Nearly one in 10 of us regularly suffer from nightmares, sparked by anything from being too hot to scary movies, but did you know these night terrors could be trying to warn you about your health?
Lupus
“Horrific… murders… skin coming off people…” That’s how one patient with lupus described the nightmares associated with the autoimmune disease.
Lupus affects 50,000 Britons and sees the body’s own immune system attack itself, causing joint pain, skin rashes and fatigue. But a study by the University of Cambridge and King’s College London found that nightmares – often involving being attacked, trapped or crushed – were often a symptom of a flare up, with many citing them as starting before diagnosis and three out of five patients reporting regular bad dreams continuing throughout their illness.
What to do: See your GP if you think you have symptoms of lupus. They can order blood tests to check for the disease and prescribe medication to control it.
Sleep apnoea
One in eight of us suffer from sleep apnoea, where breathing stops temporarily during sleep as the airways become obstructed and many don’t know they have it. It can be linked to conditions such as depression, heart disease and an increased risk of stroke, but studies have shown it can trigger nightmares too.
Researchers at Swansea University found thatsufferers with severe symptoms often reported “emotionally negative and unpleasant” nightmares. One treatment involves wearing a CPAP mask in bed, which delivers air to you while asleep and it was found that nine out of 10 users stopped having nightmares.
What to do: Making noises while you sleep and feeling very tired in the daytime can be a sign you have sleep apnoea. See your GP for diagnosis. Lifestyle changes like losing weight can help.
Migraine
Bad dreams have also been associated with some people suffering migraine attacks. The severe headaches can cause throbbing pain on one side of the head, feeling dizzy and a warning aura involving sight problems that can last from two hours to three days.
According to a study reported in the journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, the extreme headaches can sometimes be preceded by dreams involving things like misfortune.
What to do: See your GP if you are getting regular symptoms. They can prescribe painkillers and other medicines to help.
Heart problems
Nightmares have been linked to an irregular heartbeat, known as arrhythmia. Symptoms include palpitations, feeling dizzy and shortness of breath. Some pose little health risk while others could reveal a serious problem. But a study published in the Netherlands Journal of Medicine found that people who had bad dreams were three times more likely to suffer from an irregular heartbeat and also more likely to get chest pain.
Experts think that these nightmares may be related to breathing problems lowering oxygen levels in the brain.
What to do: See your GP, who can order tests and referrals to diagnose the cause of the irregular beats and refer you to a specialist. If you think you’re having a heart attack call 999.
Parkinson’s disease
People with Parkinson’s disease are four times more likely to experience regular nightmares. These can often involve being chased or attacked and see sufferers lash out with their limbs in bed.
There are 150,000 people living with the condition in the UK, which causes parts of the sufferer’s brain which regulates movement to become damaged. Symptoms include stiff muscles, slow movement and tremors.
A study by scientists at the University of Birmingham found that people who had “distressing dreams” once or more a week were more likely to receive a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in the coming years.
What to do: See a doctor if you have symptoms, which can start as early as your 40s. There’s no cure, but there are treatments to help manage the disease once it’s diagnosed.