Generally, minor stroke symptoms won't rouse you from sleep. But when people do wake up after a stroke, they notice something is amiss. The symptoms depend on both the severity of the stroke and the region of the brain it damaged. Perhaps one leg does not seem to work well, or an arm feels weak.

Can a stroke wake you up?

May 9, 2011 -- Many people who suffer strokes have them while they are asleep, which may prevent them from getting clot-busting treatment in the critical first few hours after a stroke, a study shows. Such strokes, referred to as wake-up strokes, account for about 14% of all strokes, according to the study.

What happens when you have a stroke while sleeping?

People who have strokes while asleep are at risk of death because they're unable to benefit from treatment early. It's unknown how many people die in their sleep from a stroke each year. For those who survive having a stroke while asleep, there's a risk of permanent disability due to delayed treatment.