6 worrying signs of high blood pressure during sleep you shouldn’t ignore

High blood pressure is a silent killer and can over the time damage arteries increasing risk of heart attack or stroke. Hypertension if not controlled can also affect kidney function, cause vision loss and memory loss. High blood pressure can catch you off guard as there are no symptoms even in cases when BP readings reach dangerously high levels. However, if you stay vigilant and follow your body cues, there are certain signs that can warn you about abnormalities in your blood pressure. From your snoring patterns to frequent urination at night, there are certain signs of high blood pressure in night that can warn you about the silent threat. As per a new study published in the journal npj Digital Medicine, people who spend more time snoring at night are more likely to have uncontrolled hypertension. There are other signs and symptoms too that one must consider. (Also read: Is your diastolic blood pressure always high? Here’s what it means; when to visit a doctor)
Dr Gorav Gupta, Psychiatrist and Co- Founder of Emoneeds says high blood pressure, or hypertension, can manifest in various ways during sleep, potentially leading to disruptive symptoms and complications.
One common indicator of high blood pressure is snoring, especially if it’s accompanied by pauses in breathing, known as sleep apnoea. Snoring occurs when the airway becomes partially blocked, causing vibrations in the throat tissues. However, in individuals with hypertension, snoring can signal more than just sleep apnoea; it may also indicate restricted blood flow due to narrowed blood vessels, a hallmark of high blood pressure.
While many factors can contribute to insomnia, such as stress, anxiety or poor sleep hygiene, hypertension can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night.
Additionally, frequent awakenings or restless sleep may be indicative of hypertension-related issues, as elevated blood pressure levels can trigger the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response, causing arousal from sleep.
Furthermore, nocturia, or excessive urination during the night, can be a symptom of hypertension. Elevated blood pressure levels can put strain on the kidneys, leading to increased urine production and the need to wake up multiple times to urinate.
Moreover, experiencing headaches upon waking or during the night can also be a sign of nocturnal hypertension. Headaches caused by high blood pressure tend to be most intense in the morning, as blood pressure naturally rises during sleep and peaks in the early morning hours.
Monitoring these signs and symptoms, especially when occurring together, can help individuals identify potential issues with nocturnal hypertension and seek appropriate medical attention to manage their blood pressure levels and mitigate associated risks.
“It has been found that patients who have high blood pressure do not exhibit a nighttime dip in blood pressure readings, which is usually a normal phenomenon in patients without hypertension,” says Dr Kamal Verma, Senior Consultant, Dept of Internal Medicine, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad.