Morning is a time when the body undergoes many biological changes. Numerous studies have noted that the frequency of strokes tends to increase in the morning. Certain signs that appear upon waking can be warning signs that require attention.
Warning signs of stroke upon waking include:
Facial asymmetry or weakness on one side
One of the most typical signs of a stroke is a drooping mouth, a drooping face on one side, or weakness, numbness, or inability to lift one side of the body. In many cases, this is discovered immediately upon waking up, for example, when looking in the mirror and seeing a crooked mouth or when trying to stand up and one leg is unsteady, according to the health website Medical News Today (UK).
Feeling numbness or weakness on one side of your body upon waking could be a warning sign of a stroke. PHOTO: AI
In the morning, blood pressure and clotting activity increase, raising the risk of cerebral embolism. If you notice sudden facial asymmetry or weakness in your limbs, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Speech impediment or difficulty understanding speech
Language disorders are a very important but easily overlooked sign. Patients may stutter, speak indistinctly, use the wrong words, or not understand what others are saying. Sometimes, patients are unaware of this abnormality until their family members discover it.
If this condition occurs immediately upon waking, it could be a sign that the area of the brain responsible for language is experiencing insufficient blood flow. In any case, sudden difficulty speaking should always be reported to the hospital immediately; do not wait to see if it resolves on its own.
Symptoms appear immediately upon waking up.
There are cases where patients go to sleep completely normally, but upon waking notice symptoms such as weakness on one side of the body or difficulty speaking. Because the exact time of the stroke cannot be determined, these cases are often delayed in receiving treatment.
Transient ischemic attack
In some cases, patients experience weakness in their arms, difficulty speaking, or numbness on one side of their body for a few minutes in the morning, which then resolves on its own. This could be a transient ischemic attack (TIA). Although the symptoms disappear quickly, this condition is a strong warning sign of a potential stroke in the following days. Therefore, a TIA is not a minor issue or something the patient is fine with; it is a signal that requires early examination and treatment.
Any sudden morning symptoms such as facial drooping, weakness in the limbs, difficulty speaking, vision loss, severe headache, or loss of balance should be considered an emergency. Do not wait, do not self-medicate, or allow the patient to walk; call emergency services or take them to the nearest medical facility immediately. A quick response can significantly increase the chances of survival and recovery from a stroke, according to Medical News Today.