Researchers found a correlation between insomnia symptoms and the risk of hypertension in women. This study, spanning sixteen years with over 66,000 participants, shows women with sleep difficulties were more likely to develop high blood pressure.
In today’s hectic world, achieving sufficient sleep is more challenging than ever. However, recent research from the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital underscores the importance of a restful night for maintaining good health.
Their research unveils that women who struggled with getting enough sleep were at greater risk of developing hypertension, or high blood pressure. Results are published in the journal Hypertension.
“These findings suggest that individuals who struggle with symptoms of insomnia may be at risk of hypertension and could benefit from preemptive screening,” explained Shahab Haghayegh, Ph.D., a research fellow at the Brigham and Harvard Medical School. “Hypertension is associated with many other physical and mental health complications. The sooner we can identify individuals with high blood pressure and treat them for it, the better we can mitigate future health issues.”
Both hypertension and sleep disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent among adults in the United States. In fact, more than 35% of US adults do not get enough sleep at night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests that 30% of Americans experience symptoms of insomnia. Strikingly, 45% of U.S. adults live with high blood pressure.
Haghayegh and colleagues followed 66,122 participants between 25 and 42 years of age in the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS2) cohort, all without hypertension at the study’s onset, over sixteen years (from 2001 until 2017).
Investigators collected information on participants’ age, race, body mass index (BMI), diet, lifestyle, physical activity, history of sleep apnea, and family history of hypertension and assessed the incidence of hypertension among the group every two years.
I – Word Understanding
Correlation – a mutual relationship or connection between two or more things.
Preemptive – as a measure against something possible, anticipated, or feared.
Mitigate – make less severe, serious, or painful.
Prevalent – widespread in a particular area or at a particular time.
Apnea – temporary cessation of breathing, especially during sleep.
Assessed – evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of.
II – Have Your Say
1, What are the symptoms of high blood pressure while sleeping?
a, sleep disturbances.
b, nocturia, or frequently waking with * the need to urinate.
c, sleep apnea.
d, difficulty breathing, which may cause gasping or snoring.
975 Losing Sleep? New Study Suggests Checking Your Blood Pressure
