Latest news with #prematureDeath
Gizmodo
9 hours ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
Frequent Nightmares Linked to Faster Aging and Premature Death
If you often have nightmares, you may need to worry a bit more about your health. New research presented today at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025 links frequent nightmares to faster biological aging and an over three times higher risk of premature death, even when taking into account other medical conditions. The researchers claim to be the first to demonstrate this association, which could have significant implications for how seriously one should consider persistent nightmares. 'Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality,' Abidemi Otaiku, a neuroscientist at Imperial College London and presumably an author of a forthcoming study, explained in an EAN press release. '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.' Simply put, researchers tracked the nightmare frequency of adults and children (whose nightmares were reported by their parents) for time periods of up to 19 years. Their results demonstrate that both children and adults who often have nightmares experience accelerated biological aging. Adults who suffered from weekly nightmares were also more than three times as likely to die before the age of 70 as those who rarely or never had nightmares, with the faster biological aging accounting for around 40% of that increased early mortality risk. 'Nightmares lead to prolonged elevations of cortisol, a stress hormone closely linked to faster cellular ageing,' Otaiku added. 'For those who frequently experience nightmares, this cumulative stress may significantly impact the ageing process. Additionally, nightmares disrupt both sleep quality and duration, impairing the body's essential overnight cellular restoration and repair. The combined effects of chronic stress and disrupted sleep likely contribute to the accelerated ageing of our cells and bodies.' Specifically, the link between chronic nightmares and faster aging was consistent in participants of all sexes, ages, mental health statuses, and ethnicities. Biological aging was measured by looking at people's telomeres, the protective end caps of chromosomes. Shorter telomeres are widely considered to be a sign of greater biological age. Furthermore, the research revealed weekly nightmares to more strongly predict early death than other widely known causes, including obesity, smoking, a bad diet, and low physical activity. Even less frequent nightmares, however, had their toll. Participants who reported having them monthly also experienced faster aging and increased premature mortality compared to those who reported rare or no nightmares. As if living through terrifying experiences at night wasn't bad enough, the associated health consequences highlighted in the new research carry important implications for how seriously we should take nightmares. And if we're being honest, the state of plastic pollution and human-driven accelerated geological processes are probably not helping in that category, either.
The Independent
11 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
The real-life danger of frequent nightmares revealed in new study
New research indicates that adults who experience weekly nightmares are over three times more likely to die before the age of 70. The study identified frequent nightmares as a stronger predictor of premature death compared to lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, and poor diet. Scientists suggest that nightmares contribute to accelerated cellular ageing by disrupting sleep quality and duration, and by elevating stress hormones like cortisol. Dr Abidemi Otaiku, who led the research, emphasised that nightmares should be considered a serious public health concern due to their link with faster biological ageing and earlier mortality. The good news is that nightmares can be prevented and treated through measures like stress management, good sleep hygiene, and addressing anxiety or depression. Why nightmares could make you age faster and die sooner
The Sun
15 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
Weekly nightmares ‘triple the risk of an early death' as scientists reveal what to do NOW
PEOPLE who suffer from weekly nightmares could be at higher risk of early death, researchers have warned. Adults who reported weekly nightmares were over three times more likely to die before the age of 70, compared to those who rarely or never had them, they found. 1 Researchers said night terrors were a 'stronger predictor of premature death' than other established risk factors, such as smoking, obesity, unhealthy diets and lack of exercise. They also linked frequent nightmares to accelerated biological ageing. Off the back of their findings, researchers shared "simple measures" to prevent nightmares - including "avoiding scary movies", setting up a good bedtime routine and keeping stress under control. 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. Adults were asked to report how often they experienced nightmares at the start of the study, while the parents of child participants reported how often their little ones suffered night terrors. Meanwhile, participants' biological age was assessed by measuring the length of their telomeres – small DNA sequences that serve as indicators of cellular ageing. The research, which was presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress this month, found that nightmares disrupt both sleep quality and duration. This impairs the body's ability to repair itself and restore cells throughout the night. 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.' The combination of chronic stress and disrupted sleep likely speed up the ageing of our cells and bodies, study authors said. Results showed that adults who reported weekly nightmares were more than three times as likely to die prematurely - which researchers described as before the of age 70 - compared to those who rarely or never experienced nightmares. Children and adults with more frequent nightmares also exhibited faster biological ageing, which accounted for approximately 40 per cent of their heightened risk of death. Dr Otaiku added: '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. "Additionally, nightmares disrupt both sleep quality and duration, impairing the body's essential overnight cellular restoration and repair. "The combined effects of chronic stress and disrupted sleep likely contribute to the accelerated ageing of our cells and bodies.' Even monthly nightmares were linked to faster ageing and increased mortality compared to rare or no nightmares, study authors found. Tips to combat stress The Stress Management Society says . . . STAY CONNECTED. Look after your social wellbeing by staying in touch with others. Pick up the phone, talk, and ask for help. GET ENOUGH SLEEP. Set up a good bedtime routine and make your bedroom a tech-free zone. This will force you to switch off in this 'always on' world. PRIORITISE AND ORGANISE. Even if you work from home, try to keep work and personal space separate, create boundaries and prioritise the most important tasks for the start of the day. EAT HEALTHILY. Reduce sugar consumption to avoid energy crashes, avoid relying on stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. SELF-CARE. Make time for things you enjoy and leave you feeling relaxed, whether it's mindfulness, reading, a walk, sport or watching TV. See The link between frequent nightmares and accelerated ageing was observed across all ages, sexes, ethnicities, and mental health conditions, which researchers said indicates a universal effect. The findings highlight the importance of reducing nightmare frequency across the population. 'The good news is that nightmares can be prevented and treated', Dr Otaiku said. 'Simple measures like avoiding scary movies, maintaining good sleep hygiene, managing stress, and seeking treatment for anxiety or depression can be effective. 'Those experiencing frequent nightmares that disrupt their quality of life may benefit from seeing a sleep specialist. "Effective psychological treatments, such as image rehearsal therapy, can be practised at home. "Recent research also suggests that therapies like CBT-I, which reduce nightmares, may significantly slow the ageing process', he added. Reflecting on the broader public health significance of these findings, Dr Otaiku stated: 'Given how common and modifiable nightmares are, they should be taken far more seriously as a public health concern. 'If further studies confirm the causal impact of nightmares on ageing and brain health, then preventing and treating them could become one of the simplest, most cost-effective strategies to slow ageing at a population level. "This would not only improve individual well-being but also help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of reducing premature death worldwide and promoting health for all.'
Associated Press
a day ago
- Health
- Associated Press
EAN Congress: Frequent nightmares triple risk of early death and accelerate ageing, major study finds
HELSINKI, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New research presented today at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025 reveals that frequent nightmares are associated with significantly accelerated biological ageing and a more than threefold increase in the risk of premature death. This study is the first to show that nightmares independently predict faster biological ageing and earlier mortality – even after accounting for other health issues. Led by Dr Abidemi Otaiku of the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College London, the study analysed data from 2,429 children aged 8 to 10 and 183,012 adults aged 26 to 86 across six long-term population cohorts. Nightmare frequency in adults was self-reported at the start of the study, with participants followed for up to 19 years. For children, nightmare frequency was reported by their parents at the beginning of the study. Results showed that adults reporting weekly nightmares were more than three times as likely to die prematurely (before age 70) compared to those who rarely or never experienced nightmares. Children and adults with more frequent nightmares also exhibited faster biological ageing, which accounted for approximately 40% of the heightened mortality risk. Notably, weekly nightmares were found to be a stronger predictor of premature death than other established risk factors such as smoking, obesity, poor diet, and low physical activity. 'Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality', Dr Otaiku explained. '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 continued, '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. Additionally, nightmares disrupt both sleep quality and duration, impairing the body's essential overnight cellular restoration and repair. The combined effects of chronic stress and disrupted sleep likely contribute to the accelerated ageing of our cells and bodies.' The association between frequent nightmares and accelerated ageing remained consistent across all ages, sexes, ethnicities, and mental health statuses, indicating a universal effect. Even monthly nightmares were linked to faster ageing and increased mortality compared to rare or no nightmares, emphasising the importance of reducing nightmare frequency across the population. View original content: SOURCE European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress
