Post Stroke Insomnia and Obstructive Sleep Apnea can Interfere with Rehab

Insomnia can be a Long-term Effect from Stroke

A new study published May 30, 2018, in Scientific Reports, has discovered that insomnia (inability to fall asleep or remain asleep) may be a long-term effect after having experienced a stroke, especially in patients with right hemispheric stroke. This insomnia can interfere with a patient’s rehabilitation therapy and keep them from learning new skills. It can also lead to depression.

Study Carried out in a Sleep Lab

The researchers carried out their study in a sleep lab in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University of Freiburg Medical Center in Germany on 22 people living in the community, who were one year after having had a stroke. They used a nocturnal polysomnogram (PSG) test to compare results of the stroke survivors with the general population and they also used a Multiple Sleep Latency Test. The researchers tested them for two nights although they did not analyze results from the first night. The participants in the study also kept a sleep diary.

Results

The researchers discovered that those who had previously suffered a stroke took longer to fall asleep and slept fewer hours than the total hours that they spent in bed. Also, they did not fall asleep easily during the day to make up for the lost hours at night and they had difficulties with performing certain tasks. These conditions point to insomnia.

The researchers hope that checking for sleep disorders like insomnia will be taken more into consideration during stroke rehabilitation.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

A study in Neurology Clinical Practice from June, 2013, showed that sleep breathing disorders like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are a high risk, but treatable factor for strokes and recurrent strokes. Also, OSA can interfere with recovery and rehabilitation following a stroke. Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs in 20% of the population and aging and obesity increase the risk for OSA. In obstructive sleep apnea, people literally stop breathing periodically during sleep, which can lead to choking. This can happen hundreds of times during the night. This causes less oxygen to reach the brain. In fact some research has also shown a high association between OSA and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, which may mean that OSA is a possible risk factor also for dementia.

OSA is also highly linked with other cardiovascular diseases like hypertension (high blood pressure), atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart beat), heart failure and diabetes.

OSA can be treated by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and this not only lowers the risk for a further stroke, but also has a positive effect on regaining function after a stroke. Stroke is a major cause of disability in the US so it is imperative to find and treat sleep disorders that can hamper stroke rehabilitation.

Risk Factors for Strokes

The risk factors for strokes do not commonly also list obstructive sleep apnea. (OSA).

They are as follows:

• High Blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Heart Failure
• Atrial Fibrillation
• Smoking
• Drinking Alcoholic Beverages
• Drug Abuse

Stroke Rehabilitation at Ditmas Park Rehab and Care, Brooklyn NY

Ditmas Park Rehab and Care in Brooklyn NY is known for its outstanding stroke rehabilitation. For more about stroke rehabilitation please see our blog post from February 22, 2018.

 Brooklyn Hospitals near Ditmas Park Rehab and Care

• New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital
• NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn (formerly named NYU Lutheran Medical Center)
• SUNY Downstate Medical Center – University Hospital of Brooklyn
• NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
• Maimonides Medical Center

Conclusion

Since sleep disorders are very common, but can be treated, it is imperative for stroke survivors to be tested for them in a sleep lab, which can detect sleeping disorders like insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea, both of which can interfere with stroke rehabilitation. Also, untreated obstructive sleep apnea can lead to another stroke. If your loved one has suffered a stroke inquire how to take them to a sleep lab or if they can be tested while still in the hospital or in a rehabilitation nursing facility.

Treating Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea can lead to more effective stroke rehabilitation and also prevent a new stroke from happening