Having the same weekly night incident 'triple risk of dying early'
Experts saying the problem is a 'stronger predictor of premature death' than smoking
A scientist has warned that experiencing nightmares on a weekly basis could potentially accelerate the ageing process and even triple the risk of premature death.
The study found that individuals who report having nightmares weekly are over three times more likely to die before reaching 70, compared to those who rarely or never have them.
Alarmingly for those with poor sleep patterns, the research identified nightmares as a "stronger predictor of premature death" than factors such as smoking, obesity, poor diet, and low physical activity.
The research team, led by Dr Abidemi Otaiku from the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College London, scrutinised data from 2,429 children aged between eight and ten, and 183,012 adults aged between 26 and 86, over a span of 19 years.
They discovered that those reporting weekly nightmares were over three times more likely to die before hitting 70, compared to those who claimed they seldom or never experienced nightmares.
Dr Otaiku stated: "Individuals who experience more frequent nightmares age faster and die earlier."
According to Otaiku, there's a clear link, with his team also finding that the frequency of nightmares is a stronger predictor of early death than smoking, obesity, poor diet or lack of physical activity. These findings were presented at the European Academy of Neurology Congress 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, on 23 June.
The combined effects of chronic stress and disrupted sleep are believed to contribute to the accelerated ageing of our cells and bodies.
Dr Otaiku explained, "Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality. That's why nightmares often wake us up sweating, gasping for breath, and with our hearts pounding – because our fight-or-flight response has been triggered. This stress reaction can be even more intense than anything we experience while awake."
The research team also examined the biological age of participants by measuring the length of telomeres, which are tiny DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes that shorten each time a cell divides, a process linked to premature ageing. The study involved about 2,400 children aged between 8 and 10, with parents reporting on the frequency of their children's nightmares.
Adults in the study underwent an additional biological age assessment using molecular markers known as epigenetic clocks. Otaiku found a consistent link between frequent nightmares and accelerated ageing across all ages, genders, and ethnic backgrounds.
"Even in childhood, people who have more frequent nightmares have short telomeres, indicating faster cellular ageing," he revealed.
For the adults, the rapid biological ageing accounted for roughly 40 per cent of their increased risk of mortality. As for the reasons behind this connection, Otaiku suggests it might be down to two factors.
One theory he proposes is that nightmares may trigger sustained high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which is known to cause quicker cellular ageing.
READ MORE: Early sign of dementia and Alzheimer's that can appear while you're on holiday
"Nightmares often wake us with our hearts pounding, in a stress reaction more intense than anything we experience when awake," he elaborated.
The second factor is sleep disruption, which can interfere with the body's nocturnal cellular repair processes. Such sleep disturbances have been associated with an increased risk of numerous health problems, including heart disease.
A feature titled 'Insomnia' delves into the topic of melatonin, noting that while millions rely on it to fall asleep, combat jet lag, and adapt to shift work, emerging evidence suggests we might not fully comprehend this hormone or how best to use it.
Dr Otaiku suggested that if people are eager to dodge recurring nightmares, there are usually simple solutions which may involve avoiding horror films and addressing mental health issues such as anxiety.
He stated that basic steps like maintaining good sleep hygiene, managing stress, seeking treatment for anxiety or depression, and refraining from watching frightening films can be effective in curbing nightmares.
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The Independent
9 hours ago
- The Independent
Research shows deadly impact of nightmares on your health
Frequent nightmares are linked to premature ageing and increase the risk of an early death, according to a new study. Adults who report weekly nightmares are more than three times likely to die before the age of 70 compared to those who rarely or never experience them, researchers found. The study found nightmares to be a 'stronger predictor of premature death' than smoking, obesity, poor diet, and low physical activity. The scientists warned the findings should be treated as a 'public health concern', but said people can reduce nightmares by managing stress. The team, led by Dr Abidemi Otaiku of the UK Dementia Research Institute, and Imperial College London, analysed data from 2,429 children aged eight to 10 and 183,012 adults aged 26 to 86 over a period of 19 years. The research, presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress this month, found that nightmares disrupt both sleep quality and duration, which impairs the body's overnight cellular restoration and repair ability. The combined impacts of chronic stress and disrupted sleep are likely to contribute to the accelerated ageing of our cells and bodies. Dr Otaiku said, 'Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality. That's why nightmares often wake us up sweating, gasping for breath, and with our hearts pounding – because our fight-or-flight response has been triggered. This stress reaction can be even more intense than anything we experience while awake.' He said: 'Nightmares lead to prolonged elevations of cortisol, a stress hormone closely linked to faster cellular ageing. For those who frequently experience nightmares, this cumulative stress may significantly impact the ageing process.' He added: 'Given how common and modifiable nightmares are, they should be taken far more seriously as a public health concern.' Researchers found that children and adults who had frequent nightmares also exhibited faster ageing. This accounted for approximately 40 per cent of those who had a higher risk of early death. Dr Otaiku said this was the first study to show nightmares can predict faster biological ageing and earlier mortality, even after accounting for other health issues. Even monthly nightmares were linked to faster ageing and increased mortality compared to those who had no nightmares. and the links were consistent across all ages, sexes, ethnicities, and mental health statuses. 'The good news is that nightmares can be prevented and treated,' said Dr Otaiku. Simple measures, such as maintaining good sleep hygiene, managing stress, seeking treatment for anxiety or depression and not watching scary films can be effective in reducing nightmares, he said.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The common sleep problem that TRIPLES the risk of dying early - are you in danger?
Suffer from regular nightmares? You could be three times more likely to die a decade earlier than the average person, a new study has suggested. Weekly nightmares were also found to be a stronger indicator of an early death than smoking, obesity, poor diet, and little physical activity. Children and adults with frequent nightmares also showed faster biological ageing, which accounted for approximately 40 per cent of the explanation for the increased risk of early death. Even monthly nightmares were linked to faster ageing and increased mortality, compared to those who rarely or never have them. The scientists behind the study, from Imperial College London, said the link is likely due to the harmful effect of disrupted sleep and nightmare-induced stress on our body's cells. Dr Abidemi Otaiku, a brain science research fellow at Imperial College London (ICL), who led the team, said: 'This stress reaction can be even more intense than anything we experience while awake. 'Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality. 'That's why nightmares often wake us up sweating, gasping for breath, and with our hearts pounding—because our fight-or-flight response has been triggered.' He added: 'Nightmares lead to prolonged elevations of cortisol, a stress hormone closely linked to faster cellular ageing. 'They also disrupt sleep quality and duration which impairs the body's ability to repair itself and restore cells throughout the night.' Dr Otaiku shared 'simple measures' the public can take to prevent nightmares in the first place. 'Avoiding scary movies, maintaining good sleep hygiene, managing stress, and seeking treatment for anxiety or depression can be effective,' he advised. He also recommended a special type of psychological treatment called image rehearsal therapy. This involves re-writing and rehearsing a nightmare into a less frightening version and can be done from your own home. But those suffering from frequent night terrors that affect their quality of life may benefit from seeing a sleep specialist, he added. In particular, he suggested trying another type of talking therapy for insomnia called CBT-I, which has been shown in studies to both reduce nightmares and slow the ageing of brain cells. The technique aims to help people with insomnia address underlying thoughts and behaviours that contribute to sleep problems. Recent studies have shown a lack of sleep increases risk of heart disease, obesity, and death by 83 per cent, 82, per cent, and 40 per cent, respectively. But the researchers from Imperial and the Dementia Research Institute in London are the first to show nightmare frequency is an indicator of an early death. The team analysed data from 2,429 children aged eight to 10 and 183,012 adults aged 26 to 86 over a period of 19 years. Nightmare frequency in adults was self-reported at the start of the study, with participants followed for up to 19 years. Childrens' nightmare frequency was reported by their parents at the beginning of the study. The team's findings were presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025, on June 23. They revealed that those who reported an average of one nightmare a week, over the course of a decade, were three times more likely to die before the age of 70 compared to those without night terrors. The average man in England will live to around 78.8 years, and women 82.8, according to the latest data. The new findings follow a recent study that revealed daytime napping was linked to a higher risk of early death. The discovery was made by researchers who tracked the sleep habits of more than 86,000 healthy middle-aged adults. They found that those who regularly napped—particularly in the early afternoon—were more likely to die prematurely than those who did not. The study, presented at the SLEEP 2025 conference, found the risk of death rose by up to 20 per cent among frequent nappers. Experts said daytime sleepiness may be a warning sign of disrupted or poor-quality night-time rest, and could point to underlying health problems such as sleep disorders, dementia, or heart failure. Professor James Rowley, from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, who was not involved in the research, said the findings should influence how doctors ask patients about sleep. 'The major take-home message is that if a doctor asks about a patient's sleep habits, they should also be asking about napping,' he told Medscape Medical News. 'In other words, doctors should be asking their patients, "do you nap in the day?"'
Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Having the same weekly night incident 'triple risk of dying early'
Experts saying the problem is a 'stronger predictor of premature death' than smoking A scientist has warned that experiencing nightmares on a weekly basis could potentially accelerate the ageing process and even triple the risk of premature death. The study found that individuals who report having nightmares weekly are over three times more likely to die before reaching 70, compared to those who rarely or never have them. Alarmingly for those with poor sleep patterns, the research identified nightmares as a "stronger predictor of premature death" than factors such as smoking, obesity, poor diet, and low physical activity. The research team, led by Dr Abidemi Otaiku from the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College London, scrutinised data from 2,429 children aged between eight and ten, and 183,012 adults aged between 26 and 86, over a span of 19 years. They discovered that those reporting weekly nightmares were over three times more likely to die before hitting 70, compared to those who claimed they seldom or never experienced nightmares. Dr Otaiku stated: "Individuals who experience more frequent nightmares age faster and die earlier." According to Otaiku, there's a clear link, with his team also finding that the frequency of nightmares is a stronger predictor of early death than smoking, obesity, poor diet or lack of physical activity. These findings were presented at the European Academy of Neurology Congress 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, on 23 June. The combined effects of chronic stress and disrupted sleep are believed to contribute to the accelerated ageing of our cells and bodies. Dr Otaiku explained, "Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality. That's why nightmares often wake us up sweating, gasping for breath, and with our hearts pounding – because our fight-or-flight response has been triggered. This stress reaction can be even more intense than anything we experience while awake." The research team also examined the biological age of participants by measuring the length of telomeres, which are tiny DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes that shorten each time a cell divides, a process linked to premature ageing. The study involved about 2,400 children aged between 8 and 10, with parents reporting on the frequency of their children's nightmares. Adults in the study underwent an additional biological age assessment using molecular markers known as epigenetic clocks. Otaiku found a consistent link between frequent nightmares and accelerated ageing across all ages, genders, and ethnic backgrounds. "Even in childhood, people who have more frequent nightmares have short telomeres, indicating faster cellular ageing," he revealed. For the adults, the rapid biological ageing accounted for roughly 40 per cent of their increased risk of mortality. As for the reasons behind this connection, Otaiku suggests it might be down to two factors. One theory he proposes is that nightmares may trigger sustained high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which is known to cause quicker cellular ageing. READ MORE: Early sign of dementia and Alzheimer's that can appear while you're on holiday "Nightmares often wake us with our hearts pounding, in a stress reaction more intense than anything we experience when awake," he elaborated. The second factor is sleep disruption, which can interfere with the body's nocturnal cellular repair processes. Such sleep disturbances have been associated with an increased risk of numerous health problems, including heart disease. A feature titled 'Insomnia' delves into the topic of melatonin, noting that while millions rely on it to fall asleep, combat jet lag, and adapt to shift work, emerging evidence suggests we might not fully comprehend this hormone or how best to use it. Dr Otaiku suggested that if people are eager to dodge recurring nightmares, there are usually simple solutions which may involve avoiding horror films and addressing mental health issues such as anxiety. He stated that basic steps like maintaining good sleep hygiene, managing stress, seeking treatment for anxiety or depression, and refraining from watching frightening films can be effective in curbing nightmares.
