Stress Plus Sleep Deprivation May Increase Systolic Blood Pressure

WebMD (6/15, Goodman) reported that “a stressful day after a poor night of sleep may be an especially bad combination for blood pressure,” according to a study presented at a medical conference. Investigators “recruited 20 healthy young adults and measured their blood pressure at rest and then after a stressful task, in this case, giving an impromptu speech where they had to defend themselves for a supposed transgression — either running a stop sign or taking someone’s wallet.” Approximately seven days later, after a night with no sleep, the same individuals were asked to “take the tests again.” The investigators found that “systolic blood pressures…climbed about 10 points higher when fatigued people were delivering their speeches compared to when they were doing the same task well rested.”