Morning lie-in ‘boosts heart health’ as study reveals how long to snooze to slash blood pressure

LIE-INS are good for your heart as they help to lower blood pressure, a study suggests. People who snoozed a little longer on Saturdays and Sundays were up to nine per cent less likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure. Catching up on sleep after a tiring week could be good for your heart (stock image) Credit: Alamy Snoozing your alarm on weekends might help to lower blood pressure (stock image) Credit: Alamy It means a bank holiday kip catch-up could reduce the health damage of a tiring week. About a third of adults in the UK have high blood pressure and it drives heart attacks, strokes and dementia. Sign up for the Health newsletter Thank you! Dr Nawon Lee, of Korea University in Seoul, said: “People should not feel lazy or guilty for sleeping a little longer on the weekend. “Not getting enough sleep puts extra stress on the body and keeps the heart and blood vessels working harder. Read more on heart health “Getting some extra sleep on the weekend may give the body a chance to recover and reduce some of that stress.” Dr Lee studied health records from 41,000 people over seven years. They showed that people who slept longer on the weekend than on a weeknight were an average of six per cent less likely to have high blood pressure. The benefit was greatest for those who dozed for one hour and 27 minutes. Most read in Health They had a nine per cent lower chance of the condition. NHS advice says people should sleep for seven to nine hours per night but many fall short due to poor health and busy lives. During sleep blood pressure falls significantly so the body can reset after the stresses of the day. Not sleeping enough means this process is shortened or missed which can damage the heart, veins and arteries over time. Experts typically say going to bed and waking up at the same time every day is best for sleep health. But speaking at the conference of the European Society of Cardiology in Munich, Dr Lee added: “The benefit of compensating for insufficient sleep may outweigh the potential harm from having an irregular sleep schedule. “Keeping a regular sleep schedule is still important, but getting a moderate amount of catch-up sleep may be beneficial rather than something to feel bad about.” How to lower blood pressure Persistent high blood pressure (hypertension) puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs and it can raise your risk of serious conditions like heart disease, heart attacks and stroke. Here's how to reduce it. Reduce salt Adults are recommended to limit their salt to 6g per day (around one level teaspoon) to avoid health consequences including high blood pressure. The top tip is to swap out table salt, according to the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study, replacing it with a reduced sodium and added potassium alternative. Cut down on alcohol Excessive boozing can narrow the blood vessels, which raises the risk of hypertension. Official drinking guidelines advise that people should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week to keep health risks from alcohol low. Get moving Exercise is good for the heart and the blood vessels. Although the guidelines recommend 150 minutes of activity per week, if you’re currently very inactive, just a walk to the shop every day is better than nothing, and you can work up from there. Studies suggest that isometric exercises – when you hold the body in one position without moving, such as a wall squat or plank – are best for lowering blood pressure. Stop smoking Smoking cigarettes is a killer. It makes the arteries sticky and narrow, which can cause blockages. While smoking is not a direct cause of high blood pressure, it can cause an instant rise to pressure, heart rate and reduce the amount of oxygen that gets to the body’s cells. Skip coffee Sadly, caffeine can cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure – even if you don’t have high blood pressure. Therefore cutting back on coffee is recommended as a lifestyle tip for those with hypertension. Lose weight The above tips can help you to lose weight, which is beneficial because being overweight in itself is a risk factor for hypertension. Being overweight forces your heart to work harder to pump blood around your body, which can raise your blood pressure. The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test. All adults over 40 years old are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every five years. Comment now