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Houston, TX — A groundbreaking study from UTHealth Houston reveals that adolescents who consistently get the recommended 9 to 11 hours of sleep per night have a significantly lower risk of developing hypertension. The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, highlights the critical role of sleep in maintaining heart health during adolescence.
According to the research, which analyzed data from 3,320 adolescents across the United States, those who adhered to healthy sleep guidelines saw a 37% reduction in the likelihood of developing high blood pressure. The study’s findings emphasize the importance of fostering good sleep habits as a key preventative measure against hypertension.
The research, led by Augusto César Ferreira De Moraes, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, also examined the role of environmental factors, such as neighborhood noise, in sleep patterns and blood pressure levels.
“Disrupted sleep can lead to changes in the body’s stress response, including elevated levels of stress hormones like cortisol, which in turn can increase blood pressure,” said Dr. De Moraes. The study’s findings suggest that ensuring adolescents receive adequate sleep not only improves overall health but also helps regulate the body’s stress response, thus lowering hypertension risk.
The research team utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which tracks the biological and behavioral development of adolescents. Through this, they analyzed sleep patterns and blood pressure readings across two periods, 2018-2020 and 2020-2022. The data revealed an increase in hypertension incidents over time, from 1.7% to 2.9%.
Key to the study was the use of Fitbit devices to track sleep duration and quality, including REM sleep. This allowed researchers to gather detailed insights into adolescents’ sleep cycles and their correlation with blood pressure levels. The team also accounted for environmental factors such as neighborhood noise, tracking participants’ residential geocodes to assess the potential impact of sound exposure on sleep and hypertension.
While the study did explore the effects of neighborhood noise on hypertension risk, it did not find a significant association. However, researchers noted the importance of longer-term studies to further investigate the relationship between sleep health and hypertension, particularly in relation to socioeconomic factors, stress levels, and genetic predispositions.
In addition to sleep duration, the study’s authors recommend healthy sleep behaviors to further reduce hypertension risks. “Consistent sleep schedules, minimizing screen time before bed, and creating a calm, quiet sleep environment can all contribute to better sleep quality,” says Martin Ma, MPH, second author of the study and recent graduate of UTHealth Houston.
The study’s findings highlight the need for ongoing efforts to improve sleep health in adolescents, a step that could have significant long-term benefits in preventing hypertension and supporting overall well-being.
Additional authors included Marcus Vinicius Nascimento-Ferreira, Ph.D., Universidade Federal do Tocantins; Ethan Hunt, Ph.D., and Deanna Hoelscher, Ph.D., RDN, LD, from the UTHealth School of Public Health.
For more information, visit the Journal of the American Heart Association.
