Frequent nightmares linked to early death risk

Weekly nightmares are linked to accelerated biological aging and a threefold rise in early death risk, according to an Imperial College London study of over 183,000 adults. People who had weekly nightmares were over three times more likely to die before age 70 than those who rarely or never had them. Even monthly nightmares showed elevated risk. Stress from nightmares disrupts sleep, raises cortisol, and impairs cellular repair. The study results were presented on June 23 at the European Academy of Neurology Congress 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, and researchers are urging better stress management, sleep hygiene, and therapies to reduce nightmares and their health impact.

Have you ever had terrifying dreams and woken up in the middle of the night with cold sweats, trying to make sense of what happened? Why do we have so many nightmares? Is it possible to get rid of them? We have the answers, so click through the gallery and reveal them.

Good morning

Nothing like waking up in the morning and starting the day after a good night's sleep.

Inspiration?

Though not everyone seems to be affected by bad dreams. Alice Cooper, for example, recorded an album called 'Welcome to My Nightmare.'

Fear

But this is not the case for most people. After all, who has never had a nightmare involving a creepy creature from a horror movie?

Why?

But what are the possible explanations for these horror films that go through our minds while we're asleep?

Repressed feelings

In another study, researcher Gary Fireman stated that nightmares are ways of expressing emotions that we are unable to express when we're awake.

Recurring nightmares

Do you remember having the same nightmare more than once?

According to Gary Fireman's theory, this phenomenon is due to repressed desires and frustrations, which are stored in our subconscious.

Alert

Having the same nightmare over and over again may be a way of your subconscious mind drawing your attention to a particular issue.

Prevention?

The answer is no, but there are a number of habits that can improve the quality of your sleep and consequently contributing to you having less nightmares.

Tip 2

Getting anxious the night before an important event can literally turn into a nightmare, so try to relax as much as possible.

Tip 4

Some medications can also contribute to having nightmares. Remember that any medication should only be taken if prescribed by a doctor.

Tip 6

Alcohol abuse, as well as disrupting your sleep, can also give you nightmares.