For more on the soda problem, see this excellent article called Liquid Candy . Silent strokes cause tiny spots of dead cells inside the brain. While just one silent stroke may not result in much damage, repeated silent strokes cause memory lapses, mood problems, and difficulty walking. The researchers indicated that silent strokes are usually rare in people under the age of thirty, but that the prevalence of strokes doubles every ten years after that. When people are in their 70s, one in every three has a silent stroke every year.
Some people have multiple silent strokes in a single year.
People that have silent strokes also appear to be prone to having full-blown strokes. Researchers emphasize that strokes are preventable, and encourage people to be in control of their blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, treat diabetes, and stop smoking. Although there are many well-known risk factors that can lead to stroke, a recent study provides some surprising information about the link between sleep habits and stroke risk. These include smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes. People who had difficulty staying awake during the day or who snored at night also had an increased risk of stroke.