Researchers from Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland reviewed 20 comprehensive studies involving millions of people from multiple countries to see how insomnia impacts health. They found that insomnia may be linked to a higher risk of stroke, dementia and several mental health conditions.
Insomnia was linked to a 26 percent higher risk of stroke. People with insomnia were also more likely to have depression and have attempted suicide. They were also 30 percent more likely to be hospitalized for any reason.
“Insomnia deserves attention as a warning sign of the status of brain and mental health,” Luca Vignatelli, lead study author and senior researcher at the IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences.
“When you sleep, that’s when your brain takes out the trash,” said Dr. Thanuja Hamilton, a board-certified sleep medicine physician at Advocare, referring to waste products that accumulate during the day. “If you’re not getting good quality sleep or enough of it, then you’re going to have an excess buildup, increasing that risk of dementia down the line.”
“I would like to emphasize that people should not be frightened by these results. [It] does not mean that an individual with insomnia will develop dementia, depression or have a stroke,” said Dr. Stefan Seidel, one of the study authors and a professor at the Medical Univ. of Vienna. "The findings give us another reason to take persistent sleep problems seriously, identify possible underlying causes and provide evidence-based treatment when appropriate."
Nearly 30 percent of older women report having chronic insomnia. A smartwatch or sleep ring cannot diagnose insomnia. It is a clinical diagnosis based on how long it takes to fall asleep, how a person feels and other factors. It is often diagnosed with an overnight sleep study.
If you have been struggling with sleep, it’s essential to speak to your doctor. It’s not something you have to live with, as treatment is available. Often the first step is cognitive behavioral therapy and changing your attitude and behavior around sleep.
On a personal note, we have a member of our team who didn’t sleep well for 30 years and struggled with chronic insomnia, always chalking it up to being a night owl. After proper evaluation, she learned she had a dopamine imbalance. With the correct treatment, she is now sleeping for eight hours a night for the first time in decades and is much more chipper around the office. Speaking to your doctor, advocating for yourself and taking steps to get a diagnosis are essential to getting life-altering treatment.
