Sleep disorders and respiratory failure increase the risk of stroke

Insomnia and respiratory failure pose a health hazard
People who suffer from sleep seem to be at an increased risk for stroke. This emerges from a new study of the University of Duisburg-Essen, which is currently published in the US journal "Neurology". According to this, sleeplessness or nocturnal respiratory interruptions also cause the subsequent recovery phase after a stroke to be less favorable than in other patients. These relationships would make it clear that sufferers necessarily have to be examined for sleep disorders, according to the study director Prof. Dirk M. Hermann.

Lack of sleep weighs on body and mind
According to Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, about 10 to 15 percent of the population in Germany suffer from a need of treatment or chronic sleep disorder. Those affected are awake for hours, can not fall asleep, wallow again and again from right to left or constantly startle again. Instead of restful rest there is pure stress and the next morning you feel neither rested nor powerful.

People who suffer from sleep disorders have a higher risk of having a stroke according to a new study. (Image: Dan Race / fotolia.com)

Insomnia and sleep apnea have different effects
Sleep disorders not only have a very stressful effect on the psyche, but can also be dangerous for the body. This is confirmed by a new study by Prof. Dirk M. Hermann, Professor of Vascular Neurology, Dementia and Age Research at the Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen at the University Hospital Essen. Thus, insomnia or respiratory failure apparently lead to an increased risk of stroke and to an unfavorable course of recovery after a stroke, the press release from the university.

The two phenomena are different forms of sleep disorders: In the case of sleep-related respiratory disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, there are repeated interruptions of breathing during sleep. Sleep-wake disorders such as insomnia or the so-called "restless leg syndrome", however, affect the total duration of sleep, informs the university.

Stroke patients are under-studied
Prof. Hermann, together with the director of the Clinic for Neurology of the Inselspital Bern, Claudio L. Bassetti, examined the current data on the relationships between sleep disorders and stroke. It was confirmed that sufferers should definitely be examined for sleep problems. The same applies to people with a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a temporary circulatory disorder of the brain, which often occurs as a harbinger of a "major" stroke.

So far, such studies were performed too rarely - although stroke patients often suffer from sleep problems, the university continues to report. "Patients with sleep disorders or sleep-related breathing disorders, for example, are more likely to be hospitalized in a nursing home than other patients after a stroke, because they often suffer another stroke or recover worse from it," explains study author Professor Hermann.

Respiratory masks can help
However, targeted measures could have a positive effect on the course of the disease. According to the experts sleep apnea patients could get special respiratory masks, which avoid breathing interruptions. In sleep-wake disorders, depending on the severity, e.g. Low-dose antidepressants or stimulants are used. Here, however, medical advice is required in any case, because especially with sleeping pills there is a very high risk of dependence.

Healthy lifestyle promotes good sleep
A healthy lifestyle and the absence of late food, coffee, nicotine, alcohol and intensive sports in the evening are beneficial for a restful sleep. Those who observe regular sleep times and reduce their weight in the event of being overweight can significantly improve their sleep.

Instead of taking sleeping pills or sedatives, various home remedies can help with sleep disorders. For example, a calming tea made of passionflower or chamomile has proven to be effective in relieving tension and relieving inner restlessness. Relaxation techniques such as autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation can be very effective. (No)