Is High Blood Pressure linked to Sleep Deprivation (SD)?

I thought about this as I awoke this morning, not feeling very rested and knowing I should have went to bed earlier.  Also, I thought of my family members in the US that I felt compelled to text after a troubling 4:00 a.m. nightmare.  They often are still up as I rise at 6 or 7 a.m., which tells me…… they are most likely not getting enough sleep either!

Could we be destroying our health from just lack of this one simple thing…..sleep?  Studies have shown that less than 6 hours per night of sleep could possibly have a correlation to increase blood pressure.  Sleep helps our blood to regulate our stress hormones and helps our nervous systems to stay healthy.

Over a period of time, not getting the proper amount of sleep could decrease our body’s ability to regulate stress hormones, which in turn, could cause High Blood Pressure or worsen already HBP.

So what’s the recommendation?  The goal should be 7-8 hours of sleep per day.  This may play a part in prevention as well as treatment of HBP.

Are you a snorer?  Well, you may need to ask your partner because if they are giving you this look when you awaken from a jab, chances are, YOU ARE a snorer.

So why is this important to note?  If you don’t sleep well and don’t feel rested, even after 7 hours of sleep, you may be suffering from a disorder called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).  This condition can also play a part in HBP.  In OSA, you repeatedly stop and start breathing during sleep.  According to the National Sleep Foundation, OSA is a common contributor of HBP and often undiagnosed.  You should talk to your doctor because this could lead not only to HBP but to other heart or serious health problems as well.

Improving your sleep can also improve your mood and memory as well.  Who doesn’t feel better after sleeping all night like a baby and being able to wake up on your own without the aid of an alarm clock?

So just a simple recommendation from me, please, get your 7 in and live and feel heart healthier!