A new study from the University of Ottawa has examined the prevalence of sleep disturbances in Canadian adults, examining their potential associations with stroke, which is a leading cause of death or disability.
The findings showed that almost two-thirds of those with stroke in Canada exhibit symptoms of disturbed sleep.
The team found people living with the effects of stroke were up to seven times more likely to report multiple sleep problems compared to the general population.
They suggest that greater awareness, guidance for treatment, and research on how to manage sleep problems in the context of stroke is needed.
Previous studies have found that either sleep deprivation or sleeping for longer than 9 hours a day can increase the risk of having a stroke. Conversely, having a stroke can also cause changes in sleeping patterns.
Therefore, understanding the complex dynamics between stroke and sleep, measured in both quantity and quality, is essential to better inform target interventions.
In the study, the team used various statistical techniques for a cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a large and comprehensive national survey on people’s health status and the determinants of health.
This gave them a far better picture of how common sleep problems are in stroke across the Canadian population than previous studies, which typically have small sample sizes.
The team suggests that further research will be necessary to study groups of patients in sleep labs to get a more thorough and objective understanding of the link between stroke and specific types of sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and insomnia.
The findings of the study highlight the need for increased awareness and screening of underlying sleep disorders in patients with stroke, and physicians need to consider this in their primary care practices.
Stroke is a medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing damage to the brain tissue.
This can result in a range of symptoms, such as numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, trouble speaking or understanding speech, vision problems, dizziness or loss of balance, and severe headache.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and requires immediate medical attention.
There are two main types of stroke: ischemic stroke, which is caused by a blockage in a blood vessel in the brain, and hemorrhagic stroke, which is caused by bleeding in the brain.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about antioxidants that could help reduce dementia risk, and common high blood pressure drug may treat vascular dementia.
The study was conducted by Matthew Jeffers et al and published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
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