A study at UBC Okanagan has highlighted the importance of sleep for people recovering from strokes.
Jennifer Davis, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Management, recently published a study along side a team of UBCO researchers examining the relationships between depression and sleep among stroke survivors.
“Because a stroke can damage the central nervous system, it often leads to changes in brain activity, brain function and sleep,” said Davis.
“Sleep disturbances are common in older adults who have had a stroke and there is mounting evidence that stroke and sleep are interconnected.”
READ MORE: Moral challenges still exist around euthanasia: UBC Okanagan study
READ MORE: Defining the difference: Supportive housing and emergency shelters in Kelowna
According to Davis’ research, one in six older adults worldwide will suffer a stroke and 20 to 40 per cent of stroke survivors will develop a sleep disorder, while a further 50 to 70 per cent will develop a sleep-related breathing disorder.
Post-stroke recovery may also lead to depression due to daytime confusion and the inabilities to cope with being overtired and exhausted.
“There is an emerging area of research examining the benefit of sleep in regulating emotional brain reactivity,” she said.
“In this study, we found that depression was significantly associated with sleep quality, how long it takes a person to fall asleep, how well they sleep and their daytime dysfunction due to a lack of sleep.”
READ MORE: New juicery set to grow in Kelowna
Davis and the UBCO team’s research was published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases.
For more information on the study, visit here.
To report a typo, email:newstips@kelownacapnews.com.
@KelownaCapNewsnewstips@kelownacapnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
