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Sleep problems could increase risk of stroke, research says

By Mallika Marshall, MD

April 6, 2023 / 5:38 PM EDT / CBS Boston

BOSTON - We know good quality sleep is critical for overall health. Now new research finds that the more sleep problems people have, the greater their chances of having a stroke.

Researchers in Ireland looked at sleep behaviors in nearly 4,500 people and found that too much sleep, too little sleep, long naps, poor quality sleep, snoring and sleep apnea were each associated with a higher risk of stroke, though people with five or more sleep symptoms were at much greater risk.

Experts say disrupted sleep and sleep apnea can impair the body's ability to regulate its metabolism, blood pressure, and inflammation which are all risk factors for stroke.

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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