<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>People who have disturbing dreams more often could be at higher risk of developing dementia, an Australian-led study has claimed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Over 10,000 adults aged between 60 and 89 were followed over time and asked how many times a week they would have disturbing dreams.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The study's authors define disturbing dreams as nightmares or bad dreams, which are intense dreams that can wake the sleeper.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/victorian-government-parts-of-melbourne-set-for-high-rises-up-to-20-storeys-tall-under-new-planning-reforms/849db508-406b-4c2b-a0d7-866cac313207" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Parts of Melbourne set for high rises up to 20 storeys tall under new planning reforms</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span></span></strong><span>"Technically, nightmares are the disturbing dreams that wake the sleeper up but there are also other dreams that have similar emotional intensity but they don't wake the sleeper up," lead author Dr Darren Lipnicki said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nearly a quarter of all participants said they experience disturbing dreams, and the study, an international collaboration featuring scientists from Europe, Asia and the Americas, has found a potential link to having more bad dreams and developing dementia later in life.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Adults between 60-69 who reported experiencing bad dreams are four times more likely to develop dementia.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/bad-dreams-linked-to-dementia-risk-australian-study-science/c85ae643-0392-46b1-82e7-51a925221069" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>ROYAL NEWS:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queen-mary-king-frederik-australia-tour-2026-royal-couple-visit-headspace-in-melbourne/dc8aa54a-058b-4736-80c7-0192278496a8" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Matt took on the King of Denmark in a game of ping pong - and won</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We found the strongest association in people in their 60s, which may suggest that disturbing dreams could be an early marker of dementia risk for some individuals," Lipnicki said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Researchers say the do not know the reason why bad dreams and dementia could be linked, but they believe it could be a sign of early changes in the brain chemistry, as well as the impacts of long-term chronic stress on the brain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It found men were far more likely to experience this link, with Lipnicki stating there was little evidence for women to be affected by this new phenomenon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think the reason for this has to do with the pathology and the type of dementia that's involved," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>FINANCE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/usa-israel-attacks-iran-economic-impact-australia-oil-prices-westpac-forecasts/2a0de929-dd28-4b32-a6e6-33ce45e2b9ba" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Dire warning about war's impact in Australia</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, he was at pains to suggest it wasn't a set in stone finding, instead that it could be used to guide future research on the issue.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This is especially important as our population begins to age.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's important to emphasise that not everyone who experiences disturbing dreams will go on to develop dementia," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"However, the findings suggest that frequent disturbing dreams - particularly in men and adults in their 60s - may warrant further investigation in future research."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>