People who have sleep issues may be more likely to have a stroke, research has suggested. Problems include getting too much or too little sleep, taking long naps, having poor quality sleep, snoring, snorting and sleep apnoea – where breathing is disrupted.
The study found that people who had more than five of these symptoms had an even greater risk of stroke. Snorers were almost twice as likely as non-snorers to have a stroke. People who slept for more than nine hours or less than five hours were more likely to have a stroke than people who had an average of seven hours, researchers found.
The researchers said their findings do not show that sleeping problems cause stroke, but they show an association. They add that the findings could prompt doctors to have earlier conversations about the risks with people who are having sleep problems.
