Many studies have linked sleep problems with increased risk for dementia. Previous research determined that individuals who slept fewer than five hours per night were twice as likely to develop dementia, and twice as likely to die, compared to those who slept six to eight hours per night. Now, a new study finds that nightmares are linked to a higher risk for cognitive decline and dementia.

According to HuffPost, data gathered from several studies has shown that people reporting a higher frequency of nightmares — at least once a week — are more likely to be diagnosed with cognitive decline.

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In fact, middle-aged adults who experienced weekly nightmares had four times the risk for cognitive decline while older adults with similar experiences had twice the risk of being diagnosed with dementia. One of the principal researchers, Dr. Abidemi Otaiku, a research fellow at Imperial College London, suggested that frequent nightmares may be an early sign of dementia. He also hypothesized that regular nightmares may be one of the causes of dementia.

“We’ve demonstrated for the first time that distressing dreams, or nightmares, can be linked to dementia risk and cognitive decline among healthy adults in the general population,” he stated. “This is important because there are very few risk indicators for dementia that can be identified as early as middle age. While more work needs to be done to confirm these links, we believe bad dreams could be a useful way to identify individuals at high risk of developing dementia and put in place strategies to slow down the onset of disease.”

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If you suffer from disruptive nightmares, consult your doctor. According to the Sleep Foundation, therapy is one way to help address nightmares. This includes cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychotherapy, along with other types of recognized therapeutic treatments.