THE DOCTOR IS IN
OP / ED BY DR. ADIL MANZOOR
According to the CDC, stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 795,000 people in the country having a stroke every year. That translates to someone in the US having a stroke every 40 seconds. Numbers, they say, do not lie, and that is certainly the case with stroke. That’s one-half of the conditions we are considering today.
For the other condition – insomnia – the prevalence statistics aren’t encouraging either. It is estimated that up to 40% of adults in the United States report insomnia symptoms at some point in a year. In raw numbers, that’s about 133 million Americans, which is clearly a lot.
While both stroke and insomnia are concerning, they are managed and treated as two totally different conditions. Although some studies have considered if links exist between these conditions, scientists have not found any significant relationship between stroke and insomnia. But the perception of scientists is changing in light of a new and comprehensive study on the link between insomnia and stroke.
The study, published in June of this year, sampled 31,126 participants without any history of stroke for an average of nine years. Researchers asked participants to rate their sleep based on the following factors: difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, waking up too early, and nonrestorative sleep. All of these factors are typical symptoms of insomnia. The rating was done on a scale of 1-8, with 8 indicating the most severe and frequent insomnia symptoms and 1 being the mildest.
The study found that insomnia symptoms were linked with increased stroke risk, with participants who reported an insomnia symptom rating of 5 or above 51% more likely to have a stroke than participants with no insomnia symptoms at all. The effects were more pronounced among younger participants, with the study finding that the risk of stroke was more than three times more among people under 50.
The findings of this result are, by no means, definitively saying insomnia causes stroke. However, the research shows that insomnia symptoms can increase the stroke risk. Judging from this inference, it is reasonable to state that strategies employed at lowering the frequency and severity of insomnia symptoms may be useful in reducing the occurrence of stroke. This is even more significant among people below the age of 50. That said, it is only natural to wonder what strategies may reduce insomnia symptoms.
However, it is only right to consider the causes of insomnia to understand fully the strategies that can help reduce its symptoms. Although there is no single cause of insomnia, typical causes include stress, disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm with frequent travels, bad sleep habits, late-night snacks, medical conditions, side effects of medications, and consumption of stimulants and alcohol.
From the highlighted causes, you can infer what the strategies for reducing insomnia symptoms will be, but I’d state them out for good measure. Firstly, reduce your stress levels. I cannot overemphasize this, but chronic stress can contribute to the progression of so many conditions in the body. However, reducing your stress levels does not mean cutting off regular physical activity. Countless studies show that staying active can promote a good night’s rest.
Furthermore, limit your alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine intake. In fact, if you can cut them off completely, please do. As with stress levels, overconsumption of these chemical substances, particularly alcohol, can worsen or even cause other medical conditions. Speaking of chemicals, check your medications to see their effect on sleep. If you notice anything unnatural, get in touch with your doctor. Please, do not stop a medication or make other medication changes without consulting your doctor.
Then, you should avoid late-night snacks. I know how tempting it may be to grab a chocolate bar or open a pack of chips when scrolling through your phone at night – we’ve all been there – but you shouldn’t. And that applies to using your phone at night too. Make it a practice to reduce your exposure to a screen, including phones and TVs, around your bedtime.
While all of these strategies can be useful in reducing your risk of stroke, note that they do not prevent or treat stroke. If you have a stroke, you should see your doctor immediately.
This article was written by Dr. Adil Manzoor, DO, a Board-Certified Internist & Board Certified Pediatrician who works as a Hospitalist and Emergency Room Physician. He is also the current President of Garden State Street Medicine, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide free preventive and acute urgent care services for the homeless. He is also the co-founder of his own unique medical practice, Mobile Medicine NJ & House call Doctors. He is also currently pursuing an Executive MBA and a Master’s of Science in Healthcare Leadership at Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management and the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences.
References
- https://n.neurology.org/content/101/5/e475
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/chronic-insomnia-may-increase-stroke-risk#Why-might-there-be-a-link?
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/06/26/insomnia-stroke-risk/
- https://www.ajmc.com/view/insomnia-overview-epidemiology-pathophysiology-diagnosis-and-monitoring-and-nonpharmacologic-therapy
- https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/facts.htm
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167
