Sleep Deprived? You're at Risk for a Stroke

Getting less than six hours of sleep per night? It may be time to rethink your schedule. Some 30% of American working adults sleep less than six hours—thus quadrupling their risk of stroke, compared to those who get seven or eight hours, a new study finds. It's the first time stroke has been linked to sleep deprivation, even in people of normal weight, USA Today reports.

"People know how important diet and exercise are in preventing strokes," says a researcher. "The public is less aware of the impact of insufficient amounts of sleep. The body is stressed when it doesn't get the right amount." The study reviewed 5,666 adults over three years; subjects, who reported their own sleep times, had neither histories nor existing symptoms of stroke. (More sleep deprivation stories.)