Too Many Nightmares Can Literally Scare You to Death

Having nightmares once in a while is normal, especially nightmares where you’re being chased down a beach by a sentient flock of angry toupees. (No? Just me?)

A study presented at the annual European Academy of Neurology conference in Finland found that having bad dreams regularly could cause more than just a poor night’s sleep. People who frequently suffer from nightmares are significantly more likely to die young.

Yes, too many nightmares could be deadly.

Researchers tracked participants for nearly 20 years and found a disturbing link. Those who reported having nightmares at least once a week were three times more likely to die before the age of 70.

They think it’s tied to how our bodies respond to stress. Just like in real life, your system goes into panic mode during nightmares, pumping out cortisol – a stress hormone strongly linked to faster cellular aging.

“Our sleeping brains cannot distinguish dreams from reality. 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.”

Okay, maybe you’ll live. But bad dreams make you age faster too.

The study found people with frequent nightmares tend to age faster as well. So, nightmares that your hair turned gray could actually make your hair turn gray! They say the sped-up cellular aging is 40% of the reason you’re more likely to die young.

Sleep well… your life might depend on it.

The results of the study point to a close connection between disturbed sleep, chronic stress, and long-term health. So if you’re waking up in a cold sweat more nights than not, it might be time to take your sleep hygiene (and stress levels) seriously.

If you’ve been brushing off your bad dreams as no big deal, you might want to rethink that decision.

Maybe sleep on it. Sweet dreams!