Almost 50% of American adults suffer from hypertension, aka high blood pressure. Hence, physicians recommend them lifestyle modifications. The modification often starts with the proper sleeping habit and posture. As a result, it is crucial to know what is the best sleeping position for high blood pressure.
Do you or your loved ones have high blood pressure?? If so, knowing the correct sleeping posture will be helpful for both. It’s even more crucial because proper sleeping is essential to maintain blood pressure. Doctors and scientists have reported that inaccurate sleeping positions and sleep deprivation are two major causes of hypertension.
Hence, we suggest the best sleeping posture to control blood pressure. Also, we will discuss the positions you avoid while sleeping. Lastly, we will discuss the benefits of proper sleeping and ways to eliminate sleep deprivation.
Do you want a happier sleep and eliminate high blood pressure symptoms and complications? Then, you must continue reading our tips.
Importance of Proper Sleep to Control High Blood Pressure:
At some point in life, we all have heard that good sleep improves our health. But is linked with our blood pressure too? Will discontinued sleep and irregular sleeping hours affect our health and blood pressure?
As physicians and scientists suggest, the answer is yes. Proper sleep helps control blood pressure. Even if you have high blood pressure, you can bring it down to a controllable level by choosing the proper sleeping technique. Hence, it’s extremely important for everyone to have at least 6 hours of proper sleep daily.
The UH Hospital blog suggests that good sleep and longer sleep duration help lower blood pressure. Betty Kampman, CNP, is a nurse Practitioner at UH Hospital. She specializes in Sleep Medicine. According to her, sleep and blood pressure are directly connected. The better you sleep, the more controlled your blood pressure will be.
She commented that she has seen many patients getting out of their hypertension medications. It has been made possible with improved sleeping. Most patients suffering from hypertension also have sleep deprivation or insomnia. Around 80% of American hypertension patients reported that they have problems sleeping.
A report suggests people with hypertension often face the following symptoms:
- Most have an irregular sleeping routine. They often wake up amidst their deep sleep, which happens multiple times.
- Others said they could hardly sleep for 3 to hours at a stretch. So, they try sleeping in different phases. Henceforth, they predominantly suffer from sleep deprivation.
- What’s more, most high blood pressure patients have insomnia. Thus, they can hardly sleep at night and will be sleepy in the daytime. It hampers their health and productivity.
Long story short, poor sleep will seriously affect your heart health as well as your blood pressure. So, you must now realize the importance of good sleep. Unless you maintain a good sleeping cycle and posture, you run the risk of hypertension. Even if you are already a patient with high blood pressure, proper sleep will reduce it.
But the question is, how do you sleep to control blood pressure? We have answered it in the next section.
What Is The Best Sleeping Position For High Blood Pressure?
Sleep medicine and physicians have different opinions on the correct sleeping posture. Nonetheless, most agree that sleeping on the left side is ideal for controlling blood pressure. As you sleep on the left side, it relieves the blood vessels from excessive pressure. Also, it helps complete the blood cycle as smoothly as possible because of low resistance.
Dr. Trupti Gilada is a consultant physician at Mumbai’s Masina Hospital. He works in the infectious Disease department. He also supports the statement mentioned above. He even adds that pregnant women with hypertension should follow this sleeping rule.
In fact, most people agree that sleeping in a left-sided position is helpful for a healthy lifestyle. It boosts sleeping deepness. Plus, sleeping on the left side improves metabolism. It will be helpful if you suffer from poor metabolism and are overweight. For it, you can choose a professional blood pressure monitor and see your sleeping routine carefully.
On the other hand, sleeping on the right side will compress the blood vessels. As a result, the vessels will have more pressure while carrying the blood due to the compression. It increases the pressure and will cause a sleeping disturbance. As the problem increase, you will suffer from hypertension too.
Which Sleeping Style Should You Choose:
Sleeping on the left side will be valuable in combating high blood pressure. But which position or style should you choose? Should you sleep facing upward or downward? Also, should you coil your body or not?
Ideally, you must turn left while sleeping. Also, it will be helpful to sleep straightway without coiling your body. You may bend your feet slightly but ensure that you don’t put pressure on the upper part of the body. If you coil your body like a cocoon, it will put extreme pressure on the upper part of the body. It can increase blood pressure and may even develop back pain later.
Hence to Control Blood Pressure, Follow this Easy Tip:
“Always sleep on your left side without bending your body. Also, you should avoid sleeping upwards and downwards. Simply bend your feet and rest your head in a slightly higher position. It will surely improve your blood circulation. So, you will get relief from high blood pressure, largely.”
Nonetheless, you must understand that only sleeping in the proper posture won’t control blood pressure. You must ensure at least a 6-hours of continued sleep. You need to enjoy a deep, sound sleep to help your hypertension problem. It brings us to know the right sleeping tips and hygiene.
Sleeping Tips That Will Improve Your Blood Pressure Complications:
Anyone suffering from high blood pressure knows how painful it can be. Hence, they will look for ways to lower their blood pressure and enjoy a better lifestyle. So, what if I tell you that you can only control your blood pressure with better sleep?
It’s possible, as we have described in the previous section. However, for this, you must improve your sleeping cycle and habit. And to aid you with it, we will show you top sleeping habit tips according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- You should maintain a consistent routine in your sleeping hours. Hence, you must go to sleep at a fixed time daily. At first, it can be slightly tricky. However, after a few days, you can try sleeping at a fixed time and make it a habit quickly.
- Always sleep in a dark and quiet bedroom. It should be free from noise and light pollution. You can use blackout curtains to maintain the room’s noise and heat. This way, you can quickly trigger your sleeping comfort.
- Before sleeping, you shouldn’t consume large meals. You should refrain from alcohol and caffeine before bedtime. If you attend any drink parties, ensure you don’t drink too much. Also, there should be 3 hours gap between your sleeping time and alcohol consumption.
- During the morning or evening, you must opt for some physical exercise. It will help you lose a few calories and get better sleep. Both of these things are needed for hypertension control.
- Lastly, stop using electrical devices as much as possible. The best idea is to remove TVs and computers from your bedroom. You may even keep your smartphone away before going to bed.
As you follow these tips, you should enjoy better sleep. Alternatively, consider bathing in warm water or a yoga session. A warm water bath will relax your body cells, and you will sleep peacefully. On the contrary, yoga session soothes your mind and body. Hence, it is valuable for combatting your anxiety and enjoying calmness too.
The key is to maintain a good sleeping cycle and hygiene. It will be useful in fighting against high blood pressure. It is also in maintaining a proper lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: How can I lower my blood pressure by sleeping?
You should sleep left side, maintain a regular sleeping cycle and sleep deeply to counter blood pressure. It improves your blood circulation and ensures your heart remains in a better state.
Q: Is a pillow good for high blood pressure?
Yes, sleeping with a slightly heightened pillow will lower the blood return in your heart. So, it will help maintain proper blood circulation to enjoy a better life.
Conclusion
People worldwide suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure. It forces them to compromise their regular lifestyle. They are also compelled to follow the suggested medication. Thankfully, the best sleeping position can lower your high blood pressure.
Heart specialists and sleep experts recommend that you sleep on the left side. It helps in lowering blood pressure. Nonetheless, many people may have back and lower pain. They should consult doctors to find the right sleeping solution for their hypertension. Maintaining the right sleeping time and sleeping for at least 6 hours is also essential. Unless you run the risk of increasing blood pressure even more, so, be aware of such complications.
