Nightmares could be early warning signs of potentially deadly diseases , according to a new study. An increase in nightmares and hallucinations or 'daymares' may herald the onset of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, say scientists. One patient in the study was so disorientated they felt like they were "Alice in Wonderland.
" Researchers want greater recognition that such mental health and neurological symptoms can act as an "early warning sign" that a patient is approaching a "flare" - where their illness worsens for a period. The study, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, involved 676 people living with lupus and 400 medics. The international research team, led by University of Cambridge and King's College London scientists, conducted detailed interviews with 69 people living with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases, including lupus, and 50 clinicians.
Lupus is an autoimmune inflammatory disease known for its effect on several organs, including the brain. The researchers asked patients about the timing of 29 neurological and mental health symptoms including depression, hallucinations and loss of balance. Patients were also asked if they could list the order that symptoms usually happened when their disease was flaring.
One of the most common symptoms reported was disrupted dream sleep, experienced by three out of five patients, a third of whom reported the symptom appearing over a year before the onset of lupus. Just under one in four patients reported hallucinati.
