Bad dreams in middle-age could be an early warning sign of cognitive decline, which could put you at a higher risk of developing dementia as you get older.
This is according to a new study which has looked at the correlation between distressing dreams, cognitive decline and risk of dementia.
The study was led by a University of Birmingham researcher and analysed more than 600 middle-aged adults aged 35 to 64, and 2,600 people aged 79 and older over a 13-year period.
The findings of the study were published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine journal on September 21, which was World Alzheimer's Day 2022.
It found that middle-aged people who experienced distressing dreams once a week or more were four times more likely to experience cognitive decline over the following decade than those who rarely had nightmares.
Older participants who experienced bad dreams were also found to be twice as likely to be diagnosed with dementia. The study suggested that the associations were stronger for men than for women.
The study concluded: "a higher frequency of distressing dreams was linearly and statistically significantly associated with higher risk of cognitive decline amongst middle-aged adults and higher risk of incident all-cause dementia amongst older adults."
A clear reason for the link between bad dreams and cognitive decline is not yet known.
However, the author has theorised that degeneration of the nervous system in the right frontal lobe of the brain makes it harder for people to control their emotions.
If people cannot control their emotions while dreaming, they may be more likely to experience bad dreams and nightmares.
The study's author, Dr Abidemi Otaiku, told The Guardian : "We know that neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease often start many years before somebody is diagnosed.
"In some individuals who already have underlying disease, bad dreams and nightmares might be one of the earliest signs."
Otaiku has said that her findings may help doctors spot the potential development of dementia and cognitive decline.
She stated in the study: "by tracking changes in distressing dream frequency over time, this may even allow doctors to determine how close these individuals are to the onset of clinical dementia."
She also suggested that treating distressing dreams might even help to slow cognitive decline and prevent cognitive impairment.
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