A good night’s sleep is like a healing pill for the body. It strengthens the immune system and lowers one’s risk of heart problems and strokes.
But did you know that the benefits of sleep might not be the same for everyone?
New research shows that sleep, especially its quality and structure, affects blood pressure differently in men and women [1].
Keep reading to learn more about this fascinating study.
The Vital Connection Between Sleep and Heart Health
Before exploring how sleep regulates blood pressure, we must understand its link to heart health.
For decades, experts have reiterated that good sleep, including the heart and blood vessels, is vital for the body’s recuperation.[3]
During the NREM (Non-rapid eye movement) sleep phase, the pulse rate slows, blood pressure falls, and breathing becomes stable.
These changes lower the heart’s stress. They let it recover from tension built up during the day. People who don’t get enough sleep each night miss out on the heart-healthy deep stages of non-REM sleep.
It makes them prone to heart problems like high blood pressure, heart attacks, obesity, and stroke.[4]
The Sleep, Gender, and Blood Pressure Study
A recent study published in the Oxford Academic Sleep Journal examined how sleep affects blood pressure in men and women differently.[1].
The researchers, led by Dr. Kristen Knutson – an associate professor of neurology- focused on how sleep characteristics like stages of sleep and nighttime awakening affect blood pressure by gender.[1]
Researchers monitored the sleep of over 1,100 adults in Brazil aged 18 to 91.[1]
Prospective participants had earlier been screened for sleep problems at the start of the study.
Individuals with moderate or severe sleep apnea were excluded from the research because severe sleep apnea could significantly affect blood pressure and alter the study’s findings.[2]
The majority (64 percent) of those included in the survey identified as women. To assess the participants, the researchers used at-home polysomnography. This test tracks brain activity, heart rate, and other functions during sleep.
After the at-home sleep studies, the participant’s blood pressure and cholesterol were measured the following day. The researchers then analyzed the data individually and compared the information for both sexes.
Here is what they found:
- For women, spending more time in deep sleep (also known as N3, the third stage of sleep) was linked to reduced blood pressure. Every extra 10 minutes in this restorative period reduced systolic blood pressure by 0.4 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 0.29 mmHg.[1] Women who slept more deeply were less likely to develop hypertension.
- For men, the findings were quite different. Deep sleep had no substantial effect on their blood pressure. Instead, repeated awakenings after falling asleep were associated with increased blood pressure. For every ten extra minutes awake after falling asleep, systolic blood pressure rose by 0.41 mmHg.[1] Men who woke up frequently at night were more likely to have hypertension.
- The study found no link between gender and blood fat levels. However, waking up more often at night was linked to lower total cholesterol. Furthermore, participants with a higher apnea-hypopnea index (a measure of the number of times a person’s breathing pauses during sleep) had higher total cholesterol and lower density lipid blood levels.[1]
These findings suggest that the same sleep experience doesn’t similarly affect men’s and women’s blood pressure. For women, the depth of sleep is crucial. Meanwhile, for men, uninterrupted sleep matters more.
The Study’s Implication and Next Research Directions
Dr. Kristen Knutson, the lead researcher, stressed that their study shows we must prioritize sleep quality, not just duration.
Also, Dr. Marishka Brown, director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at NHLBI, noted that the study suggests a more profound knowledge of how specific sleep qualities affect heart health, which could lead to more focused measures for both men and women.[2]
This study highlights how important sleep is when managing hypertension.
Concerning future research directions, Dr. Knutson said their study shows promising areas for further work. The findings are intriguing, but they are just the start of more investigation.[2]
“Researchers did not take multiple time points for sleep and blood pressure, so they could not determine if someone got more or less sleep at any stage or if waking up during the night made blood pressure levels better or worse. Future research must find out if changing these sleep stages in men and women affects blood pressure,” Knutson said.
Sleep Tips to Protect Your Heart’s Health
Whether you’re a man or a woman, the message is clear: sleep is vital for your heart’s health. Consider these sleep tips to protect your blood pressure and heart.
- Aim for 7–9 hours of Sleep per Night: Experts advise that adults sleep for at least seven (7) hours every night to prevent health problems like raised blood pressure.[5]
- Practice Sleep Hygiene to Minimize Sleep Disruptions: Frequent nighttime awakening raises blood pressure. You can prevent this by adopting healthy sleep habits. Sleep in a cool, comfortable, dark room. Maintain the same sleep-wake time. Use your bedroom for just sleep. Avoid caffeine and blue screens close to bedtime.
- Try Relaxation Techniques to Boost Sleep Quality: Relaxation techniques like meditation can help your body achieve long hours of deep sleep and reduce sleep disturbance.[6]
If your sleep problems persist after trying these tips, contact your doctor.
What’s the Takeaway?
Sleep helps preserve heart health, but its effects on blood pressure vary by gender. Deep restorative sleep (N3 stage) decreases blood pressure in women.
Conversely, uninterrupted sleep is more important in men. These findings emphasize the relevance of sleep quality, not just its length, to preserving the heart’s health.
References
- Taporoski, T. P., et al. (2024). Gender-specific associations between sleep stages and cardiovascular risk factors. SLEEP. https://academic.oup.com/sleep/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/sleep/zsae242/7828197
- The link between sleep and blood pressure: New research sheds light on gender differences. (2024, November 26). NHLBI, NIH. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/news/2024/link-between-sleep-and-blood-pressure-new-research-sheds-light-gender-differences
- Zhong, Q., Qin, Z., Wang, X., Lan, J., Zhu, T., Xiao, X., Su, L., Pei, P., Long, J., & Zhou, L. (2023). Healthy sleep pattern reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease: A 10-year prospective cohort study. Sleep medicine, 105, 53–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2023.03.003
- Grandner, M. A., Alfonso-Miller, P., Fernandez-Mendoza, J., Shetty, S., Shenoy, S., & Combs, D. (2016). Sleep: important considerations for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Current opinion in cardiology, 31(5), 551–565.https://journals.lww.com/co-cardiology/Abstract/2016/09000/Sleep__important_considerations_for_the_prevention.12.aspx
- Watson, N. F., Badr, M. S., Belenky, G., Bliwise, D. L., Buxton, O. M., Buysse, D., Dinges, D. F., Gangwisch, J., Grandner, M. A., Kushida, C., Malhotra, R. K., Martin, J. L., Patel, S. R., Quan, S. F., & Tasali, E. (2015). Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Sleep, 38(6), 843–844. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.4716.
- Rusch, H. L., Rosario, M., Levison, L. M., Olivera, A., Livingston, W. S., Wu, T., & Gill, J. M. (2019). The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1445(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13996
