The largest study of its kind has discovered that a common night-time condition could be an early warning sign of dangerous hypertension – high blood pressure. New research from sleep experts at Flinders University found that people, particularly overweight middle-aged men, who regularly snore at night are more likely to have elevated blood pressure and uncontrolled hypertension.
The study, published in the Nature Digital Medicine journal, is the first to utilise multiple night home-based monitoring technologies over an extended period to investigate the link between snoring and blood pressure.
“For the first time, we can objectively say that there is a significant connection between regular night time snoring and high blood pressure,” stated lead author Dr Bastien Lechat from the College of Medicine and Public Health.
“We found that 15 per cent of all participants in the study, who were primarily overweight men, snore for more than 20 per cent of the night on average and that this regular nightly snoring is associated with elevated blood pressure and uncontrolled hypertension,” Dr Lechat added.
“These results emphasise the importance of considering snoring as a factor in healthcare and treatment for sleep-related issues, especially in the context of managing hypertension,” reports Gloucestershire Live.
Snoring is a common issue and its negative health implications are often underestimated. Snoring and sleep apnoea – a condition where breathing suddenly stops during sleep – often occur together.
“We observed that in those who snore regularly, the risk of having uncontrolled hypertension was almost double. This risk almost doubled again in people who snored regularly and had sleep apnoea versus those who did not snore regularly,” explained Professor Danny Eckert, director of sleep health at Flinders University and senior author of the study.
Snoring on its own might also be a red flag for high blood pressure, as disrupted sleep from snoring could heighten the danger of hypertension. Hypertension, known commonly as high blood pressure sustained over time, can precipitate severe health issues like heart failure, strokes, heart disease, or kidney problems.
The research utilised data from sleep trackers placed under mattresses to monitor snoring and sleep apnoea, coupled with FDA-approved home blood pressure monitors, involving over 12,000 participants worldwide across nine months.
“This is the largest study to date investigating the potential relationships between snoring, sleep apnoea and hypertension using objective assessments in people’s homes, and it reveals important insights into the potential consequences of snoring on hypertension risk,” stated Dr Lechat.
“It also highlights the need to consider snoring as part of clinical care and management of sleep problems, particularly in the context of hypertension management.
“The findings of this study pave the way to further investigate whether therapeutic interventions directed toward snoring can reduce hypertension and reduce the risks associated with it,” he added.
If you find yourself snoring alongside experiencing inadequate sleep, excessive sleepiness or breathing issues during sleep, having a chat with your doctor or a specialist could be prudent; they may suggest undergoing a sleep study.
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