During the night, nightmares can wake a person up feeling frightened, making it difficult to fall back asleep. Frequent bad dreams can negatively affect sleep quality, mood, and thinking.
Researchers have studied the link between nightmares and cognitive decline associated with dementia. In middle-aged and older adults, experiencing disturbing dreams every week increases the risk of mental decline and dementia.
Using these findings, doctors can find new ways to diagnose dementia early, slow its progression, and even prevent it in some cases.
Learn how nightmares may increase the risk of cognitive decline and dementia by watching the video.
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