Nightmares: Harbingers of Illness and Early Death

Nightmares aren’t just scary stories your brain tells at 3 a.m.—they may be warning signals. In this episode, we explore the startling new science showing that frequent nightmares aren’t merely linked to anxiety or PTSD, but to physical illnesses too: cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, even neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and dementia. And the newest research goes further. According to Dr. Abidemi Otaiku, recurring nightmares may predict premature death more strongly than smoking or obesity, possibly because the stress they trigger accelerates cellular aging. Are nightmares a symptom, a cause, or something in between? And why isn’t medicine taking them more seriously? We delve into the haunting connection between our dreams and our health—and what it might mean for the future of sleep science.https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/08/08/are-nightmares-bad-for-your-health