Can lack of sleep cause high blood pressure?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Yes. Blood pressure normally dips at night, and short or broken sleep steals that recovery window. Regularly sleeping under six hours is linked with higher daytime pressure.
Sleep apnea is the strongest link: hundreds of tiny awakenings a night keep stress hormones high, and it is a common hidden cause of stubborn hypertension.
If you snore loudly, wake unrefreshed or doze in the day, take a sleep apnea screen before assuming the pressure is unexplained.
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Get an upper-arm cuff, not a wrist one, from a validated brand like Omron. Expect $30 to $60. Check the cuff size fits your arm; a too-small cuff reads high.
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