Insomnia Stroke Risk
New Review Links Chronic Insomnia to a Significantly Higher Stroke Risk
Anonymous
A review of research involving more than 1.3 million people found that insomnia was associated with a 26% higher risk of stroke and 28% higher odds of hospital admission. Researchers also reported links with depression and suicidal behavior, while evidence suggested a connection to dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. The findings do not establish that insomnia directly causes these outcomes, and the strength of some associations varied across studies. Evidence on occupational injuries was insufficient for firm conclusions, and the review found no consistent association with death. Researchers say insomnia may be a warning sign of brain and mental health concerns and should be addressed as part of broader health care.
Key Points
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Insomnia meeting international diagnostic criteria affects an estimated 22% of the general population, according to a previous meta-analysis.
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The researchers searched MEDLINE and EMBASE through August 2025 and combined existing systematic reviews with three new reviews of primary studies on stroke, occupational injuries and hospitalisation.
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Sleep physician Thanuja Hamilton described a possible two-way relationship between poor sleep and anxiety or depression: those conditions can disrupt sleep, while poor sleep may increase irritability, anxiety and vulnerability to depression.
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The articles note possible biological explanations for the stroke association, including high blood pressure and inflammation; one report says levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein can rise with insufficient sleep. These are proposed explanations, not proof that insomnia causes stroke.
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