Had a nightmare last night? That's not a good sign for your health
Almost everyone has nightmares. But it is among those who have them weekly – somewhere between 2 per cent and 6 per cent of the population – that connections with ill-health seem to arise.
Some links are to be expected. Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and post-traumatic-stress disorder, for example, all have nightmares as a common symptom. The same goes for chronic pain. But other connections are more mysterious. Research by Abidemi Otaiku at Imperial College London suggests that nightmares may warn of neurological illnesses, such as Parkinson's disease and dementia. And other groups have shown that conditions not specifically brain-related, including cardiovascular problems and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, seem linked to nightmares, too.
Worst of all, nightmares may kill. Otaiku's latest work, presented last month at a conference in Helsinki, shows frequent nightmares are stronger predictors of early death than smoking, obesity, poor diet or sloth.
To arrive at his conclusion, Otaiku analysed six long-term studies from America and Britain, involving more than 180,000 adults and almost 2500 children. Those whose nightmares were weekly or more frequent were three times more likely to die before the age of 70 than those who had them less than once a month. Out of 174 people who died prematurely, 31 had at least weekly nightmares.
Part of the explanation is his finding that the chromosomes of the nightmare-prone show signs of accelerated ageing of a sort that can be brought about by stress hormones, which nightmares are known to promote. These chromosomal effects, he reckons, are responsible for about 40 per cent of the increased risk of premature death in those prone to nightmares. Where the other 60 per cent comes from is unknown.
All of this suggests that paying attention to nightmares is a good idea. Where they are a symptom, they can give warning of what is coming. And where they are a cause, treatments to reduce nightmares can be undertaken as a priority.
That is not to say the two are always easy to distinguish. In the cases of depression, anxiety and so on, nightmares are both symptom and cause. Bad dreams triggered by psychiatric disturbance induce stress that reinforces the underlying condition. For conditions such as Parkinson's and dementia, though, which are caused by neurological damage, nightmares are unlikely to be anything other than symptomatic.
The same may well hold true for lupus, a condition in which the immune system attacks healthy organs, including the brain, promoting inflammation. That may well trigger nightmares, with any stress hormones released as a consequence likely to make things worse.
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Sydney Morning Herald
11-08-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Had a nightmare last night? That's not a good sign for your health
Night hags and nightmares. Succubi and incubi. Sleep has long been a demon-haunted world. In olden days, such visitations were thought to drain the dreamer of life-energy and, though modern science has no truck with actual demons, the fear that bad dreams somehow sap a dreamer's health has not vanished. Instead, it has been confirmed. Almost everyone has nightmares. But it is among those who have them weekly – somewhere between 2 per cent and 6 per cent of the population – that connections with ill-health seem to arise. Some links are to be expected. Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and post-traumatic-stress disorder, for example, all have nightmares as a common symptom. The same goes for chronic pain. But other connections are more mysterious. Research by Abidemi Otaiku at Imperial College London suggests that nightmares may warn of neurological illnesses, such as Parkinson's disease and dementia. And other groups have shown that conditions not specifically brain-related, including cardiovascular problems and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, seem linked to nightmares, too. Worst of all, nightmares may kill. Otaiku's latest work, presented last month at a conference in Helsinki, shows frequent nightmares are stronger predictors of early death than smoking, obesity, poor diet or sloth. To arrive at his conclusion, Otaiku analysed six long-term studies from America and Britain, involving more than 180,000 adults and almost 2500 children. Those whose nightmares were weekly or more frequent were three times more likely to die before the age of 70 than those who had them less than once a month. Out of 174 people who died prematurely, 31 had at least weekly nightmares. Part of the explanation is his finding that the chromosomes of the nightmare-prone show signs of accelerated ageing of a sort that can be brought about by stress hormones, which nightmares are known to promote. These chromosomal effects, he reckons, are responsible for about 40 per cent of the increased risk of premature death in those prone to nightmares. Where the other 60 per cent comes from is unknown. All of this suggests that paying attention to nightmares is a good idea. Where they are a symptom, they can give warning of what is coming. And where they are a cause, treatments to reduce nightmares can be undertaken as a priority. That is not to say the two are always easy to distinguish. In the cases of depression, anxiety and so on, nightmares are both symptom and cause. Bad dreams triggered by psychiatric disturbance induce stress that reinforces the underlying condition. For conditions such as Parkinson's and dementia, though, which are caused by neurological damage, nightmares are unlikely to be anything other than symptomatic. The same may well hold true for lupus, a condition in which the immune system attacks healthy organs, including the brain, promoting inflammation. That may well trigger nightmares, with any stress hormones released as a consequence likely to make things worse.
The Age
11-08-2025
- The Age
Had a nightmare last night? That's not a good sign for your health
Night hags and nightmares. Succubi and incubi. Sleep has long been a demon-haunted world. In olden days, such visitations were thought to drain the dreamer of life-energy and, though modern science has no truck with actual demons, the fear that bad dreams somehow sap a dreamer's health has not vanished. Instead, it has been confirmed. Almost everyone has nightmares. But it is among those who have them weekly – somewhere between 2 per cent and 6 per cent of the population – that connections with ill-health seem to arise. Some links are to be expected. Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and post-traumatic-stress disorder, for example, all have nightmares as a common symptom. The same goes for chronic pain. But other connections are more mysterious. Research by Abidemi Otaiku at Imperial College London suggests that nightmares may warn of neurological illnesses, such as Parkinson's disease and dementia. And other groups have shown that conditions not specifically brain-related, including cardiovascular problems and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, seem linked to nightmares, too. Worst of all, nightmares may kill. Otaiku's latest work, presented last month at a conference in Helsinki, shows frequent nightmares are stronger predictors of early death than smoking, obesity, poor diet or sloth. To arrive at his conclusion, Otaiku analysed six long-term studies from America and Britain, involving more than 180,000 adults and almost 2500 children. Those whose nightmares were weekly or more frequent were three times more likely to die before the age of 70 than those who had them less than once a month. Out of 174 people who died prematurely, 31 had at least weekly nightmares. Part of the explanation is his finding that the chromosomes of the nightmare-prone show signs of accelerated ageing of a sort that can be brought about by stress hormones, which nightmares are known to promote. These chromosomal effects, he reckons, are responsible for about 40 per cent of the increased risk of premature death in those prone to nightmares. Where the other 60 per cent comes from is unknown. All of this suggests that paying attention to nightmares is a good idea. Where they are a symptom, they can give warning of what is coming. And where they are a cause, treatments to reduce nightmares can be undertaken as a priority. That is not to say the two are always easy to distinguish. In the cases of depression, anxiety and so on, nightmares are both symptom and cause. Bad dreams triggered by psychiatric disturbance induce stress that reinforces the underlying condition. For conditions such as Parkinson's and dementia, though, which are caused by neurological damage, nightmares are unlikely to be anything other than symptomatic. The same may well hold true for lupus, a condition in which the immune system attacks healthy organs, including the brain, promoting inflammation. That may well trigger nightmares, with any stress hormones released as a consequence likely to make things worse.
The Advertiser
25-07-2025
- The Advertiser
How could housework and AI help us live healthier and longer lives?
Have you been putting off doing the weeding or giving the windows a good scrub? This expert's advice may have you reaching for the gardening gloves or Windex. University of South Australia sports scientist Grant Tomlinson has studied the benefits of regular exercise on healthy ageing for years and says applying a little elbow grease may help you live longer. While the benefits of cardiovascular fitness are well known, Professor Tomlinson said it's just as important to maintain muscle strength. Read more from The Senior He said chores like moving things around the house, mowing the lawn, gardening, wringing out wet washing, carrying groceries, or hanging washing on the line could yield numerous health benefits. "When we typically think of fitness, you know, like muscle fitness, we do think of smelly, sweaty people in the gym, pushing lots of weights with veins popping out of their forehead and bloodshot eyes and sweat dripping off their forehead," he said. "That's not necessarily the truth.... doing those everyday household chores can provide enough resistance to help keep you on the right track, particularly as you get older, when we tend to be less physically active." Keeping the muscles active can help with daily tasks and reduce the risk of falls because stronger muscles help a person to reposition the body if they slip or stumble, he said. Maintaining muscle strength can also reduce the risk of cognitive decline, as well as the development of diseases like osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. While housework is a good way to maintain muscle strength, especially for those who have not been maintaining a regular exercise routine, Professor Tomlinson also recommends other strength exercises like lifting weights, riding a bike or squats. He said older adults should aim for three sessions of resistance or muscle and bone strengthening exercise a week. Professor Tomlinson will talk about the benefits of regular exercise for healthy ageing at an upcoming exhibition at the University of South Australia's Museum of Discovery (MOD). Also speaking during the panel discussion will be Lyndsey Collins-Praino, who is at the forefront of exciting research that could one day see AI used to identify signs of dementia and Parkinson's disease long before symptoms appear. The neuroscientist believes clues that a person is at risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions like dementia and Parkinson's can be found in the body. Proteins found in blood, saliva and tears, and information from brain scans could help scientists identify these diseases early enough to slow their progression, or possibly even stop it altogether, she said. She said symptoms associated with dementia and Parkinson's do not start until the diseases are well advanced and irreversible. "If we can tell who might be at risk... we can involve them in clinical trials early, we can have better monitoring of them, we can intervene earlier when problems do start to occur, and potentially even be able to stop that conversion [progression of the disease.] That's the ultimate hope," she said. Associate Professor Collins-Praino and her team are looking at ways AI can be utilised to identify people who are predisposed to developing these diseases. "We're using the latest technologies, things like AI, to help us to pick out biological patterns that help us to predict risk of things like dementia and Parkinson's." She said there are a number of known lifestyle factors that could reduce the risk of developing dementia by up to 40 per cent, including improved diet, exercise, and reduced alcohol intake. If scientists can determine that a person is at risk of developing these conditions, lifestyle changes and potentially drug treatments could stop them from developing the disease before it's too late. The panel discussion will take place as part of the university's Forever exhibition, The exhibition draws on the expertise of over 30 researchers and experts in neuroscience, exercise science, sociology, anthropology and physics to explore the relationship between time, memory and aging. Do You Want To Live Forever?; Museum of Discovery, University of South Australia, 6-7.30pm, August 14. Details: Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Have you been putting off doing the weeding or giving the windows a good scrub? This expert's advice may have you reaching for the gardening gloves or Windex. University of South Australia sports scientist Grant Tomlinson has studied the benefits of regular exercise on healthy ageing for years and says applying a little elbow grease may help you live longer. While the benefits of cardiovascular fitness are well known, Professor Tomlinson said it's just as important to maintain muscle strength. Read more from The Senior He said chores like moving things around the house, mowing the lawn, gardening, wringing out wet washing, carrying groceries, or hanging washing on the line could yield numerous health benefits. "When we typically think of fitness, you know, like muscle fitness, we do think of smelly, sweaty people in the gym, pushing lots of weights with veins popping out of their forehead and bloodshot eyes and sweat dripping off their forehead," he said. "That's not necessarily the truth.... doing those everyday household chores can provide enough resistance to help keep you on the right track, particularly as you get older, when we tend to be less physically active." Keeping the muscles active can help with daily tasks and reduce the risk of falls because stronger muscles help a person to reposition the body if they slip or stumble, he said. Maintaining muscle strength can also reduce the risk of cognitive decline, as well as the development of diseases like osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. While housework is a good way to maintain muscle strength, especially for those who have not been maintaining a regular exercise routine, Professor Tomlinson also recommends other strength exercises like lifting weights, riding a bike or squats. He said older adults should aim for three sessions of resistance or muscle and bone strengthening exercise a week. Professor Tomlinson will talk about the benefits of regular exercise for healthy ageing at an upcoming exhibition at the University of South Australia's Museum of Discovery (MOD). Also speaking during the panel discussion will be Lyndsey Collins-Praino, who is at the forefront of exciting research that could one day see AI used to identify signs of dementia and Parkinson's disease long before symptoms appear. The neuroscientist believes clues that a person is at risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions like dementia and Parkinson's can be found in the body. Proteins found in blood, saliva and tears, and information from brain scans could help scientists identify these diseases early enough to slow their progression, or possibly even stop it altogether, she said. She said symptoms associated with dementia and Parkinson's do not start until the diseases are well advanced and irreversible. "If we can tell who might be at risk... we can involve them in clinical trials early, we can have better monitoring of them, we can intervene earlier when problems do start to occur, and potentially even be able to stop that conversion [progression of the disease.] That's the ultimate hope," she said. Associate Professor Collins-Praino and her team are looking at ways AI can be utilised to identify people who are predisposed to developing these diseases. "We're using the latest technologies, things like AI, to help us to pick out biological patterns that help us to predict risk of things like dementia and Parkinson's." She said there are a number of known lifestyle factors that could reduce the risk of developing dementia by up to 40 per cent, including improved diet, exercise, and reduced alcohol intake. If scientists can determine that a person is at risk of developing these conditions, lifestyle changes and potentially drug treatments could stop them from developing the disease before it's too late. The panel discussion will take place as part of the university's Forever exhibition, The exhibition draws on the expertise of over 30 researchers and experts in neuroscience, exercise science, sociology, anthropology and physics to explore the relationship between time, memory and aging. Do You Want To Live Forever?; Museum of Discovery, University of South Australia, 6-7.30pm, August 14. Details: Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Have you been putting off doing the weeding or giving the windows a good scrub? This expert's advice may have you reaching for the gardening gloves or Windex. University of South Australia sports scientist Grant Tomlinson has studied the benefits of regular exercise on healthy ageing for years and says applying a little elbow grease may help you live longer. While the benefits of cardiovascular fitness are well known, Professor Tomlinson said it's just as important to maintain muscle strength. Read more from The Senior He said chores like moving things around the house, mowing the lawn, gardening, wringing out wet washing, carrying groceries, or hanging washing on the line could yield numerous health benefits. "When we typically think of fitness, you know, like muscle fitness, we do think of smelly, sweaty people in the gym, pushing lots of weights with veins popping out of their forehead and bloodshot eyes and sweat dripping off their forehead," he said. "That's not necessarily the truth.... doing those everyday household chores can provide enough resistance to help keep you on the right track, particularly as you get older, when we tend to be less physically active." Keeping the muscles active can help with daily tasks and reduce the risk of falls because stronger muscles help a person to reposition the body if they slip or stumble, he said. Maintaining muscle strength can also reduce the risk of cognitive decline, as well as the development of diseases like osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. While housework is a good way to maintain muscle strength, especially for those who have not been maintaining a regular exercise routine, Professor Tomlinson also recommends other strength exercises like lifting weights, riding a bike or squats. He said older adults should aim for three sessions of resistance or muscle and bone strengthening exercise a week. Professor Tomlinson will talk about the benefits of regular exercise for healthy ageing at an upcoming exhibition at the University of South Australia's Museum of Discovery (MOD). Also speaking during the panel discussion will be Lyndsey Collins-Praino, who is at the forefront of exciting research that could one day see AI used to identify signs of dementia and Parkinson's disease long before symptoms appear. The neuroscientist believes clues that a person is at risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions like dementia and Parkinson's can be found in the body. Proteins found in blood, saliva and tears, and information from brain scans could help scientists identify these diseases early enough to slow their progression, or possibly even stop it altogether, she said. She said symptoms associated with dementia and Parkinson's do not start until the diseases are well advanced and irreversible. "If we can tell who might be at risk... we can involve them in clinical trials early, we can have better monitoring of them, we can intervene earlier when problems do start to occur, and potentially even be able to stop that conversion [progression of the disease.] That's the ultimate hope," she said. Associate Professor Collins-Praino and her team are looking at ways AI can be utilised to identify people who are predisposed to developing these diseases. "We're using the latest technologies, things like AI, to help us to pick out biological patterns that help us to predict risk of things like dementia and Parkinson's." She said there are a number of known lifestyle factors that could reduce the risk of developing dementia by up to 40 per cent, including improved diet, exercise, and reduced alcohol intake. If scientists can determine that a person is at risk of developing these conditions, lifestyle changes and potentially drug treatments could stop them from developing the disease before it's too late. The panel discussion will take place as part of the university's Forever exhibition, The exhibition draws on the expertise of over 30 researchers and experts in neuroscience, exercise science, sociology, anthropology and physics to explore the relationship between time, memory and aging. Do You Want To Live Forever?; Museum of Discovery, University of South Australia, 6-7.30pm, August 14. Details: Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Have you been putting off doing the weeding or giving the windows a good scrub? This expert's advice may have you reaching for the gardening gloves or Windex. University of South Australia sports scientist Grant Tomlinson has studied the benefits of regular exercise on healthy ageing for years and says applying a little elbow grease may help you live longer. While the benefits of cardiovascular fitness are well known, Professor Tomlinson said it's just as important to maintain muscle strength. Read more from The Senior He said chores like moving things around the house, mowing the lawn, gardening, wringing out wet washing, carrying groceries, or hanging washing on the line could yield numerous health benefits. "When we typically think of fitness, you know, like muscle fitness, we do think of smelly, sweaty people in the gym, pushing lots of weights with veins popping out of their forehead and bloodshot eyes and sweat dripping off their forehead," he said. "That's not necessarily the truth.... doing those everyday household chores can provide enough resistance to help keep you on the right track, particularly as you get older, when we tend to be less physically active." Keeping the muscles active can help with daily tasks and reduce the risk of falls because stronger muscles help a person to reposition the body if they slip or stumble, he said. Maintaining muscle strength can also reduce the risk of cognitive decline, as well as the development of diseases like osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. While housework is a good way to maintain muscle strength, especially for those who have not been maintaining a regular exercise routine, Professor Tomlinson also recommends other strength exercises like lifting weights, riding a bike or squats. He said older adults should aim for three sessions of resistance or muscle and bone strengthening exercise a week. Professor Tomlinson will talk about the benefits of regular exercise for healthy ageing at an upcoming exhibition at the University of South Australia's Museum of Discovery (MOD). Also speaking during the panel discussion will be Lyndsey Collins-Praino, who is at the forefront of exciting research that could one day see AI used to identify signs of dementia and Parkinson's disease long before symptoms appear. The neuroscientist believes clues that a person is at risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions like dementia and Parkinson's can be found in the body. Proteins found in blood, saliva and tears, and information from brain scans could help scientists identify these diseases early enough to slow their progression, or possibly even stop it altogether, she said. She said symptoms associated with dementia and Parkinson's do not start until the diseases are well advanced and irreversible. "If we can tell who might be at risk... we can involve them in clinical trials early, we can have better monitoring of them, we can intervene earlier when problems do start to occur, and potentially even be able to stop that conversion [progression of the disease.] That's the ultimate hope," she said. Associate Professor Collins-Praino and her team are looking at ways AI can be utilised to identify people who are predisposed to developing these diseases. "We're using the latest technologies, things like AI, to help us to pick out biological patterns that help us to predict risk of things like dementia and Parkinson's." She said there are a number of known lifestyle factors that could reduce the risk of developing dementia by up to 40 per cent, including improved diet, exercise, and reduced alcohol intake. If scientists can determine that a person is at risk of developing these conditions, lifestyle changes and potentially drug treatments could stop them from developing the disease before it's too late. The panel discussion will take place as part of the university's Forever exhibition, The exhibition draws on the expertise of over 30 researchers and experts in neuroscience, exercise science, sociology, anthropology and physics to explore the relationship between time, memory and aging. Do You Want To Live Forever?; Museum of Discovery, University of South Australia, 6-7.30pm, August 14. Details: Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
