More specifically, it showed that having frequent bad dreams and nightmares (bad dreams that make you wake up) during middle or older age, may be linked with an increased risk of developing dementia. For example, older men who had nightmares every week were five times more likely to develop dementia compared with older men reporting no bad dreams. Alternatively, it is also possible that having regular bad dreams and nightmares might even be a cause of dementia. Related: FDA-Approved Sleeping Pill Slows Alzheimer's Tangles in Pre-Clinical TrialThe next steps for my research include investigating whether nightmares in young people might also be linked to increased dementia risk. This could help to determine whether nightmares cause dementia, or whether they are simply an early sign in some people.