From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, wake up too early most days or have other signs of insomnia, you may be at higher risk for stroke, a new study found.
The more symptoms of insomnia you have the higher the risk, especially if you’re younger than age 50, according to the study, which followed over 31,000 people with no history of stroke for nine years. Stroke risk is typically higher in older adults with more health problems, the study noted.
After controlling for other factors that contribute to stroke risk, researchers found people with five to eight symptoms of insomnia had a 51 per cent increased risk of stroke compared with people who did not have insomnia, according to a statement on the study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology.
In comparison, people who had one to four symptoms had a 16 per cent increased risk of stroke compared with people with no symptoms of insomnia, the study found.
Symptoms of insomnia can include trouble falling asleep; waking up during the night; waking up too early in the morning; not feeling well rested; daytime sleepiness; anxiety, depression and irritability; worry about sleep, increased errors or accidents; and difficulty focusing, remembering or paying attention, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“There are many therapies that can help people improve the quality of their sleep, so determining which sleep problems lead to an increased risk of stroke may allow for earlier treatments or behavioral therapies for people who are having trouble sleeping and possibly reducing their risk of stroke later in life,” said lead study author and epidemiologist Wendemi Sawadogo, a researcher at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, in a statement.
A study published in April that analyzed data on over 4,500 people found similar results for other types of sleep disorders.
Results showed people who slept less than five hours a night, which can occur with insomnia, were three times more likely to have a stroke than those who regularly got seven hours of sleep — the recommended minimum for adults, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sleeping too much was also problematic. Getting more than nine hours of sleep on average was linked with a twofold increase in stroke risk.
The results held true even after adjustments to eliminate other issues that can lead to stroke, including depression, alcohol abuse, smoking and a lack of physical activity, according to the April study.
Having sleep apnea — a condition in which people stop breathing multiple times per hour — was associated with a threefold increase in stroke risk, according to a statement on the April study.
Snoring or snorting, which can both be signs of untreated sleep apnea, were also risk factors. People who snored were 91 per cent more likely to have suffered a stroke, while those who snorted were almost three times as likely to have had a stroke than those who did not.
Napping also increased the chances of stroke, the statement said. People who on average napped for over an hour were 88 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke than those who did not. However, taking a planned nap of less than an hour was not associated with an increased stroke risk, the study said.
Why are sleep issues connected to stroke? Dr. Phyllis Zee, director of the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, told CNN in a prior interview that short, fragmented sleep and sleep apnea can disrupt the body’s ability to regulate metabolism, blood pressure and inflammation — all risk factors for stroke.
“Poor sleep can impair the natural blood pressure dipping that occurs during night time sleep and contribute to hypertension — an important risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease,” Zee said via email.
“In other population based research, similar relationships have been reported between poor sleep health and disorders such as diabetes, heart disease and dementia,” she said.
Practicing good sleep hygiene, eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise are all key ways to reduce the negative impact of sleep disorders and reduce risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, said Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver, in a previous interview.
“What I always tell people is, you know, getting about seven hours a night of uninterrupted sleep is associated with the least amount of cardiovascular disease,” he said.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.