And it is particularly among those under 50 that the risk is greatest, points out a new study.
Researchers at the University of Richmond in the United States confirm a link between sleeping too much, not enough, naps exceeding an hour… And the risk of suffering a stroke.
Their findings were published in the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Sleep disorders and stroke: a large study
The researchers relied on a database of more than 30,000 people with an average age of 61. None of them had a history of stroke.
Their contribution to the study? Answer several questions relating to their sleep, and any disorders relating to this sleep.
What conclusions?
At the end of the follow-up, which lasted 9 years, 2,101 participants had a stroke during the period. After setting aside variables such as alcohol and tobacco consumption, lack of physical activity, which increase the risk of stroke, what did they conclude?
There is a link between insomnia and stroke. Specifically, the volunteers had a 16% increased risk of having one to four symptoms of insomnia, compared to those with none. And with five to eight symptoms, this risk increases by 51%.
A particular risk in people under 50
And this link was particularly present in people under 50, with a risk 4 times greater in those who had 5 to 8 symptoms of insomnia compared to those who had none.
Scientists explain:
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.
According to them again:
This striking difference suggests that addressing insomnia symptoms at a younger age could be an effective stroke prevention strategy. Determining which sleep problems lead to an increased risk of stroke could lead to earlier treatment.