A new study from the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences suggests that something as simple as going to bed at the same time every night could help lower blood pressure in people with hypertension.
The study, published in the journal SLEEP Advances, is being called a “proof-of-concept” and offers a new, easy way to support heart health.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects nearly half of adults in the United States. Many people take medicine or make lifestyle changes like exercising or eating less salt to manage their condition.
But according to Associate Professor Dr. Saurabh Thosar and Research Assistant Professor Dr. Leandro Campos de Brito, simply going to bed at a consistent time each night may also help.
In their study, the researchers asked 11 middle-aged adults with high blood pressure to stick to a consistent bedtime for two weeks. First, the researchers tracked each person’s usual sleep habits for a week.
Then, the participants were told to choose a bedtime and go to bed at that time every night. They were not told to sleep more or less—just to avoid naps and keep a regular bedtime.
The results were surprising. At the start, participants’ bedtimes varied by an average of 30 minutes from night to night. After the two-week bedtime routine, that number dropped to just seven minutes.
This small change in sleep habits led to lower blood pressure. Over 24 hours, participants’ systolic pressure dropped by 4 mmHg and diastolic pressure dropped by 3 mmHg. During nighttime hours, the drop was even bigger: 5 mmHg systolic and 4 mmHg diastolic.
While these numbers might sound small, they are actually quite meaningful. A 5 mmHg drop in nighttime blood pressure can reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes by more than 10%. In fact, half of the participants experienced blood pressure drops big enough to signal real health benefits.
The researchers believe this improvement is connected to the body’s internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm. This system controls the sleep-wake cycle and many other body functions, including blood pressure. Normally, blood pressure dips at night.
When people go to sleep at different times each night, that rhythm can be disrupted, and blood pressure may stay too high.
Past research has shown that irregular sleep schedules increase the risk of high blood pressure. One large study found that just a 30-minute shift in bedtime from night to night can raise that risk by over 30%. This new study supports the idea that regular sleep timing—not just sleep quantity—plays an important role in heart health.
Although the study was small and didn’t include a control group, it used 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, which is considered the most accurate way to measure blood pressure because it tracks changes during sleep.
The researchers say more studies are needed, but their results are promising. Going to bed at the same time is a simple, low-cost habit with no side effects, and it could be an effective addition to current treatments for high blood pressure.
In conclusion, regular sleep timing may be just as important as sleep duration. This small study shows that going to bed at the same time every night can improve blood pressure—and that’s good news for anyone looking for easy ways to support their heart health.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about breakfast for better blood pressure management, and the gut feeling that lowers blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how the dash diet helps lower blood pressure, and how to eat your way to healthy blood pressure.
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