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First Post
4 days ago
- Health
- First Post
Killer dreams: How nightmares can lead to early death
New research has shown that people who experience nightmares on a weekly basis are three times more likely to die early than those who rarely or never have them. Not only this, but having frequent scary dreams may actually accelerate our body's ageing process. But why does this happen? read more According to scientists, frequent nightmares may actually accelerate the body's ageing process, affecting our health at a much deeper level. Image for Representation. Pixabay We've all had those scary nightmares that leave us jolted awake, sweating and gasping for air. Most of the time, we brush them off and continue with our day. But according to new research, these unsettling dreams might be doing more damage than we think. A major study has revealed that people who experience nightmares on a weekly basis are three times more likely to die early than those who rarely or never have them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And it's not just about getting poor sleep. According to scientists, frequent nightmares may actually accelerate the body's ageing process, affecting our health at a much deeper level. In fact, the study described nightmares as a 'stronger predictor of premature death' than well-known risk factors like smoking, obesity, poor diet, or even physical inactivity. So what's the connection between bad dreams, ageing, and early death? Here's what we know. What does the study say To understand how nightmares might affect long-term health, researchers set out to explore the link between how often someone experiences bad dreams and the pace at which their cells age. The study was led by Dr Abidemi Otaiku from the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College London. His team analysed data from 2,429 children aged 8 to 10 and 183,012 adults aged 26 to 86, tracking them over a span of 19 years. Their findings were eye-opening. People who experienced bad dreams once a week or more were found to have shorter telomeres—the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. These telomeres are crucial for healthy cell division, and when they shorten, it signals faster cellular ageing. People who experienced bad dreams once a week or more were found to have shorter telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. Pixabay/Representational Image But that wasn't all. The research also revealed that adults with frequent nightmares were three times more likely to die before the age of 70 compared to those who rarely or never had them. As noted in the study, which was presented at the European Academy of Neurology Congress in Helsinki, 'During 18 years of follow-up, 227 premature deaths occurred. Compared with adults who had no nightmares at baseline, those who reported having weekly nightmares had a threefold risk of dying prematurely.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The results held true across both sexes and across all ages, ethnicities, and mental health statuses. Why do nightmares speed up ageing? The researchers found that nightmares disrupted both the quality and duration of sleep, which in turn affects the body's ability to repair itself at the cellular level. When sleep is consistently broken or cut short, the body misses out on essential overnight processes that help with restoration and healing. Over time, the combination of poor sleep and chronic stress may play a major role in speeding up how fast our cells—and our bodies—age. Otaiku explained the science behind it to The Independent, saying: '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 went on to say that these intense episodes cause prolonged spikes in cortisol, a hormone the body releases during stress, which is also closely linked to cellular ageing. '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 said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Researchers found that nightmares disrupted both the quality and duration of sleep, which in turn affects the body's ability to repair itself at the cellular level. Image for Representation Despite the worrying findings, Otaiku pointed out that there's hope, because nightmares are treatable. 'Given how common and modifiable nightmares are, they should be taken far more seriously as a public health concern,' he said, adding that managing stress levels can help reduce their frequency and potentially limit their impact on long-term health. Otaiku said that even simple lifestyle changes can help reduce the frequency of nightmares. These include maintaining good sleep hygiene, managing stress, getting treatment for anxiety or depression, and avoiding scary films before bed. With input from agencies
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Why bad dreams could be aging and prematurely killing you
Nightmares can literally scare the life out of people, new research suggests. Frequent unpleasant dreams and nightmares are being linked with accelerated biological aging and an untimely death. According to a British team, people who experience weekly distressing dreams are three times more likely to die before they reach age 70 than people who rarely or never report experiencing nightmares. Researchers said the finding held even after they accounted for smoking, obesity, unhealthy diets and other risk factors for an early death. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The study can't prove causation — that nightmares are premature killers. However, one theory implicates the stress hormone cortisol. Higher levels of cortisol are associated with shorter telomeres, tiny caps at the end of chromosomes, like the tip of a shoelace. Telomeres get shorter every time a cell divides, and shorter telomeres are considered a sign of accelerated aging of the body's cells. Cortisol is present at high levels during nightmares. 'For those who frequently experience nightmares, this cumulative stress may significantly impact the aging process,' the study's lead author, Dr. Abidemi Otaiku, of the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College London, said in a statement released this week. What's more, nightmares mess with how well and how long people sleep, 'impairing the body's essential overnight cellular restoration and repair,' Otaiku said. 'The combined effects of chronic stress and disrupted sleep likely contribute to the accelerated aging of our cells and bodies.' Nightmares are common, Otaiku reported in earlier work linking nightmares with an i ncreased risk of dementia and cognitive decline in middle-aged adults. About five percent of adults experience nightmares weekly, and up to 40 percent monthly, percentages that are likely even higher if bad dreams are thrown in, he said. Considering how common a phenomenon nightmares are, 'it is surprising that their clinical significance remains largely unknown,' he wrote. In the latest study, presented this week at the European Academy of Neurology Congress in Helsinki, Otaiku and colleagues analyzed pooled data from 2,429 children aged eight to 10, and 183,012 adults aged 26 to 86 from six cohort studies following large groups of people over time. Adults reported how often they had nightmares at the start of the study, and were followed for up to 19 years. For kids, nightmare frequency was reported by parents. According to a release, adults reporting weekly nightmares were three times as likely to die prematurely than people who rarely or never experienced distressing dreams. 'Children and adults with more frequent nightmares also exhibited faster biological aging, which accounted for approximately 40 percent of the heightened mortality risk' among adults, according to the release. Even people who reported monthly nightmares showed signs of faster aging and a higher mortality, 'Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality,' Otaiku said. '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 more intense than anything we experience while awake.' While it's all enough to lose sleep over, more research is needed to confirm the associations. Hormones are just one factor in accelerated cellular aging. In the meantime, nightmares are less likely if people avoid scary movies, manage stress and seek help for symptoms of anxiety or depression, Otaiku said. Stress can drive unpleasant dreams, University of Montreal psychologist and sleep scientist Antonio Zadra told National Post last year as part of a special series on sleep. But dreams also 'tend to embody our current concerns and preoccupations and much of what is on our minds is often negatively toned.' Worries 'get replayed in our dreams in metaphorical and disjointed ways, and the emotions underlying them get amplified,' Zadra said. Strategies to distract negative thoughts can help calm people down, he and other said, like reading a book or slowing breathing, which soothes the fight-or-flight response. National Post Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
6 days ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
Why bad dreams could be aging and prematurely killing you
Article content Nightmares can literally scare the life out of people, new research suggests. Frequent unpleasant dreams and nightmares are being linked with accelerated biological aging and an untimely death. Article content According to a British team, people who experience weekly distressing dreams are three times more likely to die before they reach age 70 than people who rarely or never report experiencing nightmares. Article content Researchers said the finding held even after they accounted for smoking, obesity, unhealthy diets and other risk factors for an early death. The study can't prove causation — that nightmares are premature killers. However, one theory implicates the stress hormone cortisol. Higher levels of cortisol are associated with shorter telomeres, tiny caps at the end of chromosomes, like the tip of a shoelace. Telomeres get shorter every time a cell divides, and shorter telomeres are considered a sign of accelerated aging of the body's cells. Cortisol is present at high levels during nightmares. 'For those who frequently experience nightmares, this cumulative stress may significantly impact the aging process,' the study's lead author, Dr. Abidemi Otaiku, of the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College London, said in a statement released this week. Article content What's more, nightmares mess with how well and how long people sleep, 'impairing the body's essential overnight cellular restoration and repair,' Otaiku said. 'The combined effects of chronic stress and disrupted sleep likely contribute to the accelerated aging of our cells and bodies.' Nightmares are common, Otaiku reported in earlier work linking nightmares with an i ncreased risk of dementia and cognitive decline in middle-aged adults. About five percent of adults experience nightmares weekly, and up to 40 percent monthly, percentages that are likely even higher if bad dreams are thrown in, he said. Considering how common a phenomenon nightmares are, 'it is surprising that their clinical significance remains largely unknown,' he wrote. In the latest study, presented this week at the European Academy of Neurology Congress in Helsinki, Otaiku and colleagues analyzed pooled data from 2,429 children aged eight to 10, and 183,012 adults aged 26 to 86 from six cohort studies following large groups of people over time. Article content Adults reported how often they had nightmares at the start of the study, and were followed for up to 19 years. For kids, nightmare frequency was reported by parents. According to a release, adults reporting weekly nightmares were three times as likely to die prematurely than people who rarely or never experienced distressing dreams. 'Children and adults with more frequent nightmares also exhibited faster biological aging, which accounted for approximately 40 percent of the heightened mortality risk' among adults, according to the release. Even people who reported monthly nightmares showed signs of faster aging and a higher mortality, 'Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality,' Otaiku said. '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. Latest National Stories
