Insomnia May Raise Your Risk of Stroke

Not that people with insomnia need another thing to worry about when trying to fall asleep, but a recent study about a link between insomnia and stroke may counter their quest for sleep.

Published in the journal Neurology, the study found that people who have insomnia symptoms may be more likely to have a stroke. The insomnia-stroke link was strongest in people under age 50 who experience five to eight symptoms of insomnia. The risk of stroke for those individuals was nearly four times higher than it was for same-aged individuals who did not have any symptoms of insomnia. Drilling down a little deeper, the study found that people with more than five symptoms of insomnia had a 51 percent increased risk, while those with one had 16 percent.

Symptoms of insomnia include: trouble falling asleep. trouble staying asleep, waking up too early, daytime sleepiness, not feeling well rested upon waking, anxiety and depression, irritability, difficulty staying focused, issues with memory, and ongoing worry about sleep.

Researchers, however, were quick to point out that the study does not prove that insomnia symptoms cause stroke; it only shows an association.

Perhaps one of the most important takeaways from the study is the suggestion that screenings for and managing insomnia symptoms at a younger age may be an effective strategy for stroke prevention.

In case you think that a nice, long mid-day nap might be the answer, a different study published earlier this year in the same journal found that napping also increased the chances of stroke. People who took naps longer than an hour were 88% more likely to suffer a stroke than those who did not. However, taking a planned nap of less than an hour was not associated with an increased stroke risk.

Both studies serve as a good reminder of the association between a regular seven hours of sleep a night and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

If you have questions or concerns about your sleep habits, talk to your doctor about the signs and symptoms of insomnia.

Michael Algus, MD, FACP is a pulmonologist at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.