Worse than insomnia? This nighttime problem triples the risk of dying young
Most people don't get perfect sleep. It's often punctuated by insomnia, nighttime awakenings, sleep apnea, and nightmares. We know that getting enough regular, restorative sleep is essential for good health. However, the health impacts of certain sleep disturbances are still poorly understood.
Indeed, researchers at Imperial College London conducted a study on the effect of nightmares on health, and more specifically on aging. To do this, they analyzed data from nearly 190,000 people aged 8 to 86. Their biological aging (the age of their bodies) was measured, and they were followed for nearly 20 years.
The results of the study, presented at the annual meeting of the European Academy of Neurology, are alarming. According to a press release, " this study is the first to show that nightmares independently predict faster biological aging and earlier mortality ." The researchers concluded that people who frequently experience nightmares are significantly more likely to die young compared to those who have few or no nightmares. Specifically, those who had nightmares every week were three times more likely to die before age 70.
Nightmares predicted the risk of premature death even more than other factors such as obesity, smoking, or poor diet, according to the study authors. But how can this impact be explained? Nightmares put significant stress on the body. As a result, the body produces more cortisol, the stress hormone " closely linked to faster cellular aging. For those who frequently experience nightmares, this cumulative stress can have a significant impact on the aging process ," said Dr. Abidemi Otaiku, the study's lead researcher.
People who often have nightmares also experience this stressful state. " Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality. That's why nightmares often wake us up sweating, short of breath, and with a pounding heart, because our fight-or-flight response has been triggered. This stress response can be even more intense than anything we experience while awake," explained Dr. Otaiku.
In addition to this stress, nightmares disrupt " both the quality and duration of sleep ." These two effects are believed to be at the root of the impact of nightmares on health. For Dr. Otaiku, nightmares should therefore " be taken much more seriously as a public health problem." Fortunately, " it is possible to prevent and treat nightmares ," Dr. Otaiku reassures. How? By avoiding horror films, prioritizing good sleep hygiene, and learning to manage stress. If psychiatric disorders such as anxiety are the cause of nightmares, treatment may be effective.
L'Internaute
