Its results have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, but were presented this week at the American College of Cardiology’s annual scientific session.
High blood pressure disease, also known as arterial hypertension, is a condition in which the walls of blood vessels are exposed to a harmfully high force from the inside.
Hypertension does not cause pain, but in the long run it leads to serious health consequences. High blood pressure is among the leading causes of heart failure and stroke.
Lack of sleep is more harmful to women
The study authors acknowledged that the link between sleep patterns and high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, may not be a new discovery. However, they said that the evidence gathered by science so far has not been clear-cut.
“According to the latest data, the less sleep you get, the more likely you are to develop high blood pressure in the future,” said lead author Kaveh Hosseini, associate professor of cardiology at the Heart Center in Tehran, Iran.
“We observed a trend between longer sleep duration and higher incidence of high blood pressure, but it was not statistically significant. “Seven to eight hours of sleep, as recommended by experts, may be best for your heart,” explained the researcher.
His group reported that getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night was associated with a 7 percent lower risk of death. higher risk of high blood pressure. This number increased to 11 percent if the sleep duration was less than 5 hours.
Hosseini said the researchers compared it to the effects of diabetes and smoking. These factors, they say, increase the risk of hypertension by at least 20 percent.
The age of the study participants ranged from 35 to 61 years. More than half (61%) were women.
It was observed that women had a higher risk of developing hypertension due to lack of sleep than men.
According to experts not involved in the study, it should be analyzed in more detail why women may be more sensitive in this regard.
“Poor sleep is thought to increase levels of stress hormones that can raise blood pressure. Therefore, it is possible that women are more sensitive to stress caused by disturbed sleep,” said interventional cardiologist Cheng-Han Chen.
Susan Miller, a certified sleep expert, says women’s higher risk of hypertension may be linked to hormonal factors, “particularly fluctuations in estrogen levels, which can differentially affect sleep patterns and cardiovascular health.”
“Women are more likely to experience sleep disorders related to hormonal changes during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause,” said S.Miller.
Portal lrytas.lt provides 3 science-based ways to lower blood pressure:
Choose dark chocolate
A study conducted in January of this year found a link between dark chocolate consumption and a reduction in the risk of primary hypertension. Dark chocolate is one food that may have health benefits, says study author and registered dietitian Karen Z. Berg.
“For chocolate to be considered dark, it must contain at least 50 percent. cocoa Good dark chocolate has 70 or even 90 percent. cocoa, leaving much less room for other additives such as sugar. This explains why dark chocolate is usually more bitter than milk chocolate,” KZBerg said.
“Cocoa is rich in flavanols, so the higher the percentage of cocoa in chocolate, the more health benefits.” Dark chocolate is also a good source of fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. (…) It is also important to note that the higher the percentage of cocoa, the more caffeine it will contain,” emphasized KZBerg.
Eat a tomato
Praised for its high vitamin C content, this vegetable has been linked to better heart health and diabetes management. But the benefits don’t stop there – a study published a few months ago found a link between tomato consumption and a lower risk of high blood pressure. According to a study, eating tomatoes helps manage high blood pressure and may even prevent the development of hypertension in older people.
“Consumption of tomatoes, including their products, is beneficial for the prevention and control of hypertension. Abundant consumption of tomatoes reduces the risk of hypertension by 36 percent, and moderate consumption lowers blood pressure, especially in stage 1 hypertension,” the researchers wrote.
Avoid alcohol
Even small amounts of alcohol can disrupt the functioning of the body, according to 2023. published research. According to researchers, just one standard alcoholic drink per day increases systolic blood pressure. This applies to both men and women, and even those without hypertension.
According to the researchers, no positive effects were observed from consuming small amounts of alcohol. On the contrary, the study found that alcohol negatively affects systolic blood pressure. It increased over the years even in people who drank seemingly little alcohol. Small amounts of alcohol also increase diastolic blood pressure, but only in men.
“This is another study showing that there may not be a safe amount of alcohol,” the doctors noted.
