Don't Sleep on These Blood Pressure Facts

Singapore, one of the topmost sleep-deprived nations worldwide, is feeling the brunt of sleeplessness. A lack of sleep is known to impact our mood and productivity, but can it alter blood pressure levels too? Let’s find out.

POOR SLEEP CAN CAUSE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

FACT Insufficient sleep can affect blood pressure (BP). Several studies have shown that inadequate sleep is associated with a higher risk of persistent high BP, also known as hypertension, especially in middle-aged adults. There are several reasons for this.

Lack of sleep can disrupt the balance of hormones needed to regulate BP, such as catecholamines and cortisol. Abnormal elevation in these hormone levels can contribute to hypertension.

Poor sleep can lead to inappropriate activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which regulates the body’s “fight or flight” response. This activation can cause the heart to pump harder and faster, blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to increase.

Increased levels of inflammation in the body caused by sleep deprivation can damage blood vessels and contribute to high BP.

For good overall health, aim for good sleep hygiene and an adequate amount of quality sleep each night. As a general guideline, adults should sleep seven or more hours per night. It is estimated that one additional hour of sleep per night could decrease the risk of a heart attack by 20 per cent.

SLEEPING WITH YOUR HEAD OR UPPER BODY ELEVATED LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE

FALSE Sleeping in the head-up tilt position may positively impact BP in certain individuals. In patients with orthostatic hypotension with supine hypertension who have high BP while lying down, sleeping with the head of their beds elevated 20 to 30 cm reduces their supine BP moderately and improves orthostatic hypotension in the morning.

Generally, too much elevation can make it harder to fall asleep and disrupt sleep quality. While a head-up tilt position may provide some benefits for certain individuals, it is not a substitute for other lifestyle modifications to manage high BP, such as having a healthy diet, exercising regularly, managing stress and adhering to any prescribed medications.

IRREGULAR SLEEP SCHEDULES DO NOT IMPACT BLOOD PRESSURE LEVELS

FALSE Irregular sleep schedules can contribute to sleep-deprivation and affect the body’s circadian rhythm. When the circadian rhythm is disturbed, the balance between the body’s ability to react to danger (sympathetic nervous system) and its ability to relax after the danger has passed (parasympathetic nervous system) is disrupted, and BP increases. Circadian disruption can also lead to other adverse health effects such as impaired glucose control, obesity, heart attack, stroke and mood disorders. Note that individual responses may vary, and some people are more resilient to the effects of irregular sleep schedules on BP.

Article is contributed by Clinical Assistant Prof Moy Wai Lun, Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine at Sengkang General Hospital.