Why does blood pressure increase in the morning?
According to the biological cycle, when the sun rises, the body secretes the hormone cortisol to create alertness. Cortisol also causes blood vessels to constrict, leading to increased blood pressure. Dr. Amelia MacIntyre, a cardiologist at the University of Oxford (UK), explains: " morning high blood pressure is a natural reaction of the body, but in people with underlying diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidneys, this increase can exceed the safe threshold, causing harm to the heart and blood vessels".
In healthy young people, blood pressure often decreases by 10 - 20% at night thanks to the hormone melatonin and the epiderophile nervous system. However, in older adults, arteriosclerosis, insomnia, stress, or the habit of drinking alcohol in the evening can cause the blood pressure to spike the next morning.
When to worry?
A slight increase in blood pressure in the morning is normal, but if the cardiovascular blood pressure is still over 130 mmHg after waking up, the risk of cardiovascular disease will increase significantly. A 2023 study shows that people with high blood pressure with a bright blood pressure level 10 mmHg higher will face a 232% increased risk of stroke and a 270% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
In addition, not everyone experiences "morning high blood pressure". About 13% of adults experience the opposite phenomenon: blood pressure drops deeply in the early morning but remains high at night. According to Dr MacIntyre, this condition is especially dangerous because it causes silent damage to the heart, kidneys and brain, increasing the risk of dementia and chronic kidney failure.
What to do to protect cardiovascular health?
Experts recommend that people at risk should measure their blood pressure many times a day, not just in the morning. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe a 24-hour blood pressure monitoring device to detect abnormal fluctuations.
To limit early morning high blood pressure, patients need to:
Eat a balanced diet, limit salt.
Get 7 - 9 hours of sleep each night.
Maintain at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.
Reduce stress with meditation, yoga or take deep breaths.
Avoid alcohol, especially drinking in the evening.
Marching blood pressure monitoring and control can save millions of lives each year, as most heart attacks and strokes occur during this stage, says Dr MacIntyre.
