Irregular Sleep Patterns Linked to Increased Risk of High Blood Pressure, Study Finds

[Voice of Hope May 9, 2023](Editor: Li Wenhan) Sleep is a pillar of health and a biological requirement of life.

In 2022, sleep was added by the American Heart Association (AHA) to Life’s Essential 8 recommendations to improve and maintain optimal cardiovascular health. According to this recommendation, adults should sleep 7 to 9 hours per night.

Studies have shown that short sleep duration (<6 hours/night) is associated with 36%-66%, 45%, 24% and 10% increased risk of hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease and all-cause death; while long sleep duration (>9 hours/night) were also associated with adverse health outcomes, including increased risk of hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality by 11% to 30%, 46%, 40%, and 39%, respectively.

So if you want to promote health and reduce the risk of death, don’t you just need to get enough sleep? The answer is no, sleep irregularities, such as when you fall asleep and how long you sleep, can also be harmful to your health.

People with irregular sleep patterns are more likely to develop high blood pressure, even if they get the AHA’s recommended amount of sleep each night, according to a study published in Hypertension, an American Heart Association (AHA) journal.

Researchers from Australia’s Flinders University (Flinders University) and other institutions conducted a follow-up study on 12,287 participants aged 18 to 90, of which 2,637 (21%) were hypertensive patients, 9,650 (79%) A control population without hypertension. The mean age of participants was 50 years, and 10,868 (88%) were men.

Through the sleep monitoring pad, the researchers collected 9 months of participants’ sleep information, including when they fell asleep and woke up, to assess the regularity of falling asleep, waking up, and sleep duration.

In addition, the researchers counted basic information such as the height and weight of the participants; lifestyle information such as smoking status, alcohol consumption, diet, and physical activity; information on the treatment history of hypertensive patients; and changes in blood pressure of all participants within 9 months information etc.

After controlling for other factors, the researchers found a “U”-shaped association between sleep duration and high blood pressure risk. Both short and long sleep duration were associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure among participants. Participants had the lowest risk of hypertension when their sleep duration was 443 to 473 minutes (7.5 to 8 hours).

Compared with participants with sleep durations of 443 to 473 minutes, those with sleep durations of <415 minutes, 415 to 443 minutes, and >473 minutes had a 32%, 24%, and 23% increased risk of developing hypertension, respectively.

Even when participants slept 7 to 9 hours, irregular sleep duration, including irregular sleep onset, duration, and waking times, was associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure.

Compared with participants with regular sleep time (change in sleep time ≤ 30 minutes), those with sleep time changes of 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes, and >90 minutes had a 37% and 80% higher risk of developing hypertension, respectively. % and 92%.

Compared with participants with regular wake-up time (wake-up time variation ≤30 minutes), those with wake-up time variation of 31-60 minutes, 61-90 minutes, and >90 minutes had a 41% higher risk of developing hypertension, respectively. %, 62% and 61%.

Compared with participants with regular sleep duration (duration change ≤ 60 minutes), those with sleep duration changes of 61 to 90 minutes, 91 to 120 minutes, and >120 minutes had a 27% and 27% higher risk of developing hypertension, respectively. 48% and 85%.

The association between irregular sleep patterns, including falling asleep, waking up, and irregular duration, and the increased risk of high blood pressure may be due to multiple factors, the researchers analyzed.

Irregular sleep may interfere with the sleep-wake cycle, leading to disruption of the biological clock. And nearly all major cardiovascular functions, including heart rate, blood pressure, vascular tone, and endothelial function, are regulated by the circadian clock.

Disruption of the circadian clock may contribute to the dysregulation of physiological systems, impairing these important cardiovascular functions, leading to the development of chronic inflammation, altered glucose metabolism, and elevated arterial pressure, among others.

Sleep irregularities may also disrupt the homeostatic regulation of sleep by the central nervous system and promote circadian dysregulation of cellular function, negatively affecting blood pressure regulation and other physiological functions.

In addition, irregular sleep is also a sign of an unhealthy lifestyle, including irregular meals or exercise, which can also increase the risk of high blood pressure.

However, the relevant mechanism has not been clarified, and more research is needed.

It is important to note that this study was observational and only showed an association between sleep irregularities and an increased risk of high blood pressure, not causation. Moreover, the study also has some limitations, such as not considering the impact of sleep disorders, which may also have an impact on the research results.

The study finally pointed out that most people will pay attention to the impact of short or long sleep time on health, and seldom pay attention to the impact of irregular sleep on health. But in fact, irregular sleep is a potentially important risk factor for poor overall health. Studies have found that sleep irregularities are associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

The findings of this study add to the evidence that irregular sleep is harmful to health and may be a potentially modifiable risk factor for high blood pressure. People with irregular sleep patterns have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, which also means that people who sleep in on weekends or frequently change their bedtime and wake-up times are more likely to develop high blood pressure.

Danny Eckert of Flinders University, the corresponding author of the study, said that people not only need to pay attention to how long they sleep, but also need to realize the importance of maintaining regular sleep time for cardiovascular health.

Maintaining regular sleep is an easy-to-adjust lifestyle. To prevent high blood pressure, you must not only ensure healthy and sufficient sleep time, but also ensure the regularity of sleep time and develop regular bedtime and wake-up times.

Editor in charge: Li Zhi

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