Common night time red flag could be 'early warning' for stroke or heart failure

A study has found that a widespread night-time condition could serve as an early warning signal for dangerous hypertension or elevated blood pressure. The research, conducted by sleep experts at Flinders University, found that people, especially overweight middle-aged men, who habitually snore during the night are more prone to having raised blood pressure and unmanaged hypertension.

This health study, published in the Nature Digital Medicine journal, is the first to use multiple night home-based monitoring technologies over an extended period to examine the relationship between snoring and blood pressure. "For the first time, we can objectively say that there is a significant link between regular nighttime snoring and high blood pressure," declared lead author Dr Bastien Lechat from the College of Medicine and Public Health after the research was published.

"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," Dr Lechat added.

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NHS simple tips to stop snoring:

• Try to lose weight if you're overweight
• Sleep on your side – try taping or stitching a tennis ball to the back of your sleepwear, or buy a special pillow or bed wedge to help keep you on your side
• Consider asking your partner to use earplugs if your snoring affects their sleep

"These results emphasise the importance of considering snoring as a factor in healthcare and treatment for sleep-related issues, particularly in managing hypertension." Snoring is a widespread occurrence, yet its harmful health impacts are often overlooked.

Snoring frequently occurs alongside sleep apnoea - a disorder characterised by sudden interruptions in breathing whilst asleep.

"We found that those who snore regularly had almost double the risk of uncontrolled hypertension. This risk nearly doubled again in individuals who snored regularly and suffered from sleep apnoea compared to those who didn't snore regularly," said Professor Danny Eckert, Director of Sleep Health at Flinders University and the senior author of the study.

Research, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, examined 72,269 people aged 40 to 79 from the UK Biobank study. However, it failed to determine exactly how close you must stick to the same bedtime and wake-up schedule – only that the greater the deviation, the higher the risk of damage.

The lead author, Jean-Philippe Chaput, of the University of Ottawa, said: "We should aim to wake up and go to sleep within 30 minutes of the same time each night and each morning, including weekends. Within an hour of the same time is good but less good than 30 minutes, and even better is to have zero variation.

"Beyond an hour's difference each night and each morning means irregular sleep. That can have negative health impacts. The closer you are to zero variation the better.

"No one is perfect across a whole year, and if you don't have a regular sleep pattern for one or two days a week, it's not going to kill you. But if you repeatedly have irregular sleep, five or six days a week, then it becomes chronic, and that is a problem."

Snoring by itself might act as an early warning sign of elevated blood pressure, as the disrupted sleep quality it causes could increase the likelihood of developing hypertension. High blood pressure, also referred to as sustained hypertension, can lead to severe health complications including heart failure, stroke, cardiovascular disease, or kidney problems.

The investigation utilised information from sleep monitoring devices, positioned under mattresses to track snoring and sleep apnoea, alongside FDA-approved home blood pressure measurement equipment. The study lasted nine months and included more than 12,000 participants worldwide.

NHS guidance on what NOT to do if you wish to stop snoring:

• Do not smoke
• Do not consume excessive alcohol
• Do not take sleeping pills – these can sometimes cause snoring

"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," Dr Lechat said.

The investigation also emphasises the importance of recognising snoring within medical practice and sleep disorder treatment, especially regarding blood pressure 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," he continued.

If you're experiencing snoring along with signs of disturbed sleep, overwhelming tiredness, or witnessed breathing difficulties whilst asleep, it's recommended to see your GP or a specialist who might suggest a sleep study.

For further guidance from the NHS, click here.