Experiencing nightmares on a weekly basis may significantly accelerate the aging process and potentially triple the risk of premature death.
“Individuals who experience more frequent nightmares age faster and have a shorter lifespan,” states Abidemi Otaiku from Imperial College London. His research team conducted an extensive analysis involving over 183,000 adults, aged between 26 and 86. These participants, drawn from various studies, self-reported the frequency of their nightmares at the outset. They were then monitored for periods ranging from 1.5 to 19 years.
The findings revealed a striking correlation: participants who reported weekly nightmares were more than three times more likely to pass away before reaching the age of 70 compared to those who stated they rarely or never experienced nightmares. Otaiku noted a clear association, with his team’s work indicating that nightmare frequency serves as a more potent indicator of premature mortality than established risk factors such as smoking, obesity, poor dietary habits, or insufficient physical activity. He is scheduled to present these findings at the European Academy of Neurology Congress 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, on June 23.
Further investigation into biological aging involved measuring the length of participants’ telomeres—DNA sequences capping the ends of chromosomes. These telomeres naturally shorten with each cell division, and shorter telomeres are indicative of accelerated aging. This phase of the study also incorporated data from approximately 2,400 children, aged 8 to 10, whose nightmare frequency was reported by their parents. For the adult participants, biological age was further assessed using molecular markers known as epigenetic clocks.
The researchers observed a consistent link between recurrent nightmares and accelerated aging across all age groups, genders, and ethnicities. “Even in childhood, individuals experiencing more frequent nightmares exhibit shorter telomeres, a sign of faster cellular aging,” Otaiku explained. Among the adult cohort, this accelerated biological aging accounted for approximately 40 percent of their elevated mortality risk.
Several factors might explain this observed association. Otaiku suggested that a primary contributor could be the prolonged elevation of the stress hormone cortisol, which nightmares can induce. High cortisol levels are known to accelerate cellular aging. He elaborated, “Nightmares frequently rouse us with a pounding heart, triggering a stress response more intense than our waking experiences.”
A second significant factor identified is sleep disruption. When sleep is disturbed, the body’s essential overnight cellular repair processes are compromised. Such disruptions to sleep patterns have been linked to an increased risk of developing various medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease.
For individuals seeking to reduce or eliminate regular nightmares, Otaiku suggested accessible strategies. These include avoiding frightening visual content, such as horror films, and seeking professional treatment for mental health conditions like anxiety.
Guy Leschziner from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust commented on the findings, noting, “It’s an interesting discovery with considerable biological plausibility.” However, he emphasized the need for further research to establish a definitive causal relationship. Leschziner pointed out that nightmares can be associated with a range of medical conditions and medications, particularly in older adults, which could potentially influence the study’s results and act as confounding variables.