Scientists in the United States have discovered a concerning connection between insomnia symptoms and the heightened risk of developing strokes. Individuals who reported one or more symptoms of insomnia were found to have a 16% increased risk compared to those without such symptoms.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, revealed that this link was particularly strong among participants under the age of 50. In fact, those who experienced five to eight symptoms of insomnia were nearly four times more likely to have a stroke.
The research team emphasized that their findings suggest the potential benefits of improving sleep quality through various therapies, as doing so may help reduce the risk of stroke.
Dr. Wendemi Sawadogo, a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the lead author of the study from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, stated, “There are many therapies that can help people improve the quality of their sleep, so determining which sleep problems lead to an increased risk of stroke may allow for earlier treatments or behavioral therapies for people who are having trouble sleeping and possibly reducing their risk of stroke later in life.”
The study encompassed over 31,000 participants with an average age of 61 who had no history of stroke at the study’s inception. These individuals were followed for an average of nine years. Researchers posed questions regarding the frequency of difficulty falling asleep, regular nighttime awakenings, trouble going back to sleep after waking up too early, and the frequency of feeling rested in the morning.
Scores on these factors ranged from zero to eight, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms. The researchers accounted for factors that could impact stroke risk, such as alcohol consumption, smoking habits, and levels of physical activity.
Over the course of nearly a decade, the study documented 2,101 cases of stroke. Of these, 1,300 involved individuals with one to four insomnia symptoms, 436 had five to eight symptoms, and 365 displayed no symptoms.
According to the researchers, individuals with five to eight symptoms of insomnia faced a 51% increased risk of stroke. In particular, participants under the age of 50 who experienced the same range of symptoms were nearly four times more likely to have a stroke compared to those without any symptoms.
Furthermore, individuals aged 50 or older with the same number of symptoms experienced a 38% heightened risk of stroke in comparison to those without symptoms.
The research team noted that this association was even more pronounced among individuals with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and depression.
Sawadogo commented on the results, stating, “This difference in risk between these two age groups may be explained by the higher occurrence of stroke at an older age. The list of stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, can grow as people age, making insomnia symptoms one of many possible factors. This striking difference suggests that managing insomnia symptoms at a younger age may be an effective strategy for stroke prevention. Future research should explore the reduction of stroke risk through the management of sleeping problems.”
The study serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing sleep issues, particularly among younger individuals, to mitigate the risk of stroke. By improving sleep quality and seeking appropriate treatments, individuals may be able to safeguard their long-term health and reduce the likelihood of stroke occurrence.
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Above info taken from – theguardian
