Lack of Sleep May Raise Blood Pressure

People who don’t sleep enough may be more likely to develop high blood pressure, a new study has found. The study included 578 adults. Their average age was 40. They wore sensors that recorded when they were at rest or active. Researchers also asked them how many hours they slept each day. The study lasted five years. In that time, people who slept less developed high blood pressure more often than others. This risk increased 37% for each hour of reduced sleep on an average night. For example, if 100 people who slept 8 hours a night developed high blood pressure, 137 people who slept 7 hours would develop it. The study appeared in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. HealthDay News wrote about it June 8.