India, June 24 -- A new study, shared at the European Academy of Neurology's annual meeting, explored the effects of frequent nightmares on a person's biological aging and longevity.
"Given how common and modifiable nightmares are, they should be taken far more seriously as a public health concern," lead author Dr. Abidemi Otaiku noted.
For the study, researchers looked into how often both adults and children had nightmares over up to 19 years. They also examined how quickly their bodies were aging by measuring their telomeres, the tiny protective ends on DNA strands that are akin to the plastic tips on shoelaces. Shorter telomeres mean the body is aging faster.
The study found that people who regularly had nightmares aged faster. Adults...