Sleep Well And Reduce Stress To Control Blood Pressure
December 13, 2008 by rainier
Good Sleep Habits
Certain sleep disorder, especially sleep apnea, is associated with hyper tension. Even chronic, insufficient sleep may raise blood pressure in patients with hypertension, placing them at increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. According to a 1999 Italian study, blood pressure and heart rate were higher the morning after a sleep−deprived night compared with the morning after a full night of sleep. Stress hormone levels increase with sleeplessness, which can activate the sympathetic nervous system, a strong player in hypertension. Patients who have chronic insomnia or other severe sleep disturbances, particularly sleep apnea, should consider consulting sleep experts.
Physicians whose hypertensive patients are habitually poor sleepers should consider long−acting blood pressure medications to help counteract the increase in blood pressure that occurs in the early morning hours. People with hypertension and sleep apnea should consider aggressive treatments for the sleep disorder.
Stress Reduction and Psychologic Considerations
Improving mood or relieving stress may be helpful. The following are some studies suggesting possible benefits:
* Stress reduction programs that use cognitive−behavioral therapy may reduce blood pressure. Active religious faith was associated with healthy blood pressure levels, possibly indicating the combined benefits of a strong social network and reduced stress from spiritual activities.
*A simple relaxation technique called transcendental meditation (TM), which involves silent repetition of a single sound, was associated with lower blood pressure. It should be strongly noted that treating stress cannot cure medical problems. Any stress management program is not a substitute for standard medical treatments, but it can be a very important component in a medical regimen.
There is little doubt left that sleep is a good thing. For some of us it seems no longer a choice. Our minds are not where sleep seems to dwell. That is not the same as fighting insomnia, it is like being alienated from sleep. What made a lot of sense to me is a new book by Siegfried Haug: I Want to Sleep – Unlearning Insomnia. Has the best Amazon reviews but it is a workbook. You actually need to do something to get to sleep.
Sleep is so important. I have always gotten between 5 and 6 hours of sleep a night and only recently have tried to get more, like 7 hours a night. It makes such a difference! I’m currently reading a book called It Can Be Done by Lisa Buldo and she focuses on the importance of sleep. She says that each hour of sleep before midnight is the same as two hours after midnight. I thought that was really interesting and really made me realize that I wasn’t getting that much sleep before. Thanks for this blog!