A large and important study has discovered a simple change that could help millions of people with high blood pressure: take your medication at bedtime instead of in the morning. This small shift can lead to much better control of blood pressure and, even more importantly, can greatly reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and even death.
The study was carried out by scientists from the University of Vigo in Spain, along with other research groups. What makes this study special is how large and long it was. It involved more than 19,000 adults who had high blood pressure.
These participants were randomly told to take their blood pressure pills either when they woke up or just before going to bed. The researchers then followed these people for over six years, which gave them a clear and reliable picture of the long-term effects.
During this time, each person had their blood pressure measured for 48 hours at least once a year using special monitors they could wear while going about their normal lives. This method—called ambulatory monitoring—provides a much more accurate idea of a person’s usual blood pressure than a quick reading at the doctor’s office.
The results were surprising and very encouraging. Those who took their medication at bedtime had a 45% lower risk of serious heart-related problems, like heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, or needing surgery to unblock arteries. They were also far less likely to die from heart-related causes than those who took their pills in the morning.
In more detail, taking pills at bedtime reduced the risk of dying from heart or blood vessel diseases by 66%. It also lowered the risk of heart attacks by 44%, strokes by 49%, and heart failure by 42%. These are major health events that can be life-threatening or lead to long-term disability, so these results are very meaningful.
This research challenges the usual advice many patients get. Most doctors have traditionally told people to take their blood pressure medication in the morning. The idea behind this was to lower blood pressure during the day when people are more active. But this new study shows that focusing on blood pressure during sleep might actually be more important.
The project, called the Hygia Project, pointed out that a person’s average blood pressure while sleeping is a better predictor of heart disease than their daytime blood pressure. This means doctors and patients may have been looking at the wrong measurements when judging heart health.
Interestingly, there is no strong scientific evidence from past research that shows taking blood pressure medication in the morning helps prevent heart disease better than other times. So, this study provides fresh and powerful evidence that bedtime may be the best time to take these medicines.
The study was led by Professor Ramón C. Hermida and was published in the European Heart Journal, a well-known medical journal. It offers a practical, no-cost way to improve treatment for people with high blood pressure. Changing the time of day medication is taken requires no new drugs, no extra tests, and no extra money—just better results.
For anyone with high blood pressure, this research suggests talking to your doctor about whether switching your medication to bedtime might be right for you. It could be a simple change with life-saving effects.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about unhealthy habits that may increase high blood pressure risk, and drinking green tea could help lower blood pressure.
For more information about high blood pressure, please see recent studies about what to eat or to avoid for high blood pressure, and 12 foods that lower blood pressure.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
