Researchers at UTHealth Houston have found that adolescents who get nine to 11 hours of sleep daily significantly reduce their risk of developing hypertension. This study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, highlights a 37% reduction in high blood pressure incidents among those adhering to healthy sleep patterns.
Augusto César Ferreira De Moraes, PhD, an assistant professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health and first author of the study, explained the connection between disrupted sleep and increased blood pressure. "Disrupted sleep can lead to changes in the body's stress response, including elevated levels of stress hormones like cortisol, which in turn can increase blood pressure," he said.
The research team utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study involving 3,320 adolescents across the U.S. They noted an increase in hypertension incidents during two periods: from 1.7% in 2018-2020 to 2.9% in 2020-2022. The study considered factors such as Fitbit-tracked sleep and neighborhood noise exposure through residential geocodes.
Although no significant link was found between neighborhood noise and hypertension, researchers stressed the need for further investigation into how environmental factors might affect sleep health and hypertension. The second author Martin Ma, MPH, emphasized good sleep habits: "Consistent sleep schedules, minimizing screen time before bed, and creating a calm, quiet sleep environment can all contribute to better sleep quality."
Other contributors included Marcus Vinicius Nascimento-Ferreira from Universidade Federal do Tocantins; Ethan Hunt and Deanna Hoelscher from UTHealth Houston School of Public Health.
For media inquiries about this study or its findings, contact UTHealth Houston at 713-500-3030.
