Try smiling more – it could lower your risk of a stroke by up to 46%, study suggests

Suffering from depression can greatly increase a person’s risk of having a stroke, a study suggests.

A European research team found that people suffering the mental health disorder had a 46 percent increased chance of a potentially deadly neurological event.

Those who suffer more symptoms of depression are at an even higher likelihood of a stroke. Among the 26,877 study participants, those who had at least five symptoms were at a 56 percent increased risk.

Depression is known to cause harm to a person’s blood platelets, which are responsible for preventing clotting. Many strokes are caused by clotting, preventing vital blood from reaching the brain.

One notable case of depression and stroke occurring in tandem is that of Pennsylvania Sen John Fetterman, who has recently stepped away from his legislative duties because of his health struggles.

People who suffer from depression are at a severely increased risk of having a stroke, a new study finds

Around 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year. More than one-in-five result in death.

Research was published Wednesday in Neurology.