Study: Nightmares Are A Reliable Indicator Of Dementia In The Future
According to a study, our dreams can provide a surprising amount of information about the condition of our brains.
More precisely, research demonstrates that having frequent nightmares and unpleasant dreams (bad dreams that wake you up) in middle or later life may be associated with a higher risk of dementia.
Data from three sizable US studies on aging and health were analyzed for the study. There were 2,600 persons who were 79 years of age or older, as well as approximately 600 people in the 35 to 64 age range.
At the beginning of the trial, all of the patients were dementia-free. The middle-aged group was followed for an average of nine years, while the older participants were followed for an average of five years.
The participants filled out a number of questionnaires at the start of the study (2002–12), one of which inquired about the frequency of their nightmares and terrible dreams.
Data were analyzed to determine whether participants who experienced more nightmares at the beginning of the trial had a higher likelihood of later experiencing a cognitive decline (a rapid drop in memory and reasoning abilities over time) and being given a dementia diagnosis.
After analysis, it was discovered that whereas older individuals were twice as likely to be given a dementia diagnosis, middle-aged participants who experienced nightmares every week were four times more likely to have a cognitive decline (a precursor to dementia) during the following decade.
It’s interesting to note that men were significantly more likely than women to experience nightmares and develop dementia in the future.
These findings imply that having frequent nightmares may be one of the earliest indications of dementia, which can develop years or even decades before memory and thinking issues, particularly in men.
Alternately, it’s also conceivable that frequently having nightmares and terrible dreams could actually contribute to dementia.
It is impossible to determine which of these theories is true given the nature of this investigation.
The key conclusion of the study is that having frequent nightmares and horrible dreams during middle and older age may be associated with an increased chance of acquiring dementia later in life, regardless of which explanation proves to be correct.
The good news is that there are remedies for persistent nightmares. Additionally, it has previously been demonstrated that the first-line medical treatment for nightmares reduces the accumulation of aberrant proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
Additionally, there are case reports that demonstrate how treating nightmares might enhance one’s memory and cognitive abilities.
According to these results, treating nightmares may help certain people delay cognitive aging and ward off dementia. In the future, there will be much ground to cover in terms of research.
News Mania Desk
