Did you know that not getting enough sleep can raise your blood pressure?

• Our blood pressure drops to low levels while we sleep, and that dip is essential for a healthy heart.

(May 2023) We have all heard that adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep to stay healthy. However, getting those hours can be difficult in many cases.

According to the World Health Organization, 1.28 billion people aged 30 to 79 live with hypertension. It is alarming that 700 million of them are not receiving treatment for the condition.

The more we learn about the role sleep plays in cardiovascular health, the clearer it becomes that high blood pressure can be caused by lack of sleep. Cardiologist Ashish Sarraju of Cleveland Clinic explains how hours of sleep and blood pressure are related.

One of the frustrating things about sleep is that there are limits to our understanding of it. We know we must sleep to survive and to ensure our wellbeing, but we don’t know why lack of sleep affects our health. What we do know for sure is that sleep is a fundamental part of heart health.

The American Heart Association recognises the importance of good sleep by adding it to its list of eight Life’s Essentials for maintaining good cardiovascular health.

“There is data indicating that short or poor sleep is significantly associated with poor blood pressure,” says Dr. Sarraju. In other words, lack of sleep is one of the risk factors that can contribute to developing hypertension. Other factors that can play a part include age, diet, exercise, smoking and family history.

During sleep, a phenomenon called “nocturnal dipping” occurs. Dr. Sarraju describes it as the idea that our blood pressure falls at night. “When we sleep, we see roughly a 10% drop in blood pressure. Researchers link this to our circadian rhythm.” According to the cardiovascular specialist, this makes sense because our body places more demands on the heart when we are awake. If we don’t get the sleep we need, that dip won’t happen, and this is what can lead to hypertension or cardiovascular problems.

How to improve sleep

Not everyone with hypertension has a sleep disorder. For many of us, lack of sleep is a result of daily life, and outside circumstances can affect our hours of sleep. “Getting good sleep depends on many external factors that patients often don’t control,” explains Dr. Sarraju. That is why the doctor focuses on raising awareness of the importance of sleep and its impact on cardiovascular health.

Some tips for getting more rest are:

1. Keep a consistent schedule for going to bed and starting the day, even on days off.
2. Exercise, preferably during the day.
3. Use the bed only for sleep and sex. For reading, working or eating, it is better to set aside a different space.
4. Switch off sources of light such as TVs, computers, mobile phones and lamps.
5. Avoid eating or drinking anything for three hours before bedtime.
6. Disconnect from things like the news, social media or anything else that can cause stress.
7. Avoid alcohol or caffeine before going to bed.

It is important to start with small steps towards healthier habits for better sleep quality. It is a process of constant improvement that brings huge benefits for our health.

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About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical centre that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based on the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States.  

U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 72,500 employees worldwide are more than 5,050 salaried physicians and researchers, and 17,800 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties.  Cleveland Clinic is a 6,500-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 21 hospitals, more than 220 outpatient facilities, and locations in northeast Ohio; southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England.

In 2021, there were 10.2 million outpatient visits, 304,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 259,000 surgeries across Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries.

Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

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