We’ve all experienced the occasional night where we toss and turn, and sleep seemed like an unreachable dream.
Some people struggle to fall asleep or are jarred awake at night.
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Insomnia has been linked by many researches to various complications. Some of these can even be fatal.
Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attack are all possible.
New study in Medical JournalAmerican Academy of Neurology It has been shown that those who have difficulty sleeping and experience sleep disturbances are at a higher risk for stroke.
Researchers discovered that “the risk is much higher for people younger than 50”.
The study, they said, does not prove insomnia can lead to a stroke. It only shows a correlation between the two.
The study involved 31126 participants with a mean age of 61, who did not have a history of strokes at the start of the research.
They were also asked how often participants struggled to fall asleep or could not get to sleep.
The answers were graded from zero to eight, where a higher score indicates more severe symptoms.
Researchers followed the participants for nine years. Of those, 2101 had suffered a stroke.
People with more serious sleep problems are at greater risk for developing a heart attack.
The risk of stroke for those who struggled with sleep was 16 percent higher than that of people who did not.
1,300 people out of 19,149 with a score up to 4 had an stroke. 365 from the 6,282 without any sleep disturbances also suffered a stroke.
According to research, strokes are more common in people who score between five and eight points on the Sleep Disruption Scale.
The group consisted of 5695, and 436 had the emergency medical condition.
Researchers found that the link between sleep disturbance symptoms and stroke is stronger among participants younger than 50 years old. Those who score between 5 and 8 on the scale of sleep disruption have a nearly 4-fold higher risk for stroke as compared with those without symptoms.
One-third of 458 individuals under 50 years old with symptoms ranging from five to eight had suffered a stroke.
The risk of stroke for people aged 50 and older who had the same symptoms as those without symptoms was 38 percent higher.
Thirty-three of the 654 individuals 50 years and older with symptoms ranging from five to eight had suffered a stroke.
Study author and member of the American Academy of Neurology, Wendemi Sawadogo, explained: “This difference in risk between these two age groups may be explained by the higher occurrence of stroke at an older age.
The link between stroke and sleep problems weakened as participants aged. “High blood pressure, diabetes and other stroke risk factors can become more prevalent as people get older,” said the expert.
This striking difference indicates that treating insomnia at an earlier age could be a good strategy to prevent stroke. Future research should explore the reduction of stroke risk through management of sleeping problems.”
Dr Sawadogo explained that there are a number of treatments available to help improve sleep quality.
“So determining which sleep problems lead to an increased risk of stroke may allow for earlier treatments or behavioural therapies for people who are having trouble sleeping and possibly reducing their risk of stroke later in life,” he went on.
According to the study, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and depression were also factors associated with an increased risk of stroke.
The research relied solely on the reports of insomniacs, which may not be accurate.
The NHSIf you:
- Sleeping is difficult
- Wake up several times at night
- Do not sleep at night
- Wake up and can’t go back to bed
- Still tired when you wake up
- You may find it difficult to take a nap even when you are tired
- You may feel tired or irritable throughout the day
- You may find it hard to focus during the day if you are tired
The average adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night.
Change your sleeping patterns to reduce insomnia. This can be done by getting to sleep and rising at the exact same time each day. You could also try reading to unwind instead of using your phone to scroll, keeping your room dark and silent, and exercising during the day.
If you have been having trouble sleeping or if you are unable to change your habits, you may want to consult a doctor.
You must be aware of the four symptoms that stroke can cause.
You can use the You can also find out more about FAST method – which stands for Face, Arms, Speech, Time – to identify is someone is having a stroke:
FIf one side is numb or dropped, ask the person to smile. If it’s not even, seek medical attention.
The following are some of the ways to get in touch with each otherYou should raise both arms if you notice that one arm has become weak. It could indicate stroke if one arm is pointing downwards.
SIf a person has difficulty speaking, it could indicate a stroke
The following are some of the ways to get in touch with each other:If you see the above signs, it’s time to dial 999
Additional stroke symptoms include
- A sudden onset of weakness or numbness in one side.
- Words are difficult to find
- Blurred vision or sudden loss of vision
- Dizziness, confusion or sudden unsteadiness
- A sudden, severe headache
- Understanding what other people are saying can be difficult
- Having difficulty swallowing
A blood clot can prevent oxygen and blood flow to the brain, causing an ischaemic attack.
The arteries become narrower with time.