Blood pressure is one of the most important signs of heart health. Usually, doctors check it while you’re sitting.
But new research shows that might not be enough. A study found that you could be at risk for heart problems even if your blood pressure only goes up when you’re lying flat on your back.
Our bodies react differently in different positions—sitting, standing, or lying down. Sometimes, the way your body controls blood pressure in these positions can increase your risk of heart disease.
In this study, led by Duc M. Giao, a medical student at Harvard Medical School, researchers looked at the health data of more than 11,000 adults. These people had their blood pressure checked while lying down during a clinic visit between 1987 and 1989. Then, the researchers followed their health for almost 30 years.
Here’s what they found:
About 16% of the people had high blood pressure when lying down, even though their sitting blood pressure was normal.
People who had high blood pressure both when sitting and lying down were more likely to develop serious heart problems. These included heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and even a higher chance of dying early.
Surprisingly, people who had high blood pressure only when lying down had the same high risks.
So what does this mean for you? It means that checking blood pressure while sitting might not show the full picture. If you have risk factors for heart problems or stroke, it might help to also have your blood pressure checked while lying down.
Giao explains that managing blood pressure during daily activities could also help improve your blood pressure while sleeping. Since different body positions can cause different blood pressure readings, this is important to know.
The study focused on middle-aged adults, so future research might explore how this information applies to older people too.
In simple terms, this study shows that a blood pressure test while lying down could be a useful and even lifesaving part of regular doctor visits. It may help doctors find hidden risks that don’t show up when you’re just sitting.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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