Picture this scenario:

You’re in the grocery store. One minute, you’re fine; the next, you’re on the floor with the worst headache of your life. People around you keep asking you to repeat yourself because your speech is indecipherable. And you can’t seem to make your hands or feet work properly.

You’ve suffered a stroke.

A stroke is a medical emergency that can come on without warning, even though the blockage of blood vessels leading to your brain has probably been building invisibly for months or even years.

Strokes are most often associated with people over age 65. But younger people are not without risk. In fact, younger people have been suffering strokes in increasing numbers.

Last year, a CDC study reported that, over the past decade or so, incidents of stroke increased 14.6% among people ages 18 to 44 and about 15.7% among people ages 45 to 64.

And that’s just the strokes that are being reported!

The study attributes this increase mainly to more cases of obesity and hypertension in these age groups.

But some new research links strokes in women with another factor — one that you can take steps to control.

Stress is triggering strokes in women under 50

Dr. Nicolas Martinez-Majander of Helsinki University in Finland has this to say:

“Younger people often experience stress due to the demands and pressures associated with work, including long hours and job insecurity, as well as financial burdens.

“Previous research has shown that chronic stress can negatively affect physical and mental health. Our study found it may increase the risk of stroke in younger women.”

For the current study, researchers looked at 426 people ages 18 to 49 who had an ischemic stroke and matched them with 426 people who didn’t have a stroke.

All were asked, “In the last month, how often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?” They scored each question from zero to four, with four being “very often.”

The researchers found that for female participants, moderate stress (a total score of 14 to 26) was associated with a 78% increased risk of stroke. A similar link between stress and stroke was not found in male participants.

One explanation could be that menopausal women see a drop in estrogen, which is thought to protect the heart and blood vessels.

Knowing the signs of stroke and controlling stress

Signs that you could be having a stroke include:

• a sudden, intense headache
• numbness or tingling on one side of the face or body
• weakness in arms, legs, or face, especially on one side of the body
• trouble with balance or coordination
• vision problems
• confusion
• dizziness
• language issues and slurring of words

You may not have all these symptoms, but if one or a few develop quickly, call 911. Never hesitate because you think, “It can’t be a stroke.” It could.

Here are half a dozen ways to start reducing stress in your daily life:

• Get more physical activity
• Eat a balanced diet, including whole foods and minimizing processed foods
• Minimize screen time
• Reduce your caffeine intake

There are two that I consider most important:

• Practice self-care — whatever that means for you. Reading a good book, getting a massage, going for a walk, practicing yoga or lighting scented candles … do what makes you feel calm and centered, and do it regularly.
• Create boundaries and learn to say “no.” This could mean not attending a party when you really don’t want to or asking a friend not to stop by unannounced.

Sources:

Stressed out? It may increase the risk of stroke — Eureka Alert

Association Between Self-Perceived Stress and Cryptogenic Ischemic Stroke in Young Adults — Neurology

Strokes Are Increasing in People Under 65 — Web MD

16 simple ways to relieve stress — Healthline