How to Reduce Your Risk of and Prevent Stroke

Several risk factors for stroke cannot be controlled. However, you can control other risk factors, including your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and many lifestyle choices.

Medical researchers have studied the major types of stroke to better understand who is affected by them, why, and what can be done to prevent them. Here are 7 important tips to prevent stroke and how each strategy can help you lower your stroke risk.

Focus on Your Diet

Eating a nutritious, balanced diet can help you lose weight and have a positive impact on other problems that may contribute to your risk of stroke. For example:

- Eating more healthy fats, such as fish and heart-healthy oils, can improve your cholesterol levels.

- Reducing your sodium intake can help lower your blood pressure.

- Limiting added sugar and processed carbohydrates can make it easier to manage your blood sugar levels.

You don't need to focus on counting calories. Rather, focus on eating more nutritious foods, such as: vegetables, fresh fruit, fish, poultry. You can also help reduce your risk by avoiding or limiting certain foods, such as: red meat, processed sugar, ultra-processed foods. Making small changes to what you eat can have a significant impact on your health.

Watch Your Sleep

Poor quality sleep can increase the risk of stroke. Lack of sleep leads to problems like fatigue, poor memory, and even anxiety and depression. Sleep problems associated with stroke include: sleepiness during the day, insomnia, sleep apnea, hypersomnia, or sleeping more than 9 hours a night. Doctors suggest finding a healthy balance of 7 to 8 hours of sleep. However, if you can't do it yourself, you can talk to your doctor about medications, techniques and sleep aids that can help. Having a stroke can also worsen existing sleep problems, which can increase the risk of a repeat stroke.

Get Regular Exercise

Exercise can have a positive impact on several major stroke risk factors. Exercise can help you:

- lowers blood sugar levels

- lowers blood pressure

- lose weight or maintain a moderate weight

Exercise can maintain heart health and reduce the risk of stroke. People who exercise regularly have a lower risk of stroke, and those who suffer a stroke are less likely to die than people who are inactive. Aim to do moderate-intensity exercise a few days a week, even if you don't want to lose weight. This exercise doesn't have to be done by walking endlessly on a treadmill. There are many ways like: gardening, dancing, swimming, etc.

Keep Your Weight Healthy

Overweight is a major risk factor for stroke. It's also closely linked to other diseases that increase stroke risk, including high blood pressure and diabetes. The risk of stroke in someone who is overweight is 22% higher than in someone who is medium weight. For obese people, the risk is 64% higher. Weight management techniques may include regular exercise and eating fewer calories. However, for some people, these changes may not be enough to lower the risk. Your doctor may prescribe medications or procedures that can help you lose weight. Talk to your doctor about your ideal weight target for you.

Stop Smoking

People who smoke have a two to four times greater risk of ischemic stroke than people who don't smoke. Smoking is a contributing factor in nearly 15% of all stroke deaths in the United States each year. Once you quit smoking, the benefits are felt immediately and continue over time. Within 2 to 4 years after quitting, the risk of stroke from smoking will be almost zero. Support for smoking cessation is available through behavioral therapy, counseling, and even some medications or drug replacement therapy.

Manage Blood Sugar

Diabetes is a significant risk factor for stroke. Strokes cause approximately 20% of deaths in people with diabetes, and people with prediabetes also have a higher risk of stroke. Diabetes is also closely linked to other conditions that increase stroke risk, including: obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol. Managing diabetes with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and dietary changes, can help reduce the risk of stroke. Some people may also need medication to help keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.

Manage Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for stroke. High blood pressure contributes significantly to 90% of all strokes. The higher your blood pressure, the bigger the risk. Normal blood pressure is defined as 120/80 millimeters mercury (mm Hg). Blood pressure measurements even slightly above that carry a higher risk of stroke. Managing blood pressure doesn't get easier with age, and by the age of 65, 2/3 of peopleTrusted Source have hypertension. You may be able to better manage your blood pressure by:

- exercising regularly

- maintaining a moderate weight

- following a heart-healthy eating plan, such as the Mediterranean diet or the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet

- taking medications

- reducing sodium intake

Some people may also need to take prescription medications to help lower their blood pressure and reduce stress on their blood vessels.

Good blood pressure management can prevent about 40% of strokes.