You know a lack of sleep can double your risk of stroke…and that high blood pressure is at the root of most strokes.1 But research shows there’s another risk at play. It’s a danger you may not have ever stopped to consider… In fact, you probably had no idea it was even bad for you.
A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) examined the connection between this overlooked factor and stroke risk. Researchers looked at 203,794 Americans with high blood pressure. They found subjects who got too much of this were 74% more likely to suffer a stroke than people who got a healthy amount.2
Dr. Oluwaseun Akinseye led the NIH study. Even he was surprised by the results. And he made sure to stress how important these results could be to your health.
He says, “We need to start engaging with patients about this. Although sometimes lifestyle choices might not be completely controllable, everyone should strive to get the normal, recommended . . . amount.”
And he’s right. Next to keeping your blood pressure low… Avoiding this shocking factor could be one of the most effective ways to lower your chances of having a stroke.
Too much sleep.
We weren’t surprised that subjects getting the least amount of sleep increased their risk by 83%… But we didn’t expect that getting too much sleep could raise risk by almost as much.
It means getting the right amount of sleep could save you from a stroke. That’s between six and eight hours. Staying in that “sweet spot” could be a major step in lowering stroke incidence in the U.S.
About 40% of Americans get less than six hours of sleep a night.3 But 5% get more than nine hours… Still, it means almost half of Americans get too much—or too little—sleep. Add this to the fact that 29% of adult Americans have high blood pressure… It’s easy to see how these factors can add up—and put your health at risk.4 Deaths from strokes may be on the decline…but they still kill over 140,000 Americans a year. And 185,000 people who survive their first stroke have another within five years.5
This is likely because strokes affect two critical aspects of your overall health: Your brain and your circulatory system. And no surprise… Sleep is essential to their proper functioning. Getting the right amount is an easy way to support both—and help prevent a stroke. And reaching those six to eight hours isn’t as hard as you might think.
Forget about taking dangerous sleeping pills. Rely on natural solutions—like chamomile tea—instead. You can also try introducing healthier behaviors into your nighttime routine… These can help you reach the right melatonin levels for bedtime.
In Good Health,
Angela Salerno
Publisher, INH Health Watch
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References:
1http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/WhyBloodPressureMatters/Stroke-and-High-Blood-Pressure_UCM_301824_Article.jsp
2http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-much-you-sleep-could-raise-risk-of-stroke/
3http://www.gallup.com/poll/166553/less-recommended-amount-sleep.aspx?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=syndication&utm_content=morelink&utm_term=USA%20-%20Well-Being
4http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/faqs.htm
5http://www.strokecenter.org/patients/about-stroke/stroke-statistics/