Strokes are scary, rightly so. According to the American Heart Association, they cut life expectancy by a staggering 32.7%, or roughly nearly six years of life. Several habits, such as smoking, alcohol addiction and a diet rich in salt, saturated fats and cholesterol are known to increase the risk of stroke. But do you know one specific poor habit can make you three times more likely to suffer a stroke? It’s none of the aforementioned habits – but lack of sleep.According to a 2023 study published in the Neurology magazine, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. According to the study, individuals who regularly slept for less than five hours were three times more likely to suffer a stroke than those who slept for seven hours on average. Additionally, people who slept for more than nine hours were twice as likely to have a stroke as people who slept for seven hours.Taking to X, internal medicine expert Dr Priyam Bordoloi suggested four changes to improve quality of sleep.Install Blackout CurtainsHaving a source of light before bed can suppress melatonin and delay its production. This also includes rays emitted by the television from another room. The doctor also suggested wearing an eye mask if blackout curtains were not available.— DocPriyamMD (@DocPriyamMD) Melatonin is a hormone which regulates the sleep cycle.Have A Warm ShowerWarm water encourages blood circulation. When you step out, the heat escalates and the core temperature falls; this encourages sleep.Write Unfinished Tasks On A Piece Of PaperHaving your brain being burdened with deadlines and unfinished tasks can interfere with your sleeping cycle and affect the quality of shut-in time. So Dr Bordoloi suggested that just before you go to bed, write down all of your pending tasks on a piece of paper. This gives your brain a sense of closure and relief, and it can prepare to relax and let you sleep in peace.Reduce Coffee IntakeCoffee is a must-have for students and busy professionals. And while it is a handy beverage to ward off sleepiness during the day, this benefit doesn’t come without a price. According to an article published on Sleep Foundation, caffeine affects the sleep cycle as it blocks adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine is a hormone that promotes sleep, produced by the brain. According to Dr Bordoloi, a cup of 200 mg coffee consumed at 5 PM may leave roughly 100 mg in your system at 10 PM. So if you can’t cut down on caffeine, make sure to stop drinking it at least six hours before bedtime.
Neurologists warn people with one habit are three times more likely to have a stroke. Hint: It’s not smoking or alcohol addiction
Some dietary and lifestyle habits have a high correlation to strokes – such as a poor diet filled with processed foods and heavily fried dishes, drinking and tobacco addiction and a sedentary life with little to no physical activity. However, according to a study conducted by neurologists, one habit can make you three times more vulnerable to a stroke: lack of sleep.
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