Insomnia could lead to greater risk of stroke

Clopidogrel users who have trouble sleeping need to listen up: Researchers have analyzed whether or not those who suffer from insomnia are putting themselves at a higher risk for stroke, and the results are nothing to sleep on.

Doctors from Taiwan examined the records of 21,000 people who had been while also taking a look at a control group of those who did not have a sleeping condition. None of the participants had ever been treated for a stroke.

After following the subjects for four years, the researchers found that those who had insomnia were 54 percent more likely to be hospitalized for a stroke. Insomniacs who were between the ages of 18 and 34 were eight times more susceptible to suffer a stroke than those without a sleeping disorder, and subjects who also had diabetes were discovered to be at an even higher risk for stroke.

Dr. Ya-Wen Hsu, a professor at Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science and lead author of the study, urged those with insomnia that the possibilities of having a stroke are extremely high, and searching for treatment should be a primary concern.

"We feel strongly that individuals with chronic insomnia, particularly younger persons, see their physician to have assessed and, when indicated, treated appropriately," Hsu said in a statement. "Individuals should not simply accept insomnia as a benign, although difficult, condition that carries no major health risks. They should seek medical evaluation of other possible risk factors that might contribute to stroke." 

Although further research is necessary to truly distinguish a legitimate link between sleep deprivation and stroke, the results indicate that there does seem to be some sort of correlation, which could be heightened through general lifestyle factors commonly associated with insomniacs, such as tobacco and alcohol use, lack of exercise and constant stress.

Getting help for insomnia
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths in America is due to stroke. Those who are frequently finding themselves not receiving a sufficient amount of sleep may be jeopardizing their health. Some basic tips for those tossing and turning at night include:

• Limiting your consumption of nicotine, alcohol and caffeine
• Make sure to obtain some sort of physical exercise throughout the day
• Go to bed earlier and try to establish a regular sleeping routine for your body
• Eat a light meal for dinner before sleeping, avoid snacks before bedtime

If you are taking Clopidogrel to lower your risk of stroke, it's important to seek professional help if you are also suffering from symptoms of insomnia. You can buy Clopidogrel at a Canadian online pharmacy.