Researchers say participants will be testing the "key suspects" in this old wives tale.
Fancy it then? You can sign up for the chance to take part here, and the lucky participants will be selected before this month is out.
Featured Image - Flickr
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‘This Yorkshire city has it all’ – Leeds crowned as one of the UK’s most underrated city breaks
Leeds has been named as one of the most underrated city breaks in the UK by Time Out.
It's time to cancel your city break to London, Edinburgh or wherever you think the grass is greener...because Leeds is now the place to beat.
A new article by Time Out has crowned Leeds as one of the most underrated locations for a UK city break, and we couldn't agree more.
The article praises Leeds for it's fabulous independent music venues, sprawling green spaces and standout restaurants.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
In fact, they perfectly paint out how your city break in Leeds could look. From seeing a gig at the Brudenell Social Club and enjoying dinner at the critically acclaimed Highland Laddie, to drinking at The Domino Club and exploring the 700-acre fields of Roundhay Park.
But don't just take our word for it, here's what the piece had to say about our wonderful city: "Anyone who has ever lived in Leeds already knows its brilliance. From unrivalled independent music venues to sprawling green spaces to quietly outstanding restaurants, this Yorkshire city has it all.
"But outside of God’s Own County, it’s not necessarily the first place people think of when planning a UK day trip or staycation...For starters, it’s the home of Brudenell Social Club, which Time Out recently crowned the greatest live music venue in the entire UK.
"Leeds’ food scene is something to behold, too. Bavette, with its perfectly prepared French fare, is Time Out’s favourite restaurant there (it recently earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its excellent value), closely followed by the uber-cool Empire Cafe, the wondrous Ox Club and the intimate Sushi Nakamura."
We agree with absolutely everything being said, and it's got us craving a city break in our very own city. You can read the full article here.
A look inside the trendy Catalonian café and bar coming to Sheffield
Thomas Melia
There's a brand-new Catalonian-inspired café and bar venue coming to Sheffield where you can grab a coffee or a pint at the same time.
This is Cats, a combined café and bar space that's making its way to Broomhill and offering anyone visiting the chance to experience a taste of Spain without having to fork out the cost of a plane ticket.
Catalonia is famous for many notable like impressive architecture such as La Sagrada Familia, legendary performers like Rosalía and phenomenal all-day hospitality which this new site is hoping to emulate.
Although we might not be able to judge their skills as vocalists, when it comes to construction and deconstruction they're excelling, as can be seen in their renovation progress documented across their socials.
Taking shape in the former Nibbles Pizza site on Ashdell Road, although you might not be able to order a 12 inch meat feast anymore, Cats will be offering a range of interesting wines, beers and bar snacks.
In newly-released rendered images, a fitting wine-red colour has been used throughout both interior and exterior, the latter having a small seating adjacent to the front door.
Inside, you'll find lightbulbs dotted around the almost-180 degree-spanning window seating with small warm lights to set the mood.
Directly opposite will be the bar with a muted-concrete countertop that has a coffee machine on one end and draught beers on the other - the ultimate dream.
There's even a cellar area downstairs with banquette seating and those familiar tabletop lamps which help keep the atmosphere as relaxed and intimate as intended.
As the name may suggest, this place isn't exclusively for feline lovers as this Sheffield venue is promising to be a dog-friendly site stocking 'Cats' branded dog treats and water bowls.
Of course, this won't be exactly how this café and bar space will end up looking like as working with an older may pose some potential challenges, but these plans shouldn't differ too much.
We can't wait to get our claws on a glass of vino.
Emily Sergeant -
9th December 2022 
