A new study, published in February 2025, indicates that individuals who sleep six to seven hours or less per night may face an increased risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure). The research found that women who reported sleeping fewer than six hours experienced a notably higher risk compared to their male counterparts. In contrast, sleeping eight hours or more was not significantly associated with an increased risk of hypertension.
The study’s authors stress the importance of working adults prioritising sufficient rest each night. They also urge health authorities to reassess their sleep recommendations. In particular, they question the current guidelines that advise eight hours or more. The researchers caution that consistently inadequate sleep could heighten the risk of adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular diseases (as hypertension increases the risk of these conditions).
Despite offering valuable insights, the study acknowledges certain limitations. Participants self-reported their sleep habits. This method introduces the possibility of recall bias. Additionally, the study did not examine factors such as sleep quality, bedtime consistency, or daytime napping. Each of these can significantly influence overall health. Nevertheless, the findings highlight an important point. Adding just one extra hour of sleep per night could potentially reduce health risks, particularly those related to cardiovascular conditions like hypertension.
In recent years, there has been growing debate over the longstanding “eight hours of sleep” guideline for adults. Many healthcare organisations and professionals argue that the recommendation is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, they advise that adults aim for a range of seven to nine hours to support optimal health and well-being. However, if future studies continue to demonstrate a link between seven hours of sleep and increased hypertension risk, there may be stronger calls to adjust these guidelines, potentially advocating for a minimum of eight hours of rest each night.
For more details on the recent study, you can read it here: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/short-sleep-linked-increased-risk-hypertension-2025a10003v0
