Loneliness linked to increased nightmare frequency and intensity

People who are lonely are more likely to have bad dreams, according to a study involving a scientist from Oregon State University.

The findings are important because both loneliness and sleep disorders are serious public health problems, says Colin Hesse of OSU. They are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death.

In an article published in the Journal of PsychologyHesse and researchers from the University of Arizona, the University of Tampa and Whitworth University note that stress is part of the link between loneliness and both the frequency and intensity of nightmares.

Other factors linking loneliness to nightmares appear to be rumination – worry and fear – and hyperarousal, described as the state of being extra alert and focused. Like stress, rumination and hyperarousal are mental states associated with loneliness.

The findings of the study led by Kory Floyd of the University of Arizona not only shed light on a possible detrimental effect of too little human connection, but are also in line with the evolutionary theory of loneliness, which states that a sense of connection is essential is for human relationships. to survive.

Interpersonal relationships are very much a core human need. When people’s need for strong relationships is not met, they suffer physically, mentally and socially. Just as hunger or fatigue means you haven’t gotten enough calories or sleep, loneliness has evolved to alert individuals when their needs for interpersonal connection go unmet.”

Colin Hesse, director of the School of Communication in OSU’s College of Liberal Arts

Loneliness is a widespread condition that significantly impairs well-being, the researchers point out, and causes suffering in various forms, including reduced sleep. Experiencing nightmares is one way that sleep quality is affected.

The findings linking loneliness to nightmares — in a correlative way, rather than a causal way, Hesse points out — come from the authors’ surveys of more than 1,600 adults in the United States, ranging in age from 18 to 81.

The results also offer an explanation for nightmares that have their origins in evolution – humans have evolved to experience stress, rumination and extra alertness when they are lonely – rather than environmental factors, such as experiencing some type of trauma.

“It’s too early to talk about specific interventions in a concrete way,” Hesse said, “but our findings are certainly consistent with the possibility that treating loneliness might help reduce someone’s nightmare experiences. That’s a possibility to suggest. suits in controlled, clinical trials.” .”

According to the Sleep Foundation, an estimated 50 million to 70 million Americans suffer from some form of sleep disorder.

“Quality restorative sleep is pivotal to cognitive functioning, mood regulation, metabolism and many other aspects of well-being,” Hesse said. “That’s why it’s so crucial to investigate the psychological states that disrupt sleep, with loneliness being key.”

The Office of the U.S. Surgeon General reports that even before COVID-19, about half of American adults reported measurable levels of loneliness, and a lack of connection is similar to smoking in increasing the risk of premature death.

Statistics from the Surgeon General’s advisory on our epidemic of loneliness and isolation include:

• A 29% increased risk of heart disease.
• A 32% increased risk of stroke.
• A 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults.
• A greater than 60% chance of premature death.

In addition, people who often feel lonely are more than twice as likely to develop depression than people who rarely or never feel lonely.

Whitworth University’s Flora Family Fund supported research into the link between loneliness and nightmares.