There is a close relationship between lack of sleep and high blood pressure. For instance, if you don’t get enough sleep, your body will not be able to regulate stress hormones, which will then lead to increased blood pressure.
It is important that you sleep between seven to eight hours a day as a way of preventing elevated blood pressure. Hypertension is a serious health condition that can lead to severe complications, such as heart attack and stroke, if not treated properly.
How Can Hypertension Cause Poor Sleep?
Hypertension tends to affect the normal functioning of the heart. If you have hypertension, it means your blood pressure is too high. Many individuals with this condition lack enough sleep since the disease tends to be severe at night.
Hypertension makes it hard for us to stay calm at night and fall asleep. Even if the best environment is provided, unless you are able to relax, quality sleep becomes one of the hardest things to achieve.
What can be done to combat high blood pressure?
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, the first thing that comes into your mind is how you can use medication to bring down the numbers. While there is nothing wrong with that, it is important that you try natural remedies first. Here are some of the things you can do to combat hypertension without using medication.
1. Get Adequate Sleep
If you already have hypertension, you will find it hard to fall asleep. However, it would help if you went to bed at the same time each night. After a short duration, your body will adjust, and you won’t struggle to fall asleep.
2. Exercise Regularly
Regular physical activity is a great way to combat hypertension. With at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, your condition will improve significantly. Once you are diagnosed with hypertension, it’s best to exercise each day and make it a lifestyle because your blood pressure can go up again if you stop.
3. Eat a Healthy Diet
You should try to eat a diet that is full of vegetables, fruits, grains, and low-fat dairy products. If you do that, your blood pressure will be lowered by up to 11 mm Hg. Talk to your nutritionist to find out what you need to eat when trying to control blood pressure.
How to Improve Sleep
Sleep comes in handy when you are trying to keep hypertension under control. If you are already struggling to fall asleep, there are some things you can do to fall asleep faster and feel rested when you wake up.
At least make sure not to use electronics one hour before going to bed. Most electronics have a blue light which is bad for your sleep since it interrupts the secretion of melatonin, a sleep hormone.
Make sure that your bedroom is dark and peaceful. If you have light coming from outside, consider installing window blinders to keep the room as dark as possible. Remember, since you will struggle to fall asleep in the first few days, we recommend going to bed early enough.
Visit Your Doctor Regularly
Hypertension can get severe with time. If not taken care of, it can impact your career, social life, productivity, and eventually your life. Therefore, even as you use the tips highlighted above, be sure to visit your doctor as regularly as possible.
Your doctor will check your blood pressure to determine whether it is increasing, decreasing, or constant. They will also suggest better ways to combat the condition and bounce back to your normal life.
Final Thought
As we age, we tend to develop changes in the structures of our blood vessels. Some of these changes are detrimental since they spike blood pressure. If you have hypertension, we suggest trying the tips mentioned above and keeping your medical expert close. The natural methods should work, and if they don’t, your doctor will come up with something better.