People suffering from insomnia or any type of sleep disorder may be more likely to have a stroke, according to a study published in the journal Neurology. The study revealed that the connection between insomnia symptoms and stroke was particularly strong in individuals under the age of 50. Those who experienced five to eight symptoms of insomnia had nearly four times the risk of stroke compared to people with no symptoms.
Participants with more than five symptoms of insomnia had a 51% increased risk of stroke, while those with one symptom had a 16% increased risk.
However, the researchers emphasised that the study does not establish a cause-and-effect relationship between insomnia symptoms and stroke; it only demonstrates an association.
“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,” Wendemi Sawadogo, from Virginia Commonwealth University in the US, said.