June 24, 2025
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Nightmares raise cortisol levels for prolonged periods, which may partly account for their association with early death.
As if nightmares aren't frightful enough, new research links frequent bad dreams to aging faster and dying earlier.
Nightmare frequency is a stronger predictor of premature death than smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet, according to a study presented Monday at an international neurology conference.
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The researchers analyzed data from more than 180,000 adults ages 26 to 86, and nearly 2,500 children ages 8 to 10, over a 19-year period.
Adults who had weekly nightmares were more than three times as likely to die before 70. Children and adults who had regularly occurring nightmares, even just once a month, also aged faster than people who rarely or never had nightmares, according to the study.
The researchers don't know exactly why nightmares are so damaging, but they think it might be due to the combined effects of chronic stress and disrupted sleep.
"Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality," said Dr. Abidemi Otaiku of the UK Dementia Research Institute and Imperial College London, who led the study. "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."
Sleep is a critical time for cellular restoration and repair, a process that frequent nightmares may disturb. Bad dreams also raise levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, for extended periods, and aging is linked to increased cortisol levels.
A variety of issues can cause nightmares including stress and anxiety, trauma that leads to post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep deprivation, and depression and other mental health disorders. Substance use and withdrawal from alcohol and drugs can intensify anxiety and nightmares. Some common medications, such as antidepressants and blood pressure medicines, also may cause nightmares, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Here are some tips to preventing nightmares and improving sleep quality:
Avoid stress before bed: "Working on mentally demanding assignments right before bed may cause you to feel too preoccupied and unable to relax, and this unrest can trigger a nightmare," life coach Michele Leno told VeryWell last year. Try not to watch TV or doomscroll before bed. Instead, try more relaxing activities like knitting or reading.
Maintain a consistent sleep schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day and to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night.
Exercise: Getting enough exercise during the day wears out the body, decreases stress and improves overall health.
Practice mindfulness: Breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques help relax the mind and body. Try progressive muscle relaxation and breathing exercises.
