Problems falling asleep and sleeping increase the likelihood of stroke
Sleep disturbances and insomnia increase the risk of stroke. People under age 50 with the most severe sleep disturbances were found to be nearly four times more likely to have a stroke than those without insomnia.Researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University found a correlation between insomnia symptoms and the risk of stroke, especially in patients under the age of 50. The findings are published in the journal Neurology.
Analysis taking into account alcohol use, smoking, and level of physical activity showed that the severity of sleep disturbance with a score of 1 to 4 leads to an increase in the risk of stroke by 16%, and from 5 to 8 points - by 51%.
The association between insomnia and stroke was more pronounced in study participants younger than 50 years of age. In this subgroup, sleep disturbances with a score of 5 to 8 increased the likelihood of developing a stroke nearly 4-fold compared with participants who had no problems falling asleep or sleeping. People 50 years of age and older had a 38% increased risk.
The study included 31,126 people, based on a survey of U.S. residents whose average age was 61. At the start of the study, none of the participants had a history of stroke. Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire describing the quality of falling asleep and nighttime sleep, including how they felt in the morning. A 0- to 8-point scale was used to assess the severity of nighttime sleep disturbances. The average follow-up period was 9 years. During this time, 2101 cases of stroke were registered in the study group.
According to the authors, the elimination of insomnia symptoms at a young age can be considered one of the potential ways to prevent stroke, although further scientific research is required to confirm the effectiveness of this approach.
Source: Association Between Insomnia Symptoms and Trajectory With the Risk of Stroke in the Health and Retirement Study | Neurology