A good night's sleep can protect us from various health problems, such as high blood pressure, obesity, and depression. When we sleep, the body will reset again by balancing hormones and lowering blood pressure.
The emergence of inflammation, increased stress hormones and decreased immune function are the effects that can be felt when a person does not get enough sleep. However, the relationship can be reversed; namely, high blood pressure causes a person to have difficulty sleeping or insomnia.
For that, here are some things you need to know about the relationship between high blood pressure and insomnia.
Can high blood pressure cause insomnia?
Most experts and medical professionals recommend that an adult human sleep for 7-8 hours each night. Continuous sleep deprivation can lead to various health problems, including high blood pressure.
High blood pressure occurs when the pressure of the blood pumped through the blood vessels increases. This increase in blood pressure can cause headaches, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. These symptoms can make sleeping more difficult. Some medications for high blood pressure can also disrupt a person's natural sleep cycle.
Blood pressure is considered high if the systolic value is > 140 mmHg and the diastolic is > 90 mmHg
Can insomnia raise blood pressure?
Yes, insomnia can increase blood pressure. If a person does not get enough sleep continuously, the body's natural resetting process that occurs during sleep will be disrupted. The process in question is reducing blood pressure and regulating hormones that control blood pressure, heart rate, and various other functions.
An adult who sleeps less than 7 hours tends to have more complaints related to health problems, such as obesity, asthma, and depression which all play a role in increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Sleeping too much is also not good, Ladies!
How to break the cycle of high blood pressure and insomnia?
There are several ways you can do to improve sleep cycles that have been disrupted due to insomnia:
1. Don't try to catch up on lost sleep
You may want to use the weekend to make up for the lack of sleep the past week. However, sleeping too much can also increase the risk of several health problems, such as high blood sugar and obesity.
2. Make a regular sleep schedule.
The demand to stay up late may be present occasionally, but a regular sleep schedule can at least train the body when to sleep and wake up.
3. Consider taking sleeping pills – in limited quantities.
While they may make falling asleep easier, sleeping pills shouldn't be used for more than a few days. A study says that regular consumption of sleeping pills increases the chances of blood pressure disorders in the long term.
4. Do physical activity.
Exercise has many benefits for both insomnia and high blood pressure. However, care should be taken not to choose exercise times close to your sleep schedule.
5. Try relaxation techniques.
Meditation, yoga moves, or breathing techniques can help lower blood pressure and get better sleep.
Medication can be an alternative for treating high blood pressure and sleep disorders. However, it is important to pay attention to the procedures for use according to the doctor's directions. Don't sleep too late, ladies!
Read other interesting articles only on Fitie!
Source:
Holland, K. & Villalobos, N. (2023). High Blood Pressure and Insomnia: Everything You Need to Know. [online]. https://www.healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure/can-high-blood-pressure-cause-insomnia