Health. Frequent Nightmares: A Danger to Your Life Expectancy?

Dr. Abidemi Otaiku, a researcher at the UK Institute for Dementia Research, analyzed data from 4,196 adults aged 26 to 74, followed for 18 years. This major study reveals for the first time the dramatic impact nightmares have on our lifespan.

Participants reported the frequency of their nightmares at the start of the study. Researchers then tracked their health and assessed their biological aging using "epigenetic clocks," tools that assess the true age of our cells, beyond our chronological age.

The figures speak for themselves: during the observation period, 227 premature deaths (before age 75) were recorded. Adults who reported several nightmares per week had a risk of dying prematurely more than three times higher than those who never had them.

Even more disturbing, these people showed signs of significantly accelerated biological aging. Their cells aged faster than normal, as if their bodies were under constant stress.

For the authors, the mechanism seems clear. Nightmares disrupt sleep and generate chronic stress that directly impacts our cellular processes. Each restless night weakens our body a little more, accumulating invisible but measurable damage to our cells.

According to the researchers, "These findings highlight the importance of recognizing and treating nightmares as a modifiable risk factor for accelerated aging and premature death. In clinical practice, this suggests that patients with frequent nightmares should be screened for underlying sleep disturbances, stress, and mental health problems, and offered appropriate interventions, such as cognitive behavioral therapy."