Thursday, October 27, 2011

Lack of Sleep During Pregnancy Ups Risk of High Blood Pressure

A good night's sleep when you're pregnant may help keep your blood pressure levels normal, new research suggests.
Pregnant women who got less than six hours of nightly sleep during early pregnancy had systolic blood pressure readings in their last trimester that were nearly 4 mm/Hg higher than women who slept nine hours nightly, the study found. And women who got less than five hours of sleep increased their odds of developing preeclampsia -- a serious pregnancy complication related to high blood pressure -- more than ninefold.
Our study suggests that women should also aspire to sleep well for two," said Williams.
Blood pressure was measured periodically throughout pregnancy.
Even women who slept seven to eight hours a night had systolic blood pressure readings that were 2.43 mm/Hg higher than women who slept nine hours.
The study also found that systolic blood pressure was 4.21 mm/Hg higher in women who slept more than 10 hours each night.
Even if weight alone doesn't affect blood pressure levels, Rosser said that the extra weight could cause sleep apnea, which is known to raise blood pressure.
A recent study uncovered that regular sleep for below 5 hours increased the chances of having preeclampsia - a serious pregnancy complication related to high blood pressures - in pregnant women. A good night's sleep helps in maintaining blood pressure at normal levels.