Men And Women Show Difference In Effect Of Sleep On Blood Pressure, Study Investigates Why

Sleep is often called a “magic pill” for the body. It provides many benefits, like strengthening the immune system, controlling blood sugar, and lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes. While researchers have observed differences in how men and women sleep, it’s unclear whether these differences serve unique purposes, especially regarding heart health. A recent study set out to explore this connection further.

Over the years, many studies have highlighted sleep’s important role in maintaining heart health. For instance, getting enough sleep is crucial for keeping blood pressure at healthy levels. In 2018, a study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) showed that people sleeping fewer than seven hours had higher blood pressure compared to those who slept at least seven hours.

Dr. Marishka Brown, the director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at NHLBI, stressed the importance of sleep for health and well-being. She explained that researchers are beginning to uncover how different sleep characteristics—like time spent in specific sleep stages or how often someone wakes up during the night—impact blood pressure. However, many questions remain, especially regarding how these factors differ between men and women.

Kristen Knutson, a professor of neurology and preventive medicine at Northwestern University, is among those investigating these issues. She noted that sleep plays a significant role in heart health and that her team is working to understand the connection better. Knutson also pointed out that high blood pressure is more strongly linked to heart attacks in women than in men, which further highlights the need for gender-specific research.

Knutson’s recent study focused on how different sleep stages and characteristics, rather than just sleep duration, are associated with blood pressure in men and women. The findings were interesting. Women who spent more time in deep sleep, the third and most restorative stage of sleep, were found to have lower blood pressure. However, this same connection was not observed in men. On the other hand, men who woke up more frequently during the night had higher blood pressure, while this pattern was not seen in women.

The study involved over 1,100 adults in Brazil, ranging in age from 18 to 91. The participants did not have moderate to severe sleep apnea, a condition known to affect blood pressure, although some had mild cases. Most participants (64%) were women. The researchers used a diagnostic test called polysomnography to monitor participants’ sleep, measuring brain activity, heart rate, and other functions. The next morning, they recorded blood pressure and collected blood samples to assess cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The data was analyzed both as a whole and separately for men and women.

The researchers found significant differences in blood pressure based on the sleep characteristics of men versus women. However, the study was just a starting point. For example, it only captured one night of sleep and a single blood pressure reading, so it’s unclear whether changes in sleep stages or waking patterns over time directly impact blood pressure. Future studies will need to explore whether improving these aspects of sleep can lead to better heart health outcomes.

Knutson suggested that these findings could guide further research into why deep sleep appears to be especially beneficial for women. Understanding this connection could pave the way for new therapies to enhance women’s deep sleep. She also highlighted the potential for experimental studies to test whether changes in sleep habits can improve blood pressure and heart health in both genders.

Dr. Brown concluded that this study reinforces how important sleep is in managing hypertension. She believes that gaining a deeper understanding of specific sleep patterns could help develop more targeted strategies to protect heart health in both men and women.

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