Experts say maintaining this nightly habit could help reduce your blood pressure

Experts suggest that you don't need to extend your sleep duration or go to bed earlier than usual. Simply sticking to the same bedtime each night may help regulate and lower blood pressure.

Nearly 50% of adults in the U.S. experience high blood pressure, increasing their chances of heart attacks and strokes. The body's internal clock, or circadian rhythm, not only governs sleep patterns but also affects hormone release, metabolism, and organ function. Disruptions to this rhythm can prevent the natural nighttime dip in blood pressure, elevating the risk for hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular events.

Research from Oregon Health & Science University highlights that a regular bedtime can reinforce the bodys natural clock. Dr. David Lee from Stanford Medicine, who was not involved in the study, explained that maintaining normal blood pressure keeps the risk of heart attack or stroke very low, but the risk rises significantly as blood pressure increases.

Setting a consistent bedtime is an affordable and simple method to support cardiovascular health, according to the researchers.

Study Highlights

The study tracked the blood pressure of 11 middle-aged adults. Initially, participants followed their usual sleep patterns for one week, then adhered to a fixed bedtime for two weeks. They were not instructed to alter the duration of sleeponly the timing.

During the fixed-bedtime period, participants experienced notable reductions in daily blood pressure. Blood pressure is measured as systolic (pressure when the heart beats) and diastolic (pressure between beats), with readings in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Normal levels are below 120/80 mmHg, while readings above 130/80 mmHg indicate high blood pressure. Readings above 180/120 mmHg are considered critical and require urgent medical attention.

In this study, the average systolic pressure dropped by more than 4 mmHg and diastolic by 3 mmHg, even among participants already taking blood pressure medications. Researchers noted that a 5 mmHg decrease in systolic pressure can reduce cardiovascular risk by approximately 10% in hypertensive patients. About half of the participants showed improvements beyond what is considered a meaningful physiological change.

An Accessible Approach

The team emphasized the practicality of this method. "Maintaining a regular bedtime is a low-cost, low-risk strategy that can complement existing hypertension treatments. Unlike medications or demanding lifestyle modifications, going to bed at the same time each night requires minimal effort," the researchers stated.

For comparison, some blood pressure medications can exceed $100 per month without insurance. Other lifestyle factors such as high salt intake, excessive alcohol, insufficient physical activity, smoking, genetics, and age over 55 also influence blood pressure. Additionally, underlying conditions like sleep apnea or thyroid disorders can contribute to elevated blood pressure.

Author: Maya Henderson