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People with insomnia may face a 26% higher risk of stroke than those without the sleep disorder, according to a new study. Insomnia has also been linked to a range of brain and mental health problems, including dementia, depression, and suicidal behaviors.

An international research team led by Dr. Luca Vignatelli of the Institute of Neurological Sciences in Bologna, Italy, recently published a comprehensive analysis examining the links between insomnia, brain and mental health, and overall health in the international journal Sleep Medicine Reviews.

Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite having adequate time and suitable conditions for sleep, with the resulting sleep problems affecting daytime functioning.

The researchers conducted an umbrella review, a comprehensive analysis that synthesizes findings from existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses. They reviewed 16 previous meta-analyses and conducted additional systematic reviews on stroke, occupational injuries, and hospitalization, for which previous meta-analyses were not available.

The analysis examined a range of outcomes, including dementia, stroke, depression, suicidal behaviors, mortality, hospitalization, and occupational injuries.

The strongest association was found with stroke. Nine studies examining the relationship between insomnia and stroke included a total of 1,343,164 people. A meta-analysis of six of those studies found that people with insomnia had a 26% higher risk of stroke than those without insomnia.

Insomnia was also associated with dementia. Most of the systematic reviews found a link between insomnia and all-cause dementia, while the association with Alzheimer’s disease was relatively consistent across multiple studies.

Similar patterns were observed in mental health. Several reviews found that people with insomnia were more likely to experience depressive symptoms or develop depression. Associations were also observed between insomnia and suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and suicide deaths.

The association extended to broader measures of health as well. An analysis of five studies involving a total of 517,620 people found that people with insomnia had 28% higher odds of hospitalization compared with those without insomnia.

However, the researchers did not find a clear association between insomnia and mortality. There was also insufficient evidence to determine whether insomnia was linked to occupational injuries.

Dr. Vignatelli said the findings suggest that insomnia may be more than simply a problem with getting enough sleep and could serve as an important indicator of overall health. He emphasized that insomnia should be recognized and managed as part of a broader approach to health care.

The researchers noted that the analysis demonstrates associations, rather than proving that insomnia directly causes stroke, dementia, or other conditions. They also pointed to several limitations, including differences in how insomnia was defined across studies and the fact that many studies did not account for the use of sleep medications.

Professor Stefan Seidel of the Medical University of Vienna, a co-author of the study, said that sleep should be considered an important part of brain health at every age. He emphasized the need to raise awareness of insomnia and its treatment and to incorporate sleep health into health-promotion programs in communities, schools, and workplaces.

Source: 서울신문 (https://v.daum.net/v/20261005190411218)