Not enough deep sleep could raise blood pressure

Not getting enough deep sleep could raise the blood pressure in men, a new study reports. Findings showed that men who do not get enough slow-wave sleep are 80% more likely to develop high blood pressure.

The study was published in the August 29 online edition of American Heart Association’s journal, Hypertension. It gives further credence to other research that has associated sleep problems with a high risk of obesity and cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension.

The study involved a group of 784 men with an average age of 75. The men were part of another study called Outcomes of Sleep Disorders in Older Men. None of the subjects had high blood pressure in 2003-2005, at the start of the study. During the follow up in 2007-2009, researchers found that 243 men had high blood pressure. The men were then divided into four groups. The groups were ranked from the lowest amount of slow-wave sleep to the highest amount of slow-wave sleep.

Researchers found that after adjusting for age, race and body mass index (BMI) and other factors, the association between low slow-wave sleep and high blood pressure remained.

Dr. Susan Redline, one of the researchers involved in the study, told U.S. News and World Report that blood pressure usually drops during sleep. This mostly happens during slow-wave sleep.

If you are not getting enough deep sleep, your blood pressure could be higher during the day.

Photo By: Eric Schmuttenmaer

Chronic Insomnia a Death Risk for Men

Consider seeking cognitive-behavioral therapy for long-term insomnia, especially if you are a male. New research shows men who consistently get less than six hours of sleep are four times more likely to die.

A long-term mortality study published in the September issue of the journal SLEEP demonstrates why identifying and treating insomnia early on should become a top health priority.

The study involved 741 men and 1,000 women with an average age of 50 years old. Researchers determined which subjects had insomnia using sleep diaries, physical exams and overnight sleep studies. About four percent of men had chronic insomnia and slept less than six hours per day.

After 14 years, more than half the male insomniacs had died. Only 9.1 percent of “good sleepers” were deceased. Death risk was even higher for men who had insomnia and diabetes or hypertension. The results were adjusted to account for risky conditions such as obesity, alcohol use and obstructive sleep apnea.

There was little difference in mortality rates for females with insomnia and "good sleepers." The authors of the study couldn’t determine why the relationship seemed to only affect men. One reason may be because they followed women for only 10 years, as opposed to 14 years.

Among all participants, one in five males died over the course of the study, while only 5 percent of women died.

Reduce your risk by aiming for the ideal amount of sleep for adults – 7 to 8 hours each night. Long-sleepers also have higher than average mortality rates, a recent study reports.

A number of other studies have also looked at the link between sleep duration and mortality. Previous findings show chronic insomnia increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension and is associated with neurocognitive deficits.

Learn more about cognitive-behavioral therapy, the leading treatment for long-term insomnia at sleepeducation.com.

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Study Finds Less Brain Gray Matter in Men with Sleep Apnea

A new study reports that men with severe obstructive sleep apnea have less brain gray matter. This may help explain the cognitive problems that often occur in people with OSA.

The results were published in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.

The South Korean study involved 36 men with severe OSA. They had an average of 52.5 partial and complete breathing pauses per hour of sleep. Their average age was 44.7 years. They were compared with 31 healthy, male, age-matched controls.

Brain scans were conducted using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A processing technique called “optimized voxel-based morphometry” found structural differences in gray matter by examining the entire brain.

Results show significant differences between men with severe OSA and healthy controls. Gray matter concentrations were decreased in multiple brain areas of men with OSA.

“Poor sleep quality and progressive brain damage induced by OSA could be responsible for poor memory, emotional problems, decreased cognitive functioning and increased cardiovascular disturbances,” study co-author Dr. Seung Bong Hong told the AASM.

The NINDS reports that “gray matter” refers to the cerebral cortex. This is where the brain does most of its information processing. The cortex is a layer of tissue with a gray-colored appearance.

The men in this study were newly diagnosed and untreated. Dr. Hong said that they could benefit greatly from treatment with CPAP therapy.

“The use of continuous positive airway pressure – CPAP - therapy could stop further progression of brain damage in patients with severe OSA,” said Hong.

Last year the Sleep Education Blog reported that CPAP therapy may help restore a normal pattern of brain activation. Other studies have provided more evidence that untreated sleep apnea causes brain damage.

Are you at risk for sleep apnea? STOP and find out. You also can answer these questions on SleepEducation.com to learn more about your risk. Get help for sleep apnea at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Read more about sleep and the brain.

Erectile Dysfunction & Restless Legs in Older Men

A new study shows that older men with restless legs syndrome may be more likely to have erectile dysfunction. The results were published in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.

The study involved 23,119 men who were health professionals. They had an average age of 69 years.

Results show that men who reported having RLS symptoms 15 times or more per month were 78 percent more likely to have erectile dysfunction. They had a “poor or very poor” ability to have and maintain an erection for sexual intercourse.

About four percent of participants had RLS. Fifty-three percent of men with RLS reported having erectile dysfunction.

The authors suggested that the two disorders may share common mechanisms. They suspect that both disorders may involve low levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical that acts as a neurotransmitter.

They also noted that the association between RLS and erectile dysfunction could be related in part to other sleep disorders that co-occur with RLS. For example obstructive sleep apnea may decrease circulating testosterone levels.

The NIDDK reports that erectile dysfunction often is caused by a disease or surgery. It also can be a side effect of a medication.

RLS involves an intense urge to move the legs. The intensity of this urge increases at night and as you lie or sit still. It is relieved only by walking or moving the legs.

RLS often involves other burning, prickly, itching or tingling sensations in the legs. Symptoms of RLS tend to become more intense and last longer over time.

RLS can have a severe effect on your sleep. It may prevent you from falling asleep. It also may keep you from returning to sleep if you wake up during the night.

Read more about RLS. Learn about the genetics of RLS on SleepEducation.com.