How Sleep Helps To Lower Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that damages your heart and affects millions of people worldwide. And, with a busy life, you’re living in today, it’s becoming harder and harder to get enough rest each night. But, trying to go through life without getting enough sleep is very detrimental to your health. In fact, according to research, as an adult, if you’re getting less than 7 hours of sleep each night you’re increasing your chances of developing high blood pressure and other health conditions like weight gain, sleep apnea, heart disease, etc. Sleep is the most effective way of helping your body get rid of excess stress hormones that accumulate during the day.

Lack of sleep increases your stress hormone levels which increases inflammation in your body. Inflammation causes your blood vessels to become narrow and constricted which increases your blood pressure levels. Nowadays, not many people get enough sleep, which is why there is a rise in the number of people developing obesity. If you’re obese you will most likely develop sleep apnea which affects the quality of your sleep. Sleep apnea obstructs the proper flow of oxygen to your body which increases your chances of developing diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular disease in obese people.

Readjusting your inner clock

Before the invention of the light bulb, our ancestors got up with the sun and went to sleep sometime after sundown. They were never fatigued or spent at the end of the day because they lived according to the rhythm of life. Like the animals that are active during the summer and rested during the winter, they allowed their bodies to rest according to the seasons. Fast forward to today, one way to help you readjust your inner clock and get in touch with your circadian rhythms is to take melatonin, a substance your body produces naturally that will help you get deep sleep.

Another way is to turn down all your electronics, TV, and other devices by 10 pm at the latest. When you don’t get enough sleep it affects your mood, behavior, makes you more susceptible to pain, and weakens your immune system.

What is hypertension or high blood pressure?

Hypertension also is known as high blood pressure occurs when there is too much pressure in your arteries which prevents blood from being properly pumped through your body. This causes your heart to work extra hard to pump blood which puts a strain on your heart reducing its functioning capacity. After some time, hypertension can cause serious cardiovascular diseases like stroke and congestive heart failure.

Having a weak heart makes you susceptible to other vulnerabilities as you grow older. However, high blood pressure is a treatable condition. With a healthy diet, exercise, and enough sleep your blood pressure can be well maintained. Also, it’s advisable to get regular blood pressure checkups to help take care of any early symptoms before they become serious problems later.

How you can use sleep to help with high blood pressure

If your family has a history of hypertension, you should get checked because high blood pressure is hereditary. Catching it early will help reduce your risk of having bigger problems in the future. Sleep is an important part of your treatment plan just like diet and exercise.

Get a comfortable mattress

If your bed causes you to wake up in the morning with aches and pains, it’s time to get an upgrade. Sleeping on the same mattress for more than 8 years means that you aren’t sleeping well and you’re so accustomed to it that you don’t realize it. Getting the right mattress that suits your personal preference and sleeping needs is a good step at attaining deep sleep. Mattresses that have great cushioning, comfort, and support like the Casper mattresses, for example, will help in getting rid of aches and pains to give you a good night’s rest. There will be less tossing and turning in the middle of the night and your body will be well-rested and rejuvenated the next day.

Practice good sleep hygiene

Apart from your mattress, you should change your view on sleep and how it can help manage your blood pressure. This includes the things you can do to help get a good night’s rest like; Avoid eating carbs that give you energy before you go to sleep because he will keep you awake. A lighter meal is better a few hours before you go to bed to allow your body proper digestion. Also, switch off all your electronic devices 30 minutes before bed.

Take a warm shower, read a relaxing book, or whatever relaxes your body and mind before bed to promote sleep. Once you’re under the covers, focus on sleeping so that your brain associates your bed with sleeping. Doing this every night helps you to fall asleep faster when you enter your bed.

Using beddings infused with celliant

As part of your bed, the beddings you use also have to be made of the right material. Although this might be a product that isn’t familiar to everyone, celliant is a technology that is used in sportswear to help increase blood flow in the athlete’s body to help them perform better and reduce pain. The fiber that is used is insulated with thermo-reactive minerals that convert the heat from your body into infrared light. This light helps to increase blood flow to your body providing more oxygen to your organs and essential nutrients that help reduce body soreness. Increasing your blood flow as you sleep with celliant-infused beddings will also help in improving your blood pressure levels.

Other things you can do to help improve your blood pressure include; deep breathing or meditation, reducing your sugar and carbs intake, no smoking, losing weight, managing your stress levels, cutting back on caffeine, eating more foods rich in potassium, reducing sodium intake, and exercising regularly.

Final thoughts

High blood pressure is a treatable condition that doesn’t have to disrupt your daily life. Sleep is an integral part of your life and when you get enough sleep it not only helps manage your blood pressure, it also improves your mood and the health of your brain. When you live in harmony with your body you reap numerous benefits.