Study released: Mild sleep disturbance may lead to premature death.

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A recent study revealed a strong link between recurring nightmares and an increased risk of premature death, up to 3 times higher compared to people who do not experience them. The study, conducted by researchers from Imperial College London, explained that weekly nightmares may be a stronger indicator of premature death than smoking, obesity, malnutrition, or lack of physical activity. The researchers found that children and adults who suffer from frequent nightmares show signs of accelerated biological aging, which accounts for about 40 percent of their risk of premature death. It considered that even people who experience nightmares monthly were more prone to health decline and accelerated aging compared to those who do not experience them or rarely experience them. The brain does not distinguish between nightmare and reality Brain science researcher and leader of the study team, Dr. Abidi Ataiko, says that the brain during sleep cannot distinguish between dream and reality, which leads to the activation of the "fight or flight" response as if the nightmare is real. He added that "this tension leads to a continuous increase in the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for accelerating cell aging, in addition to its negative impact on sleep quality and the body's ability to regenerate." Tips to reduce nightmares The researcher presented a set of tips to reduce nightmares, including: avoiding watching scary movies, maintaining a healthy sleep routine, managing stress and anxiety, and seeking psychological treatment when needed. He also recommended a treatment known as "imagery rehearsal therapy," which relies on rewriting the nightmare in a less terrifying form and repeating it mentally, and can be practiced at home. For those who suffer from recurring nightmares that affect their quality of life, Ataiko recommended resorting to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, which has proven effective in reducing nightmares and slowing down brain aging. The study was based on long-term data collected from 183,000 adults aged between 26 and 86 years, and more than 2,400 children aged between 8 and 10 years. The participants were tracked for 19 years, and the results of the study were announced at the European Academy of Neurology conference on June 23, 2025. It was found that those who reported one nightmare a week for an entire decade were three times more likely to die before the age of seventy compared to others.