INFOGRAPHIC

Irregular Sleep Is a Risk Factor for High Blood Pressure

By Amanda Doyle
Reviewed by Claudia Levi, R.N.
March 12, 2025
Did You Know? Having an irregular sleep schedule may increase the risk of high blood pressure. Following a consistent sleep routine all seven days of the week is a way to decrease the likelihood of high blood pressure, research suggests. Source: Scott, H., et al. Sleep Irregularity Is Associated with Hypertension: Findings from Over 2 Million Nights with a Large Global Population Sample. (2023) Hypertension.

Thinking about staying up late to watch one more episode? While it may feel like no big deal, sleeping on an inconsistent schedule may not be good for your blood pressure.

According to research published in the journal Hypertension, the timing of your sleep may affect your cardiovascular health just like the duration of your sleep does. Adults should aim to get seven to nine hours of sleep daily. And, they should try to keep a regular sleep schedule.

That means going to bed and waking up at approximately the same time every night. Even a half-hour difference may significantly increase the risk of high blood pressure, researchers found.

If you have difficulty sleeping enough or being on a regular schedule, talk to your healthcare provider for their guidance.