Insomnia increases the risk of stroke by 26%

Experts collected and analyzed data from major medical databases MEDLINE and EMBASE. The study included the results of existing systematic reviews, as well as three new reviews on the topics of stroke, occupational injuries, and hospitalizations. In total, the analysis covered more than 1.3 million participants.

The key finding concerns stroke: people with insomnia face a 26 % higher risk of this condition. At the same time, the strength of the association varied noticeably between individual studies. Furthermore, people with sleep disorders are 28 % more likely to be hospitalized for any reason.

The risks are not limited to vascular events. The review identified consistent associations between insomnia and other conditions, in particular depression and suicidal behavior. As for dementia, the data are heterogeneous for all its forms, but the link with Alzheimer’s disease is more clearly established, while the results for vascular dementia are contradictory.

It is important to understand that in this context, insomnia is understood as a clinical condition: difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep, impaired daytime activity despite having sufficient opportunity to get enough sleep. According to estimates, this diagnosis, based on international criteria, occurs in approximately 22 % of the population.

The lead author of the study, Luca Vignatelli from the Bologna Research Institute of Neurological Sciences, notes that insomnia should be seen as a warning about the state of the brain and mental health. It is not a minor complaint, but a factor that needs to be taken into account in the overall prevention strategy.

At the same time, the researchers make an important caveat: their work shows statistical correlations, not direct proof of a cause-and-effect relationship. Furthermore, different studies defined the very fact of insomnia in different ways, and the impact of taking sleeping pills was not sufficiently taken into account. Therefore, the results should be interpreted taking these limitations into account.

Nevertheless, the conclusions support the idea of paying more attention to sleep in clinical practice. As study co-author Stefan Seidel notes, sleep‑related issues should be included in discussions about brain health at any age. Raise awareness about insomnia and its treatment, and include sleep hygiene in health promotion programs — in schools, at workplaces, and in society as a whole. This is a step that can help reduce the risks of serious diseases.