Insomnia puts the brain at risk for stroke, hospitalisation, and even suicidal behaviour

The review, led by researchers from Italy, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, found that insomnia was also linked to depression and Alzheimer’s.

The review, led by researchers from Italy, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, found that insomnia was also linked to depression and Alzheimer’s | Representative Image

New Delhi: Insomnia is most often linked to fatigue, exhaustion, and maybe staring at the ceiling fan at ungodly hours of the night. But an umbrella review of the disease has now concluded that insomnia raises the risk of stroke, hospitalisation, and neurodegenerative diseases.

The review, led by researchers from Italy, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, found that insomnia is also linked to depression, suicidal behaviour, and even some forms of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s.

Published in Sleep Medicine Reviews and funded by the European Academy of Neurology, the review was based on two major medical databases – MEDLINE and EMBASE. Researchers combined the data from existing systematic reviews and new ones creating a participant pool of nearly 1.3 million people. Their analysis found that people with insomnia had a 26 per cent higher risk of stroke.

“Insomnia deserves attention as a warning sign of the status of brain and mental health. These findings show that someone with insomnia has an increased risk for dementia or stroke. Insomnia should be recognised and addressed as part of a wider approach to health to reduce the risk of developing such disorders,” lead author Luca Vignatelli said in a statement.

A common sleep disorder

Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders among adults and several studies have hinted that it might have implications far beyond “poor sleep” and “difficulty staying awake”. “Deep sleep” has been proven to clear metabolic waste from the brain — the regular contractions of the blood vessels push out this chemical waste. If such processes were to stop or be hampered, scientists are unsure how it might affect a person’s health.

However, the researchers behind the review also point out that while there is a link between poor sleep and brain damage, the causation is harder to establish. It is not obvious whether poor sleep causes brain damage or if an inflamed or deteriorating brain leads to sleepiness.

“Sleep should be part of the conversation about brain health at every age. We need to raise awareness of insomnia and its treatment, and make sure sleep is included in health promotion programmes in our communities, schools and workplaces,” added co-author Stephan Seiden in the statement.