During sleep, there is a slowdown in all processes in the body. For example, pressure decreases. This reaction is considered a consequence of the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. But there are factors that lead to the failure of this mechanism. Many may experience increased pressure. Various factors can provoke this condition. Why pressure rises at night, the article says.
About pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure that is exerted on the vascular walls by blood. In healthy people, it is on the same level, but sometimes changes occur. Normally, the pressure can increase during the day with strong physical activity. This is not considered a deviation.
At night, in a healthy person, the level decreases, because the body is at rest, and all processes proceed slowly, reactions stop. Exceeding the norm is a deviation. It is important to determine in a timely manner why pressure rises at night in order to get rid of them and prevent complex consequences.
Infrequent phenomena can occur in healthy people after certain events and changes. But the level does not increase much, does not lead to obvious changes in the state and is restored without intervention. If this happens regularly, it indicates a violation in health.
Symptoms
Hypertension is often detected by accident, and some people are not aware of the diagnosis. Diagnosis is complicated if the phenomenon is observed at night, when a person is resting and does not feel disturbing signs.
Recognize the increase in pressure is obtained by:
- changes in heart rate, heart rate for no reason;
- sleep disturbance: long falling asleep, restless, shallow sleep, frequent awakenings, nightmares;
- a feeling of chills or heat, increased sweating;
- unreasonable and inexplicable sensation of sudden anxiety, fear;
- tingling in the palms and feet, numbness of the limbs;
- swelling
- heaviness, a feeling of constriction, pain in the heart or sternum;
- feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath, inability to perform a deep breath, asthma attacks;
- fatigue, fatigue, drowsiness, headaches in the morning.
These symptoms may occur separately, simultaneously or alternately. Often they are blurred and invisible, and in some cases can be pronounced and explicit. If symptoms occur frequently or continuously, then you need to consult a specialist.
Causes
Why does the pressure rise at night? The activity of the cardiovascular system is a difficult process, which depends on various factors and the work of other human organs. Why does night pressure rise in women? There are many reasons for this phenomenon, among them there are those that are not connected with vessels, heart and blood. Moreover, they are the same as in men. The factors that lead to this phenomenon are listed below.
Food
This is one of the main reasons why pressure rises at night. If there is a lot of salt in the food you eat, then this leads to hypertension. Salt is able to retain fluid in the body, and water is an important part of the blood. With an excess in the diet of salty, there is an increase in blood volume and strong pressure on the walls of the vessels. It is dangerous to eat a lot of salty foods in the evening.
Pressure can rise with overeating at night. Eating in large quantities leads to increased work of the digestive tract. Normally, the digestive organs practically do not work at night, and if a high load is placed on them, because of this there is an influx of blood, and blood circulation is also accelerated. Even with a crowded stomach, the nearest organs are compressed, which is what causes the increase in pressure.
Lifestyle
Why is pressure rising at night during sleep? This occurs with systematic stress and overwork. These conditions lead to vasospasm, heart palpitations. The level is likely to increase if a person had stress and strong physical, mental, emotional stress in the afternoon.
A sedentary life is also capable of influencing pressure. With a decrease in activity during the day, blood circulation slows down, blood flow worsens. If reduced activity persists, peripheral vascular resistance rises and pressure rises.
The reason may be a change in biological rhythms and a violation of the wakefulness and sleep patterns. Normally, high activity occurs during the day, and at night all body systems are at rest. If the work is done at night, then the organs are rebuilt. An increase in pressure will be a protective reaction to increased activity.
The presence of bad habits also leads to increased pressure. Smoking leads to a narrowing of the lumen of the blood vessels, so the blood will put pressure on them more. Alcohol abuse increases heart rate. At first, vasodilation is observed, and pressure can decrease, and then a spasm of the walls occurs, which increases the level.
Kidney and adrenal disease
The kidneys perform the function of timely removal of fluid from the body. In case of failures, water does not have time to be removed, increasing the volume of blood and increasing pressure on the walls of blood vessels. An increase in the level occurs in chronic or acute renal failure, as well as in glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis.
Adrenal gland hormones are synthesized, including adrenaline and cortisol, which lead to stress. With excitement, blood circulation becomes stronger, leading to pressure on the walls of blood vessels. An increase is likely with adrenal tumors, malfunctions of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
Breathing problems
This is another reason why blood pressure rises during sleep. This occurs with a malfunction in breathing. Hypertension is usually detected in snoring people, while apnea increases the risk of increased pressure. Stopping breathing leads to a sharp decrease in the concentration of incoming oxygen in the blood.
The adrenal glands will secrete the hormones of fear cortisol and adrenaline, which provide the brain and nervous system with alerts about the threat. Spasms occur in the vessels, the tone of the walls increases, the lumen narrows, and as a result, the pressure increases.
Excess weight
The reason why the pressure rises at night may be in overweight. Because of this problem, the load on the body increases, the heart and blood vessels suffer from it.
The myocardium (heart muscle) pumps blood intensely to supply it with adipose tissue. Therefore, the pressure exerted on the walls of the vessels increases. The sleep of an obese person on his back is dangerous: the lungs are compressed and the heart is overloaded, which is the reason for malfunctioning in breathing and changes in the heart rhythm.
Caffeine
Often the pressure rises with the abuse of coffee and other caffeinated drinks. Healthy people should drink no more than 3 cups of coffee per day, and with hypertension this drink is prohibited. Especially you should not do this at night.
If a person during the day took other drinks with caffeine, in addition to a short-term increase in pressure, insomnia appears, the heart rate changes, and the feeling of heaviness in the temples. To sleep soundly, you can drink coffee only in the morning and in moderation. Also, do not drink strong tea and energy in the afternoon.
Stress
Stress at home and at work, a lot of problems, lack of time and effort to complete tasks - this leads to stressful situations. Emotional overstrain in the daytime affects the well-being at night and leads to increased pressure. According to statistics, chronic stress is the main cause of hypertension. If pressure has risen after a working day, all measures should be taken to eliminate stress.
These are all reasons why a person’s blood pressure rises at night. In any case, this is a danger, therefore, urgent disposal of the provoking factors that lead to this is required. Treatment should be performed under medical supervision.
Risks and Threats
Why is this phenomenon dangerous? He is often not noticed, since a person sleeps at night, his consciousness changes and partially turns off. Sudden changes can lead to a hypertensive crisis, microstroke or stroke, heart attack. Neither the victim, nor his relatives noticeable changes in state. If there is no timely assistance, this leads to dangerous consequences, including death.
Diagnostics
To determine why the pressure rises at night in a dream, diagnostics will allow. It is necessary to contact the therapist. The doctor examines the patient and prescribes the diagnosis:
- ECG.
- Dopplerography.
- Computed or magnetic resonance imaging.
- Ultrasound of the heart, kidneys.
- Analysis of urine.
After receiving the results of the examination, the therapist writes out a referral to a cardiologist or other specialist. This will reveal not only why pressure rises sharply at night, but also prescribe treatment.
Treatment
Each person may have a different reason why blood pressure rises at night? The method of therapy depends on this. Treatment is usually performed using the following measures:
- Medications that lower blood pressure are taken. The last dose is administered before bedtime to reduce the risks of nocturnal hypertension.
- Diuretic drugs are used for kidney diseases, they allow you to timely and fully eliminate excess fluid.
- Regardless of why blood pressure rises at night, treatment includes lifestyle correction. Do not allow overwork and stress; it is important to observe the daily regimen and work on the basis of the biological rhythms of the body. You should not work at night, you should rest more often, sleep at least 7-8 hours a day. Day need physical activity. Bad habits must be ruled out.
- A nutrition adjustment is needed. It is necessary to reduce the amount of salt eaten (the norm is 5 grams). No need to overeat at night: dinner should be light, and dinner should be 2-3 hours before bedtime.
- It is necessary to normalize weight: excess weight can increase the risks of hypertension.
- Therapeutic massage helps - relaxation techniques. Procedures are performed with the help of an experienced massage therapist.
- To restore pressure, folk remedies are used: linden tea, decoctions, infusions of mint, motherwort, lemon balm, valerian. Take them for the night.
Preventative measures
The pressure will drop if you follow the rules of prevention:
- Do not exceed the norm of salt, overeat in the evening.
- We need a healthy lifestyle, you need to maintain physical activity during the day, to prevent overwork in the evening.
- You must follow the sleep and wakefulness regimen.
- Stress should not be allowed, you need to learn how to relax and adequately respond to irritating factors.
- Regular examinations are required. Visit a doctor.
- If the pressure has already increased, then you need to control it using a tonometer.
Hypertension at night is considered dangerous, but you can get rid of the problem if you act competently and in a timely manner. To maintain health, the problem must be taken seriously.