Association between subjective sleep quality and blood pressure at rest and during exercise in free-living conditions in young women: A pilot study

Abstract

Sleep disorders are risk factors for hypertension. This adverse effect is especially affected in women. Nevertheless, the impact of sleep habits on the cardiovascular response remains unclear in young women. This study aimed to determine whether sleep habits could affect blood pressure regulation at rest and during exercise in young women. Twenty-two young women participated in this study. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), resting blood pressure (BP), and BP response to the 2-minute isometric handgrip exercise, which consists of 25% maximum force production using left hand, were measured. Beat-by-beat arterial BP changes during exercise was measured using the Finapres™ device, and it was averaged every 30 sec before and during exercise; BP reactivity was evaluated by the delta change from rest to exercise. The PSQI score was 5.2 ± 2.2. The resting systolic and diastolic BPs were 105 ± 7 mmHg and 62 ± 7 mmHg, respectively. BP reactivity to the exercise were Δ 4 ± 7 mmHg, Δ 4 ± 7 mmHg, Δ 6 ± 7 mmHg, and Δ 7 ± 9 mmHg, for each 30-sec interval. Poorer sleepers (PSQI > 4.5) showed a tendency toward lower resting systolic BP compared with better sleepers (PSQI < 4.5) (p = 0.069). Systolic BP reactivity to the last 30 sec of exercise was correlated with the PSQI score (r = 0.484, p = 0.022). In conclusion, sleep quality may affect the cardiovascular regulation at rest and during exercise in young women.