People who have nightmares are three times more likely to die before age 75 than people who don't have nightmares.

A study of data from over 4,000 adults aged 26 to 74 found that those who reported frequent nightmares were three times more likely to die prematurely.

EAN 2025: Nightmares Linked to Faster Ageing and Premature Mortality - EMJ

Why frequent nightmares may shorten your life by years
https://theconversation.com/why-frequent-nightmares-may-shorten-your-life-by-years-260008

The research was presented at the European Neurology Congress by a team led by Dr. Abidemi Otaik of the UK Dementia Research Institute.

Nightmares have long been linked to neurodegenerative diseases, but their impact on health and aging has been unknown. In this study, the research team analyzed data from 4,196 adults aged 26 to 74 years from four large population-based cohort studies and followed them for a total of 18 years. During the follow-up period, 227 people died 'prematurely' before the age of 75.

When Dr. Otaiku and his team looked at the relationship between nightmare frequency and premature mortality, they found that people who reported having nightmares every week had more than three times the risk of premature death compared to people who did not have nightmares.

They also found that people who had frequent nightmares had a significantly faster rate of biological aging. The analysis revealed that approximately 39% of the relationship between nightmares and premature mortality could be explained by accelerated biological aging, suggesting that the stress and sleep disruption caused by nightmares may directly affect the cellular aging process.

This study highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing nightmares as a modifiable risk factor for accelerated aging and premature mortality.

Targeted treatment of nightmares may not only improve sleep quality and psychological well-being, but may also contribute to healthy aging and reduce the risk of mortality.

Although more research is needed to determine whether treating nightmares can extend lifespan, the European Medical Journal says there is enough evidence to support actively managing nightmares as part of routine health care.