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The researchers found that 24 percent of those who slept for five or fewer hours a night developed high blood pressure, compared to 12 percent of those who got seven or eight hours of sleep a night.

Allows heart to slow down
"Sleep allows the heart to slow down and blood pressure to drop for a significant part of the day," study lead author James E. Gangwisch, a post-doctoral fellow in the psychiatric epidemiology training programme at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, said in a prepared statement.

"However, people who sleep for only short durations raise their average 24-hour blood pressure and heart rate. This may set up the cardiovascular system to operate at an elevated pressure," Gangwisch added.

The study also found that people who slept five or less hours a night exercised less and were more likely to have higher body mass index, a measurement of body fatness. They were also more likely to have diabetes and depression, and to report daytime sleepiness.

The findings were published Monday in the journal Hypertension. – (HealthDayNews)

Visit our Hypertension Centre for more information.

April 2006
 

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