Researchers find odds of stroke about 80 percent higher among people with insufficient shuteye.

People with high blood pressure who sleep less than five hours or more than eight hours each night may have significantly higher odds of a stroke, new research suggests.

“Long” sleepers reporting more than eight hours of nightly sleep experienced a 74 percent higher stroke risk than healthy sleepers, according to the study.

Too Much, Too Little Sleep May Up Stroke Risk for Those With High Blood Pressure“We were surprised, especially with the individuals reporting insufficient sleep, because most studies . . . have shown [only] a modest increase in the chances of suffering a stroke among those with short sleep duration,” said study author Dr. Oluwaseun Akinseye, a resident in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

“Our study showed much higher odds of a stroke, almost a twofold increase,” Akinseye added.