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A groundbreaking study led by Australian researchers suggests that the inability to recall dreams upon waking might be an early warning sign of Alzheimer’s disease.
Conducted by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), the study involved a cohort of 1,000 adults and identified potential connections between dreamless sleep and early biological changes linked to this debilitating neurological condition.
“Older individuals who don’t remember their dreams may be exhibiting initial signs of Alzheimer’s, even if they don’t yet show obvious memory issues,” explained Darren Lipnicki, the study’s lead author and a Research Fellow at UNSW’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA).
Published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, the research also revealed that participants unable to recall their dreams experienced cognitive decline at twice the pace of those who could remember them.
Importantly, the researchers noted that this phenomenon goes beyond simple forgetfulness, indicating a deeper connection with cognitive health.
It might be an indicator that your brain is changing.Â
“It may indicate that the brain is producing fewer or less vivid dreams in the first place due to early neurodegenerative changes,” Dr Lipnicki said.
“If someone notices they’ve stopped remembering their dreams later in life, it may be worth paying attention,” he added.
Alzheimer’s disease has become the second leading cause of death in Australia.
The number of deaths due to dementia more than doubled between 2009 (8500 deaths) and 2023 (17,400 deaths).
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), estimated 425,000 to over 480,000 Australians are currently living with dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease accounting for over 70 per cent of these cases.Â
Without a medical breakthrough, this number is projected to exceed one million by 2058 to 2065.
“Our findings suggest that changes in this process may be one of the earliest detectable signs of Alzheimer’s disease – and a promising target for future research and prevention,” senior author and Co-Director of CHeBA Professor Perminder Sachdev said.
This new information highlights the new predictive power of asking about dream recall as a single question medical tool, identifying issues at a low cost and potentially much earlier than possible now.
And it isn’t the first time UNSW’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing has linked dreaming.
A March 2026 international study also held by UNSW found that older adults with frequent disturbing dreams may face a higher risk of dementia.
“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, “Dr Lipnicki said.
“It’s important to emphasise that not everyone who experiences disturbing dreams will go on to develop dementia.”
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