New American research has found that insomnia and sleep disturbances can lead to an increased risk of stroke.
The risks rise with increased symptoms such as difficulty falling asleep or waking up too early, says the study, which was published in the journal Neurology.
The study authors note that many people in the United States suffer from insomnia. They wanted to investigate the relationship between sleep disturbance and the occurrence of stroke, according to webmd.com.
A statement accompanying the study said that people with five to eight insomnia symptoms had a 51% higher risk of having a stroke than those without insomnia, after controlling for other risk factors. People with one to four symptoms were 16% more likely than those without symptoms.
“There are many therapies that can help people improve the quality of their sleep,” said lead study author and epidemiologist Wendemi Sawadogo, a researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, USA. “So, identifying sleep problems that lead to an increased risk of stroke may allow Early treatments or behavioral therapies for people with sleep problems may reduce the risk of stroke later in life.
Previous research has shown similar relationships between sleep disorders and stroke.
Phyllis Zee, director of the Center for Circadian Medicine and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, told CNN, “Lack of sleep disrupts metabolism and blood pressure, causes inflammation, and is a major cause of depression.” factors contributing to stroke.
“Lack of sleep can impair the natural drop in blood pressure that occurs during nighttime sleep and contribute to high blood pressure, which is a significant risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease,” Zee added.
#Sleep #disturbance #increases #risk #illness