People experiencing nightmares 29% more at risk of developing suicidal tendencies: Study

Hyderabad: Many people complain of getting nightmares during sleep. But nightmares are not to be taken lightly or dismissed because they have a significant bearing on mental health including increased risk of suicide, according to findings of some recent research.

Persons who experience recurring nightmares are at higher risk of committing suicide, according to new research presented at the 37th SLEEP 2023, annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS), jointly organized by the Sleep Research Society and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The findings were simultaneously published in the journal ‘Sleep.’

Dr. Veena Aggarwal, consultant on women's health, recently elaborated on the study on an online medical platform eMediNexus.

The US study

A sub-analysis of the Penn State Child Cohort was conducted to determine a link between the occurrence of nightmares and suicidal tendencies in young adulthood. The Penn State Child Cohort was a group of 700 children, aged 5 to 12 years at the time of their recruitment, who were examined again during adolescence and young adulthood between 12 years and 23 years of age.

For the present study, 257 young adults who had been a part of the Penn State Child Cohort and had completed their follow-up visits 16 years later were enrolled. The nightmares were self-reported. Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) structured interview, child behavior checklist, adult self-report, and depression, anxiety, and stress scale were used to assess suicide risk.

The results of the study

Out of the 257 participants, 109 participants self-reported nightmares. The results showed that the rate of suicidal tendencies was 29% higher among those who reported nightmares compared to 14% increased risk among participants who did not have nightmares. Among those who reported moderate-to-severe nightmares, the rate further increased to 46%.

After adjusting for sex, age, sleep duration, sleep disturbances, and history of trauma, they were 2.3 times more likely to experience suicidality. Those who reported moderate-to-severe nightmares were 6.1 times more likely to be at risk of suicide.

Significance of the study

This study highlights the significant association between nightmares and increased risk of suicide. This association was independent of other risk factors such as sleep disturbances and trauma history. A history of nightmares and their severity should be elicited among persons who have suicidal ideation as it is crucial as part of the approaches to prevent suicide. Nightmares can be treated with psychotherapy or medications.

Indirect link between nightmares and suicide

Around 25 % of sleep and 80 % of dreams take place in REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep while the remaining 75 % of sleep and 20 % of dreams occur in NREM (Non-REM) sleep.

According to Dr. Charan Teja Koganti, Neuropsychiatrist at KIMS Hospital, “There is no established direct link between recurrent nightmares and suicide but these are indirectly connected. Nightmares indicate a lack of smooth transition from REM sleep to NREM sleep. Due to the disturbance in a sleep cycle, neurochemical imbalance occurs in the brain including slightly less cerebral blood flow due to lower oxygen uptake and decreased level of serotonin. This might in turn cause clinical depression, lack of interest in day-to-day activities as well as lack of willingness to live.”

“Nightmares can be triggered by some fear and guilt, pain and trauma of losing a dear one, etc and those suffering from frequent nightmares must consult a psychiatrist for treatment that requires a sleep study and medication,” adds Dr Charan.