One night-time habit that could be early sign of heart failure and stroke

A common night-time condition could be an early warning sign of dangerous hypertension - high blood pressure, according to the largest study of its kind.

New research from sleep experts at Flinders University found that people, particularly overweight middle-aged men, who regularly snore at night are more likely to have elevated blood pressure and uncontrolled hypertension. The study, which was published in the Nature Digital Medicine journal, is the first to use multiple night home-based monitoring technologies over a prolonged period to explore the link between snoring and blood pressure.

Dr Bastien Lechat, from the College of Medicine and Public Health, said: "For the first time, we can objectively say that there is a significant connection between regular nighttime snoring and high blood pressure. We found that 15 per cent of all participants in the study, who were primarily overweight men, snore for more than 20 per cent of the night on average and that this regular nightly snoring is associated with elevated blood pressure and uncontrolled hypertension.

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"These results emphasise the significance of considering snoring as a factor in healthcare and treatment for sleep-related issues, especially in the context of managing hypertension."

Snoring is a common issue and its negative health implications are often underestimated. Snoring and sleep apnoea - suddenly stopping breathing during sleep - often overlap, reports Wales Online. Professor Danny Eckert, Director of Sleep Health at Flinders University and senior author of the paper, warned: "We observed that in those who snore regularly the risk of having uncontrolled hypertension was almost double.

"This risk almost doubled again in people who snored regularly and had sleep apnoea versus those who did not snore regularly."

Snoring alone could also be an early red flag for high blood pressure, as poor sleep quality due to snoring may exacerbate the risk of hypertension. Hypertension, or persistently high blood pressure, can lead to severe health complications such as heart failure, stroke, heart disease or kidney disease.

The study utilised sleep tracker data gathered by a sensor placed under the mattress to detect snoring and sleep apnoea, along with an FDA-registered home blood pressure monitor in over 12,000 participants worldwide over a nine-month period.

Dr Lechat, commenting on the study, said: "This is the largest study to date investigating the potential relationships between snoring, sleep apnoea and hypertension using objective assessments in people's homes, and it reveals important insights into the potential consequences of snoring on hypertension risk."

He added: "It also highlights the need to consider snoring as part of clinical care and management of sleep problems, particularly in the context of hypertension management. The findings of this study pave the way to further investigate whether therapeutic interventions directed toward snoring can reduce hypertension and reduce the risks associated with it."

Should you find yourself snoring, coupled with signs of poor sleep or excessive drowsiness, or issues breathing during slumber, it would be wise to discuss these signs with your clinician or a specialist. A sleep study may be an option they recommend.