An important new study that appears in the June 8, 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine has found that middle-aged adults suffering from lack of sleep effects are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure. Hypertension contributes to 7 million deaths around the world each and every year. One third of American's are affected. In this latest work, University of Chicago researchers collected data such as blood pressure readings as well as other clinical, demographic and health variables on study subjects.
Even when you want to sleep, the cares of the day sometimes keep you from closing your eyes. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, on any given night, slightly more than 1-4 Americans rate the quality of their night's sleep as either "fair" or "poor"
The researchers found that those who slept fewer hours are much more likely to have BP pressure readings than those who slept longer. These sleep-starved adults were also more likely to develop hypertension pressure over time.
After five years of the study, the team noted that each hour less of sleep was associated with a 37% increase in the odds of hypertension - both systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) numbers were elevated.
The study excluded subjects from the mix who were taking prescription medication for high BP. They also used statistics to account for factors that might affect high blood pressure, things like age, sex and race. They saw that black men had the higher blood pressures than either white men or women.
"Identifying a novel lifestyle risk factor for high blood pressure could lead to new interventions to prevent or reduce high blood pressure," Kristen L. Knutson's team wrote.
"Laboratory studies of short-term sleep deprivation have suggested potential mechanisms for a causal link between sleep loss and hypertension."
In addition, experts say that many on-the-job accidents are caused in part by poor decisions and responses made by sleep-deprived workers.
Only a lucky 1% of subjects got more than 8 hours a night. Black men tended to get the fewest hours of sleep. "These two observations suggested the intriguing possibility that the well-documented higher blood pressure in African Americans and men might be partly related to sleep duration," the study authors conclude.
The team believes that sleep deprivation affects the stress response of the body and this can raise the risk of developing hypertension.
Beyond being sure you get enough sleep by practicing healthy sleep habits, there are other things you can do to keep your blood pressure under control.
Lose weight by eating fewer calories than you burn. Eat heart healthy food, plenty of fruits and veggies, low total fats and avoid food high in saturated fats and cholesterol.Reduce your salt intake and be sure to read labels to find the sodium in foods you buy.
Practice moderation in alcohol consumption - no more than 2 drinks a day for men, 1 drink a day for women.Get more active - start slowly and build over time, at least 30 minutes a day of moderately intense activity is your goal.Don't smoke - if you do try to quit or cut down.
After being deprived of sleep, many people are ready to answer any question as long as they'll be allowed to sleep. With little or no sleep, people feel sick. Their bodies are sluggish and uncoordinated, and their minds feel mush.
This study encourages anyone who's worried about lack of sleep effects on hypertension to ensure they have a regular sleep pattern, as well as taking some of the other steps experts recommend to keep your blood pressure under control.
Even when you want to sleep, the cares of the day sometimes keep you from closing your eyes. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, on any given night, slightly more than 1-4 Americans rate the quality of their night's sleep as either "fair" or "poor"
The researchers found that those who slept fewer hours are much more likely to have BP pressure readings than those who slept longer. These sleep-starved adults were also more likely to develop hypertension pressure over time.
After five years of the study, the team noted that each hour less of sleep was associated with a 37% increase in the odds of hypertension - both systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) numbers were elevated.
The study excluded subjects from the mix who were taking prescription medication for high BP. They also used statistics to account for factors that might affect high blood pressure, things like age, sex and race. They saw that black men had the higher blood pressures than either white men or women.
"Identifying a novel lifestyle risk factor for high blood pressure could lead to new interventions to prevent or reduce high blood pressure," Kristen L. Knutson's team wrote.
"Laboratory studies of short-term sleep deprivation have suggested potential mechanisms for a causal link between sleep loss and hypertension."
In addition, experts say that many on-the-job accidents are caused in part by poor decisions and responses made by sleep-deprived workers.
Only a lucky 1% of subjects got more than 8 hours a night. Black men tended to get the fewest hours of sleep. "These two observations suggested the intriguing possibility that the well-documented higher blood pressure in African Americans and men might be partly related to sleep duration," the study authors conclude.
The team believes that sleep deprivation affects the stress response of the body and this can raise the risk of developing hypertension.
Beyond being sure you get enough sleep by practicing healthy sleep habits, there are other things you can do to keep your blood pressure under control.
Lose weight by eating fewer calories than you burn. Eat heart healthy food, plenty of fruits and veggies, low total fats and avoid food high in saturated fats and cholesterol.Reduce your salt intake and be sure to read labels to find the sodium in foods you buy.
Practice moderation in alcohol consumption - no more than 2 drinks a day for men, 1 drink a day for women.Get more active - start slowly and build over time, at least 30 minutes a day of moderately intense activity is your goal.Don't smoke - if you do try to quit or cut down.
After being deprived of sleep, many people are ready to answer any question as long as they'll be allowed to sleep. With little or no sleep, people feel sick. Their bodies are sluggish and uncoordinated, and their minds feel mush.
This study encourages anyone who's worried about lack of sleep effects on hypertension to ensure they have a regular sleep pattern, as well as taking some of the other steps experts recommend to keep your blood pressure under control.
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Trying using these best sleeping pills on the market today that are used by many and recommended by doctors.
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