For those who relish a good long nap, a new study says you are increasing your risk for stroke.
A recent study published in Neurology details how sleeping disturbance
symptoms, which include indulging in naps that last over an hour, increase the risk of an acute stroke in patients.
With 50 to 70 million people in the United States suffering from various sleep disorders, the study findings were of particular importance. The study involved 4.496 participants broken down into 1.799 who had an ischemic stroke, 439 who had an intracerebral hemorrhage and the remainder being control subjects. Sixty-two was the average age for all participants.
Participants completed a questionnaire regarding sleep symptoms in the month prior to their stroke. For those impaired by their stroke, proxies were enlisted to complete the form.
Researchers found that participants who slept less than five hours or more than nine hours had an increased risk of stroke. In addition, frequent waking and overall poor sleep quality also increased the risk. Naps over an hour in length and sleep apnea symptoms all contributed to a greater stroke risk. Snoring individuals were 91 percent more likely to have a stroke than non-snorers and sleep apnea patients had three times the stroke risk. The greatest risk of stroke was for participants who had five or more sleep issues.
The study confirms how vital good, quality sleep is to overall health and it is important for sleep problems to be discussed with your health care provider.
