Having frequent nightmares is associated with an increased risk of premature death, say UK researchers.
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, researchers told delegates at the 2025 European Academy of Neurology Congress.
Having regular bad dreams was also linked to faster biological ageing, the team found.
Their 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 and in children, nightmare frequency was reported by their parents.
Biological markers were assessed including length of telomeres as in indication of cellular ageing and other molecular markers that measure the speed of whole-body ageing.
The study found that that adults reporting weekly nightmares were more than three times as likely to die prematurely – before the age of 70 years – 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, the researchers reported.
Study leader Dr Abidemi Otaiku, from the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College London, said nightmares can trigger a stress reaction which is why people wake up sweating, heart pounding and out of breath after a bad dream.
‘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.’
He added the link was consistent across all ages, sexes, ethnicities, and mental health statuses.
But he said nightmares can be prevented and treated. ‘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,’ he added.
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