Turning out the lights earlier may protect you from hypertension.

Observational studies have reported an association between short sleep patterns and hypertension. Now a report comes from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort study finding shorter sleep duration and lower sleep maintenance (an indicator of the quality of sleep) predicted significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. Those taking hypertensive medications were excluded, and results were adjusted for age, race, and sex. Research is needed to determine if more sleep would effectively treat hypertension.

Positive Tip: Eight hours of sleep for most individuals supports optimal health and cognitive performance. Turn out the lights earlier, it might protect you from hypertension!