It may not seem like it but keeping a normal blood pressure level relies heavily on having a high-quality sleep schedule. The moment you don’t get enough sleep, your blood pressure can increase, which is a cause of heart disease risk along with other cardiovascular problems.
Therefore, it is important to see and understand the connection between sleep and managing an average blood pressure level, since it can be the incentive to start taking care of your sleep habits.
What Is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the pressure created inside your arteries as blood flows through them, driven by the pumping action of your heart. More pressure means that the blood is pushing harder. When blood pressure levels escalate over time, sensitive blood vessels start deteriorating.
There are two numbers in blood pressure readings, and they’re measured by millimeters of mercury. The one on the top refers to the systolic pressure, and the bottom one to the diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure is the pressure your blood is pushing when your heart is beating, while the diastolic pressure is when the heart muscle rests between each beat.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is diagnosed when there’s a consistent reach of 130/80 mmHg or more in readings. In the U.S., almost 50 percent of adults have hypertension, and many cases stay undiagnosed until symptoms appear.
Hypertension is often nicknamed “the silent killer,” because, when you don’t keep an eye on it and you leave it untreated, it can quietly cause many health issues such as heart attacks, strokes, or even kidney failures.
The Connection Between Sleeping and Blood Pressure
There is a biological process called “nocturnal dipping” that takes place during a proper sleep. During this nocturnal process, your body undergoes a 10-20% blood pressure drop, with levels falling to around 110/65 mmHg, as opposed to the higher levels during daytime (approximately 120/80 mmHg). Thanks to this, blood vessels are allowed to rest, and your cardiovascular system gets a break from all the non-stop pumping.
Therefore, if you have a poor sleep schedule, your blood pressure doesn’t decrease properly. Uninterrupted sleep helps the body regulate stress hormones, such as cortisol, which can be a cause of high blood pressure. Your heart and organ health are at risk the moment your blood pressure doesn’t decrease properly when sleeping.
Sleeping less than 7 hours consistently leads to higher risks of suffering hypertension, but it works the other way around too: the higher the sleep quality over time, the better blood pressure levels will be.
How Poor Sleep Affects Our Blood Pressure
The negative impacts of poor sleep can manifest in various ways when it comes to blood pressure:
Stress hormones
Stress hormone levels, such as cortisol and adrenaline, increase in your body when you don’t get enough rest. Blood vessels and heart rate can be adversely affected if high levels of these hormones become chronic, subsequently raising your blood pressure.
Impaired Nocturnal Dipping
As mentioned earlier, blood pressure cannot drop overnight if there’s no quality sleep. This directly affects your vessels and organs and causes prolonged high blood pressure, which can lead to more serious problems in the future.
Inflammation
Blood vessels and organs can also suffer from systemic inflammation because of high oxidative stress and reduced immunity when there’s a consistent sleep loss. This inflammation causes the delicate arterial walls to thicken and sustain damage, which can lead to high blood pressure.
Weight Gain
Quality sleep helps control your appetite. When having a poor sleep schedule, this appetite regulation is interrupted, making you consume more calories the next day because of that lack of sleep. Obesity and weight gain are common consequences of sleep deprivation, and hypertension is a common consequence of obesity.
Sleep Apnea
Undiagnosed sleep apnea—a breathing disorder that interrupts sleep—is common among people with hypertension. Weight gain worsens apnea, creating, as you can see, a vicious cycle.
How to Improve Your Sleep Quality
If you suffer from hypertension, your sleep should be one of your main focuses so that your cardiac health doesn’t end up affected. Here are some tips below:
A Bedtime and a Wake-Up Time
You’ve probably heard of the body’s internal clock. Having a regular and consistent routine when you go to sleep and when you wake up helps your brain release sleep-and-wake hormones correctly.
Light Exposure
Melatonin release gets obstructed if there are too many lamps or any ambient lights during your sleep, keeping you awake. It is highly recommended to lower your blinds and avoid using any devices 1-2 hours previous to bedtime.
A Non-Stimulating Bedroom Environment
A comfortable bed, a good temperature, and a quiet and dimmed environment are all key elements to having good quality sleep. Make your sleep environment a sanctuary only used for resting.
No Overeating Before Bed
Avoiding meals full of fats or spiciness before going to bed leads to better digestion and prevents you from going to do your necessities in the middle of the night. It is important to let your body digest the food 2-3 hours before going to sleep.
Drinking Less During the Evening
Drinking too much liquid after 6 p.m. also means a higher probability of waking up to do your necessities. Of course, staying hydrated is very good for your health, but don’t overdo it 3 hours before going to bed.
Early Daily Exercise
Daily exercise helps maintain a regulated cycle since it makes you tired and gives you a better rest at night. However, try to do it 3 hours before bedtime so that your endorphins can have a chance to clear out of your system. If not, you will probably have trouble sleeping.
Stress Regulation
Sleep can be severely affected when suffering from chronic stress. Yoga, meditation, and exercising outside are all amazing activities to relax your mind and your body.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI)
CBTI is a structured treatment and form of talk therapy that uses personalized techniques to help people with chronic insomnia. Consider CBTI in case your sleep is severely affecting your health.
Seek Medical Advice
If you followed all these tips, but you see no improvement whatsoever, don’t hesitate to consult your GP. You may be suffering from a sleeping disorder you are not aware of and may need medical attention.
The bottom line
ADVERTISEMENT
Maintaining a healthy sleep schedule is fundamental to keeping blood pressure levels in place. Poor sleep affects many aspects of your health, and following these tips can prevent hypertension.
ADVERTISEMENT
