Control High Blood Pressure by Sleeping in a Warm Bedroom

If you want to control high blood pressure, try turning up the heat in your bedroom. According to a new study published in Family Practice News, waking up in a warm home and bedroom reduces the early morning blood pressure surge that occurs when you get up and helps keep blood pressures under better control throughout the day.

A Warm Home to Normalize Blood Pressure?

Researchers selected 140 healthy men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 to take part in this study. One group slept in a room at 54 degrees Fahrenheit, while the other slumbered in a room at 72 degrees Fahrenheit overnight. They were allowed to use any clothing or covers to stay warm during the experiment. Researchers measured their blood pressure at half-hour intervals throughout the night and upon awakening in the morning.

The results? The group who slept in the cooler room had systolic blood pressure when they got up that averaged 7 points higher than those who woke up in a 72 degree room. They also had a larger surge in systolic blood pressure.

Why is this important? According to a study published in the journal Hypertension, morning spikes in blood pressure increase the risk of heart attack and sudden death, especially in smokers. They also increase the risk of stroke. Morning is a transition time when the heart goes from resting to a more active state. This puts additional stress on it.

Waking up in a cold room causes blood vessel constriction and a surge in blood pressure that may be harmful to older people, smokers and people with hypertension or heart disease. As the researchers in this study point out, this may explain why the death rate from heart attack is higher in the winter.

Control High Blood Pressure and Keep Your Home Warm

If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, don't sleep in a cold room even if you have enough blankets and clothing on. When you step out of bed into a cold room, your blood pressure may rise too high and place additional stress on your heart. Make sure your bedroom is warm, snug and comfortable.

References:

Family Practice News. February 1, 2011. page 22.