Avoid This Sleep Position If You Have High Blood Pressure And Sleep Apnea – Health Digest

Obstructive sleep apnea and high blood pressure are two conditions that appear to go hand in hand. It has been reported that 89% of people between the ages of 18-35 with high blood pressure not due to secondary causes have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as an underlying condition, according to a 2022 study in Current Hypertension Reports.

Experts at Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee explain that because a person with OSA is getting less oxygen due to airway blockages while they sleep, the heart has to work overtime to get oxygen-rich blood circulated throughout the body. As the heart pumps more blood, our blood pressure rises with the increase of pressure on artery walls. For this reason, people with obstructive sleep apnea are advised to avoid the supine position, which can exacerbate symptoms of OSA and subsequently boost blood pressure (per HealthMatch).