Can young people have a stroke? Causes of stroke at a relatively young age. Causes and characteristics of strokes in young people

The rapid rejuvenation of stroke is a problem that has grown in importance over the years. last years. According to statistics, the percentage of cases of cerebrovascular accidents occurring in very young people is growing, the prevalence of lethal outcome, disability.

Why is a stroke increasingly striking at the age of 25-30 years, what needs to be done to prevent it?

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What is the difference between the course of the disease in young and old people

A stroke that occurs in a person at the age of 25-40 has significant differences from cerebrovascular accident, which affects people who have crossed the threshold of 70 years.

Features can be seen by analyzing several points at once:

Signs of the spread of pathology are almost the same in representatives of different age groups. This is dizziness, pain, numbness, lack of coordination, loss of vision and others.

Violation of the composition of the blood

DIC, dysglobulinemia and polycythemia are fairly common causes of stroke in young people, sometimes they are forced to face it already at the age of 25-30.

• DIC occurs due to blockage of capillaries, an excessive concentration of microthrombi in the vascular bed. It is observed in patients who have received serious injuries, accompanied by profuse blood loss. Only the first stage can lead to a stroke, the further course of the syndrome does not cause it.
• Dysglobulinemia is an excess of protein in the blood. The quantitative form is the most dangerous from the point of view of a stroke. The development of an anomaly leads to thickening of the blood, which causes an insufficient supply of oxygen to the nervous tissue.
• Polycythemia develops against the background of the loss of a significant amount of fluid by the body, insufficient oxygen supply. A simple explanation of the pathology is the "thickening" of the blood. Blood does not distribute properly through the capillary network, and therefore ischemic foci are formed, small vessels are clogged.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system

State of the heart vascular system also plays an important role in the occurrence of stroke before the age of 40. Hypertension, a vascular pathology of an organic nature, can lead to impaired cerebral circulation.

Caused by rupture of blood vessels, associated with lacunar effect.

Hemorrhagic stroke threatens when the vascular wall loses elasticity, which is often fraught with high blood pressure.

It is characterized by the appearance of cavities containing cerebrospinal fluid in the brain tissues. It is accompanied by a lack of oxygen that occurs in some parts of the brain.

Vascular pathology is able to take the form of a thrombus that closes the lumen of the vessel. The result is a reduction in the supply of oxygen to the brain, the defeat of its parts.

Inflammation of infectious origin

Infectious diseases can also identify young people at risk and become a factor in the development of stroke.

First of all, the danger is brain damage, for example, meningitis, encephalitis. Often the ischemic form occurs in persons suffering from tuberculosis.

Infectious diseases can affect the biochemical composition of the blood, cause inflammatory processes affecting the vessels of the brain.

Tumors as causes of stroke in young people

Any form of stroke in people 20-30 years old can cause the spread of a tumor that affects the brain. An increase in the tumor in such a situation stimulates cerebrovascular accident, which proceeds slowly.

If the brain is affected by a benign neoplasm that is not subject to proliferative increase, ischemic stroke is likely. The vascular wall retains its integrity, however, mechanical compression of the vessel is observed. Intravascular tumors lead to similar consequences.

The hemorrhagic form is associated with the spread of a malignant neoplasm, its flow through the blood vessels. There is a threat of arterial, venous bleeding in the patient, followed by the appearance of an intracerebral hematoma.

Drug abuse

Some medications, especially if taken without a prescription, increase the risk of blood and heart disease, followed by a stroke. Women who use oral contraceptives, which include estrogens, are at risk.

The highest risk of ischemic, those who have problems with blood pressure, smokers.

Injectable drugs can lead to infectious diseases blood, heart. Cocaine is dangerous, causing fatal rhythm disturbances.

Lifestyle

The causes of a stroke at a young age are often associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, health-destroying habits:

Prevention

Stroke is among the most common causes of premature death. Simple preventive measures relevant regardless of age.

In the article, we will consider the causes of stroke at a young age.

Experts draw a pattern between age group patients and some diseases. It is generally accepted that strokes, heart attacks and other pathologies of the heart and blood vessels occur mainly in people older than middle age. This is explained by the fact that cells go through the aging process, like the vessels of the circulatory system.

Diseases are getting younger

However, some pathological processes have the property of "getting younger", that is, occurring at a younger age. This is also true for stroke. The disease provokes blockage of small ones, which causes severe brain damage and various health problems. We will understand the causes of stroke at a young age and its signs.

Varieties of strokes

According to statistics, men at a young age are less at risk of stroke than the fairer sex. In addition, women are much more difficult to tolerate pathology, among them a high percentage of mortality, and recovery period takes longer. Regardless of gender and age, stroke is divided into two types.

Ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke at a young age is most common, it is characterized by a violation of the process of blood circulation in the vessels, as well as their complete or partial blockage. The cause of obstruction can be an embolism, a blood clot, the presence of cholesterol plaques and some diseases associated with disruption of blood vessels, the heart, as well as oncological pathologies.

Hemorrhagic stroke

This type of pathology is less common than ischemic, but it is also more dangerous, as it is accompanied by a violation of the integrity of the vessel. In this case, we are talking about a rupture with further hemorrhage in the cavities of the brain, located on the outside. Even a single capillary rupture can be enough to cause a hemorrhagic stroke. If a larger vessel has undergone destruction, the consequences will be much more terrible and with a large number of complications. The most likely outcome for hemorrhagic stroke is death.

Causes of stroke in young people

The causes of stroke at a young age coincide with both hemorrhagic and ischemic types of pathology. Risk factors are similar to those that provoke stroke in the elderly, but there are also individual traits. The most common causes of stroke at a young age are:

1. genetic predisposition. In this case, the risk factor is due to the heredity of a person and does not depend on his age. If the patient's parents suffered from heart disease, the likelihood of developing is much higher. It is heredity that leads to the emergence of pathology at a young age.
2. Health problems and various pathologies. A stroke may be preceded by disturbances in the functioning of the heart and valves, a decrease in vascular patency, and other diseases. Such pathologies lead to complications even at a young age.
3. Damage to the body caused by a serious infectious disease. There are pathologies that can reduce the elastic properties and patency of the arteries. In addition, such diseases lead to tissue destruction, which causes a stroke.
4. Regular intake medicines based on hormones. Non-compliance with doctor's prescriptions for taking hormonal drugs, including contraceptives, leads young women to stroke. A significant violation of the hormonal balance in the body can change the very structure of the blood and provoke the formation of a blood clot. It is a very common cause of stroke in women at a young age.
5. Bad habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol. The lack of a healthy lifestyle quite often leads to the development of a stroke at a young age. Approximately one in ten cases of all strokes between the ages of 20 and 30 are due to the abuse of alcohol and tobacco products.
6. Overweight. The problem of obesity is becoming more and more acute for many women. Big choice sugary carbonated drinks, the general availability and distribution of fast food and other products that provoke weight gain, become the cause of obesity. It is overweight that leads to an increase in cholesterol in the blood, as well as to an increased load on the heart and blood vessels. It is a common cause of stroke in men at a young age.
7. Trauma in the area carotid artery. It can also cause various pathological processes, including stroke.
8. Deviation from normal blood clotting. Exceeding the INR norm provokes the formation of blood clots, and a decrease in this indicator can cause bleeding.

A stroke can be triggered by various factors, but most of them depend on the person himself.

Signs of a stroke at a young age

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels develop over time. In young people, this process can occur for several years, while passing in a latent form. There are a number of signs that women and men aged 20 to 40 should pay special attention to. In case of their detection, it is necessary to call an ambulance and wait for qualified medical assistance. The main indicators of the development of a stroke are:

1. Sharp pain in the head, which can lead to impaired coordination, as well as fainting.
2. The initial stage of a stroke may be accompanied by hiccups in women.
3. The appearance of convulsive syndrome in the limbs. In some cases, a sharp muscle spasm leads to injury and a fall. What other symptoms of stroke in young women are there?
4. Confusion of consciousness and dizziness. Quite often, a person with a beginning stroke ceases to adequately perceive the reality surrounding him. The patient may stop hearing some words and even expressions.
5. Forgetfulness. When an attack occurs suddenly, a person forgets why and where he went, cannot clearly explain the presence of any objects in his hands, etc., confusion arises. Signs of a stroke in young men should not be ignored.
6. Against the background of a stroke, nausea and vomiting occur, in some cases, tinnitus appears. When consumed in excess alcoholic beverages, such a state is attributed to intoxication and the person is left without qualified help.
7. There are also visual signs of a stroke. Impaired blood circulation in the brain affects a person's facial expressions, he loses the ability to smile, and sometimes he cannot even close his eyelids.
8. Men at a young age may experience severe fatigue and weakness against the background of the development of a stroke. At the same time, the breakdown is accompanied by sharp mood swings, and sometimes it comes to loss of consciousness.
9. Often during a stroke, circulatory disorders cause numbness in the limbs, as well as hearing and vision loss.

When identifying the listed signs of a stroke at a young age, it is necessary to help the person and call the doctors.

First aid for stroke

A stroke is a severe pathological process that can lead to many complications and consequences, which will depend on the quality and timeliness of medical care. To stop the attack, the patient is given special drugs. Before the doctors arrive, you need to help the patient yourself.

With a stroke, a person must be laid horizontally so that his legs are located above his head. In this case, a pillow should be placed under the head. If the patient is dressed in tight clothing, it must be removed or unbuttoned, loosen the tie, if any. The window in the room where the patient is located must be opened, which will ensure the supply of fresh air, and the curtains, on the contrary, must be closed. The patient needs to ensure peace and tranquility until the arrival of doctors.

Quite often, a person with a stroke overtakes a panic state and a feeling of fear. In this case, you need to try to calm the patient and lay him horizontally.

Hospitalization in case of suspected stroke

If a stroke is suspected, hospitalization and a full examination within a medical institution are required. When the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment begins, which is selected individually for each patient. The therapeutic scheme depends on how strong the attack was, and how quickly qualified assistance was provided.

The recovery period for this pathology

With a favorable prognosis, the recovery period will last several months. Rehabilitation involves taking medication, following a therapeutic diet, and performing special exercises. With particularly extensive and severe lesions, full recovery may not be possible.

Sequelae of stroke at a young age

Why is a stroke dangerous?

Such a severe pathology as a stroke can lead to serious consequences. What they will be depends on the timeliness of the medical assistance provided to the victim.

Consider at a young age.

Girls in their 20s and 30s recover faster and are less prone to strokes. But in the absence of help in the first hours after the attack, you can face a number of consequences:

• decreased visual acuity;
• temporary or partial loss of memory;
• paralysis of one part of the body;
• convulsions;
• loss of sensation;
• hearing loss.

Movement disorders can be overcome during the rehabilitation period, although loss of coordination of movements can be observed for another six months after a stroke.

Prevention of this dangerous pathology

Any disease, according to doctors, is easier to prevent than to treat. Stroke is no exception, so preventive measures play an important role. Statistics in medicine suggest that approximately 70% of people do not realize that they are developing a stroke, attributing the malaise to other diseases. If every person, starting from a young age, was attentive to his health, this would significantly reduce the number of strokes. Health is achieved through the implementation of simple rules that provide for a balanced diet, the right lifestyle, which implies the absence of bad habits, as well as moderate physical activity.

A stroke suffered at a young age causes irreparable harm to human health. In this case, the risk of recurrent stroke in adulthood also increases.

Basic rules to be followed

1. Balanced diet. Eating enough greens, fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry. Sugar, carcinogens and a large number of fats.
2. Physical exercise. To support the heart in a normal state, 3-4 sports per week are enough.
3. stressful situations. They should be avoided whenever possible.
4. The use of alcoholic beverages. It's about limiting the amount of alcohol you drink.

It is important to take care of your health even at a young age. You need to undergo regular medical examinations.

We looked at the main causes of cerebral stroke at a young age.

At a young age, he spares neither women nor men. It happens that he bypasses the people of the older generation, but overtakes those who are barely 20-30 years old. We can say that the disease is much younger. A few decades ago, young people did not even think about such an ailment and, moreover, did not assume that they could be diagnosed with it.

Today, the diagnosis of stroke in young people is not easy to make. Specialists may be mistaken in the diagnosis, since it is still not easy to believe that young man there are so many health problems. Statistics show that such a diagnosis is not so rare. Despite the fact that people under 40 do not want to think about diseases at all.

to a stroke in early age lead to various vascular diseases. Smoking, an overdose of drugs destroy the brain and heart.

Experts are not always able to determine what caused a stroke in young people, despite the studies. A stroke is often a precursor to a persistent headache, such as occurs with a migraine. You should also not ignore the occurrence of dizziness, nausea, a sudden jump in blood pressure. The stroke itself is a sharp violation of the blood circulation of the brain, which entails local as well as extensive neurological pathologies.

Characteristics of strokes in young people

Stroke occurs not only in people under 20 years old, but also in newborns. Convulsions are a sign of a serious illness. Boys are more prone to it than girls. The cause of the disease will happen a lack of oxygen directly during childbirth. In such patients, doctors found damage to the artery of the brain, as well as heart disease. In infants, the consequences of a stroke are eliminated faster than in the elderly. After all, cells are regenerated easily and quickly, damaged vessels are restored. During treatment, remarkable results can be achieved. The disease will be able to stabilize and avoid its recurrence.

Causes of stroke in young people

• anomalies of the cardiovascular system;
• hypertension;
• increased blood clotting;
• migraine;
• tumor;
• infections;
• hereditary predisposition;
• bad habits;
• malnutrition;
• hormonal pills;
• damage to the carotid artery;
• thrombosis;
• inflammatory processes observed in the body;
• tumor;

Even more detrimental than alcohol and cigarettes, drugs affect the body of young people. It is because of them that the vessels of the brain suffer very much. Even if a person did not have a stroke during the period of drug use, this ailment can overtake after a while. High blood pressure is the most common cause of stroke in early life.

The causes of stroke in young people, the most common are blood clots, a violation of the structure of stenotic tissues,.

Symptoms of the disease

Disease prevention

• refusal to consume alcohol, drugs, cigarettes;
• refusal of fatty foods;
• refusal of hormonal pills;
• timely treatment of migraine;
• tomography of cerebral vessels once every six months;
• control of blood pressure;
• a diet that reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood.

Getting rid of the most dangerous disease, effective treatment

If a person has a stroke, he is hospitalized urgently. People can take a number of measures before the arrival of doctors. It is necessary to raise the patient's head by about 30 degrees. It is important to ensure that he is completely immobile. The patient should not be given water. I got into honey. The institution, the patient will receive drug therapy, if necessary, he will be placed in intensive care, special care will also be provided. The patient will likely stay in the hospital for quite a long time. To restore speech, speech therapy methods are used, the patient will also receive occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Each patient in the hospital is given individual approach because the physical capabilities of the body are different for everyone. In addition, stroke brain damage also varies from patient to patient. It is important that the patient does not have time for the incident. The patient has a chance to live for many more years after the illness.

Video

The increase in the number of stroke patients is directly related to the increase in the incidence among young people. In the world, this pathology affects up to 6 million people annually, more than 1/4 of all cases end in death. Stroke at a young age is no longer a rarity. The disease is one of the main causes of death and disability.

What is a stroke

Acute circulatory failure in the brain is referred to as a stroke. It is of two types:

• Ischemic - due to obstruction of the bloodstream.
• Hemorrhagic - is a consequence of rupture of the vessel, followed by hemorrhage.

Both conditions have similar symptoms, but their treatment is completely different. That is why differential diagnosis is so important.

Ischemic

The cause of ischemic stroke is a violation of the blood circulation of the brain. It occurs due to damage to its tissues due to restriction or lack of blood supply. At a young age, cerebrovascular accident occurs due to arterial thrombosis, cardiac embolism, often in the absence of atherosclerosis and hypertension, against the background of changes in blood properties.

Symptoms in young people develop gradually - vital functions are preserved, the person is conscious, speech may be difficult. An ischemic attack often occurs in the morning, after sleep.

Hemorrhagic

It is diagnosed three times less often, but the hemorrhagic type of stroke is considered more dangerous. The condition is accompanied by a rupture of a blood vessel and the ingress of blood into the brain tissue. Even damage to a small capillary leads to hemorrhagic stroke at a young age, while rupture of a large vessel has irreversible consequences.

The main cause of hemorrhagic stroke in young people is arterial hypertension and aneurysm rupture.

Such an attack often occurs during the day, at the peak of physical and emotional activity, with stress. Often there is pain, as from a blow to the head, vomiting, a red veil before the eyes, fainting. Mortality in this condition is very high.

At what age does a stroke occur?

According to international epidemiological studies in the world, up to 4.7 million people die annually from acute cerebrovascular accident (ACV). The frequency of its occurrence at a young age - up to 24 years old is 20.5 cases per 100 thousand people per year, and at the age of 35-44 years this figure reaches 22.9 cases per 100 thousand people.

Causes of stroke at an early age

CVA has no age restrictions; this diagnosis is made even in childhood and adolescence.

Almost a third of all cases of the disease occur in the period of life from 15 to 45 years.

Wherein percentage women and men 39/25. Stroke at an early age is determined by the following causes, not dependent on gender:

• Violations of the vascular system. These include: atherosclerotic lesions of intracranial vessels, hypertension. The latter is considered the main cause of strokes at a young age.
• birth defects heart valves, heart disease with rhythm disturbance.
• Decrease or increase in blood clotting, which may cause thrombosis or bleeding.
• Destruction of the walls of blood vessels by infectious pathologies, diabetes mellitus.
• Injuries and anomalies of the carotid artery.
• Regular intake of hormonal drugs. Hormone imbalance can affect chemical composition blood.
• Oncological pathologies, neoplasms of the vessels of the heart, brain.
• Genetic predisposition or aggravated family history(heredity). We are talking about the features of metabolism or the structure of the vascular system.
• Physical inactivity.
• Excessive consumption of alcohol, stimulants, smoking. A stroke at the age of 30 in every 10th case occurs due to the abuse of alcohol, drugs and tobacco products.
• Obesity. It increases the load on the blood vessels and the human heart, triggering a chain of neurochemical reactions that lead to a stroke.

Why young women have strokes

There are a number of factors, exclusively female, that are the main reasons for the gender gap in relation to this condition. These include:

• early puberty (menarche) up to 10 years;
• early onset of menopause (up to 45 years);
• low level the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA);
• use of contraceptives;
• oral estrogen;
• postpartum complications (preeclampsia, postpartum hypertension).
• the prevalence of smoking among the fairer sex. Women's smoking increases the risk of stroke by 60% (in men - by 40%)

Risk factors for young men

There are the following causes of stroke in young men:

• smoking;
• excessive alcohol consumption (more than 60 ml per day, alcoholic binges);
• features of working conditions (heavy, hazardous production)
• neglect of one's own health - abdominal obesity, low physical activity, ignoring somatic diseases.

Signs of a stroke in young people

In young and old age, the symptoms of a stroke are practically the same. You can identify the disease in young people by the following manifestations:

• reduced sensitivity, numbness of the limb (arms, legs);
• impaired coordination of movements;
• headache as from a blow, feeling of a rush of blood to the head;
• blurred vision, seeing objects under a red "veil", feeling "porridge in the mouth";
• change or lack of speech, misunderstanding of the words of another person.

The pathological process in young people takes place against the background of a clear consciousness, tissue damage is slower. Atypical signs are: chest pain, hiccups, nausea, vomiting. These symptoms are more common in affected women. recognize acute insufficiency blood circulation in the brain will help the test "USP". To do this, ask the person:

1. U - smile. Lip movements are asymmetrical, facial expressions are one-sided.
2. Z - speak. It is difficult for the victim to pronounce simple sentences.
3. P - raise both hands. During the execution of such actions there will be no synchrony, one of the hands will lag behind due to weakness.

The appearance of such symptoms is a reason for an urgent call emergency care and emergency hospitalization. It is important to contact specialists during the “therapeutic window”. This is such a period of time (2-6 hours), during which, with adequate therapy, the degree of brain damage decreases and there is a chance to avoid possible complications.

Harbingers of pathology

A pre-stroke condition is a transient cerebrovascular accident, which patients often do not pay attention to. Signaling an impending attack can:

• irresistible fatigue, craving for sleep;
• causeless excitement, irritability, depressed mood;
• lethargy, weakness;
• dizziness;
• memory impairment;
• fever, headache;
• difficulty in the act of swallowing (lump in the throat);
• narrowing of the visual fields, double vision;
• numbness of the limb, part of the face, convulsions.

Why is a stroke dangerous for young people?

Any type of cerebrovascular accident can lead to the death of the patient, and leave the survivor disabled. The occurrence of stroke at a young age is one of the main causes of disability.

Post-stroke pathological processes in the brain are associated with:

• hearing impairment;
• decreased vision;
• difficulty speech function;
• inability to move independently.

The chance of remaining disabled after an attack of acute cerebrovascular accident is 80%. Rehabilitation therapy for patients of any age involves a long and complex rehabilitation.

Prevention of cerebrovascular disease at an early age

The basis of stroke prevention is the elimination of provoking factors of vascular lesions of the brain. These include:

• Fighting high blood pressure. Treatment of hypertension can reduce the likelihood of developing this pathology by 40%.
• Smoking cessation. This bad habit in young people increases the likelihood of stroke by 2-4 times. Refusal of it after 1-2 years leads to a 50% reduction in the risk of stroke.
• Treatment of heart diseases, especially heart rhythm disorders.
• Maintaining blood glucose balance diabetes.
• Leading an active lifestyle. Sports are required for at least 30 minutes, 5-6 times a week.
• Dieting: reducing the amount of animal fats and salt, enriching food with fiber and vitamins.

Video

After graduating from university, I wandered from one office "hack" to another for a while, but I was hungry for more. It was the year 2000, the heyday of the digital age. I decided to try my hand at this field, and soon I was hired by an online education company.

Every day at work was a new experience. The 17-color office had scented candles, Mind games and yoga balls. Each week brought new inspiring projects, interesting tasks, and acquaintance with new technologies. And most importantly - communication with a team of talented, smart and enthusiastic colleagues.

Ambition boiled in me. I was able to survive the wave of layoffs and quickly climbed the corporate ladder. A few months later I was already in charge of the development and promotion department. I had designers, programmers, producers, salespeople, and writers under me.

I couldn't ask a doctor or nurse because I couldn't articulate it

I spent 70 hours a week at work - and even more if there was a deadline on my nose. I was often the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave. But I was happier than ever, giving my all to the work.

To keep fit, I subjected myself to self-imagined challenges, such as pumping myself up with coffee and sleeping fitfully during the day instead of getting a full night's sleep. I was 26 years old and I felt invincible. I thought I could handle any stress. I was not disturbed by either periodic headaches, or fog before my eyes, or signs of exhaustion.

One summer morning I came to the office and felt a slight twitch in my right eye and numbness in my hands. I thought: nonsense, just morning dizziness. Some time later, I was making a presentation at our group meeting. After her, a colleague came up to me and said that I spoke strangely: some of my words were incomprehensible.

The next thing I remember, someone said to me: “You have a stroke. We need to conduct a thorough examination - do you understand?

I understood: I am not yet 30, and my brain is already damaged. I couldn't make a request to a doctor or nurse because I couldn't articulate it. The words were dangling in my head, but I couldn't get them out. My hands still didn't obey me. I couldn't type my name on the computer screen because I didn't remember how to spell it.

It seems to us that we need to work to the limit of our capabilities, otherwise we will be overtaken at the turn.

When I left the hospital the next day, the driver asked where to take me. I couldn't remember the name of the street where I live. I had to give him the discharge papers, which showed the address. When I got home, I fell asleep for a long time.

Overload at work today has become commonplace: this is how everyone works. We do not think that it is not normal to come to the office at nine in the morning and leave at nine in the evening. It seems to us that we need to work to the limit of our capabilities, otherwise we will be overtaken at the turn. This is the only way to "get out in front of people." My experience has shown how dangerous it is to live with such a matrix in the head.

I didn't think I might have a stroke. I was so young! But I have since learned that this happens more and more often among young people. The doctor did not directly tell me that overwork was the cause, but he made it clear that stress, overexertion, and exhaustion may have played a role.

When I left the hospital, I felt helpless and humiliated. My aura of invincibility dissipated without a trace. But little by little I got better. Every evening I trained to read difficult words like "arachnophobia" and "Czechoslovakia" backwards, solved difficult mathematical problems, worked on returning forgotten skills and lost knowledge.

Thanks to the support of my colleagues, I returned to work. But now my rhythm was not like a sprint, but like a snail's pace. But I found time for pauses and reflections - and my work, and with it my whole life, became richer as a result.

Because of the stroke, I had to rethink my professional priorities. While discovering many new opportunities for myself - from writing books to consulting - I also realized the importance of intelligent planning and learned to refuse excessive obligations.

It's great to be ambitious, but you need to learn to listen to your body's signals.

I began to build my life according to the schedule. I entered everything into it: my work tasks, physical exercise, walks, meetings and even bedtime - and I do this to this day. I give myself an hour each day for a mental recharge, usually every four or five days. I go for a walk with my wife, breathe, smile, meditate, say hello to random people, write in my diary or draw.

Even today, as I manage multiple businesses and travel frequently, I take the time to unplug from work information and immerse myself in a world where the things that really matter to me are: creative time, nature, the people I love. As for my career, I look at it as a series of significant projects, none of which takes all my attention and does not crush my life.

If we want more, we must give more. But at the same time, it is important to understand what we are ready and not ready to give up in the process. It's great to be ambitious, but you need to learn to listen to your body's signals and, if it calls for it, take a step back and slow down.