Having nightmares does not mean you will die or develop CVD. A population-based, prospective study
K. Liu, G. Solelha, P. Marques-Vidal
European journal of preventive cardiology May 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf236.508 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3,675 |
| Population | Adults in the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus cohort in Lausanne, Switzerland, mean age 57.2 years, 54.5% women |
| Duration | Median follow-up 9 years (interquartile range 6.5-9.2) |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Nightmare disorder (one or more nightmares per week) was reported by 11.5% of participants and was associated with cardiovascular mortality only in unadjusted analysis (sub-hazard ratio 2.34); after multivariable adjustment the association was no longer present (0.85 in the fuller model). The authors report no association between nightmare disorder and total mortality, cardiovascular mortality, or cardiovascular events. |
Abstract
Nightmare disorders are associated with mental health disorders and anxiety, often leading to insufficient sleep and poor sleep quality. Additionally, nightmares are accompanied by autonomic nervous system arousal, which accelerates heart rate, a risk factor for cardiovascular (CVD) events. Investigate the association between self-reported nightmare disorders in adults and total mortality, CVD mortality, and CVD events. Data from the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus study in our city (3675 participants, 57.2±10.4 years, 54.5% women, followed for a median time of 9 years [interquartile range 6.5-9.2]). Nightmares were assessed by questionnaire and participants were categorized as "no nightmare disorder (<1 per week)" and "nightmare disorder (1+ per week)". We conducted bivariate and multivariable analyses using Cox regression for total mortality and CVD events, and Fine-Gray competing risk regression for CVD mortality. Overall, 419 (11.5%) of participants presented with nightmare disorder. Participants with nightmare disorder presented more frequently with diabetes (11.5 vs. 8.3%, p=0.027), obesity (17.9 vs. 15.3%, p=0.035) and took more nightmare inducing drugs (20.3 vs. 7.3%, p<0.001) than participants without. After bivariate analysis, nightmare disorder was significantly associated with CVD mortality [sub-hazard ratio and (95% confidence interval) 2.34 (1.15–4.77), p=0.02]. Following multivariable adjustment, this association disappeared [model 1: 1.96 (0.77-4.98), p=0.157; model 2: 0.85 (0.22-3.22), p=0.808] (Figure). Participants with nightmare disorder present with increased levels of some CVD risk factors. Nightmare disorder is not associated with increased risk of total mortality, CVD mortality, or CVD events.