If you're someone who doesn't get enough sleep and are at higher risk for heart problems, just sleeping longer could lower your blood pressure by several points — like taking a small dose of medicine — according to a review of several small studies.

60

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

60

Community contributions welcome

60

Effect of behavioural sleep interventions on blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability in adults with poor sleep health: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Human

2026 Jan

The study looked at whether sleeping longer helps lower blood pressure, and it found that people who slept more had their blood pressure go down by the exact amounts mentioned in the claim.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Effect of behavioural sleep interventions on blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability in adults with poor sleep health: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis

Score: 60

DOI: 10.1093/ehjopen/oeag006

Similar Assertions

Getting more sleep might lower your blood pressure more than just improving how well you sleep — one study found that adding extra sleep lowered blood pressure by almost twice as much as other sleep therapies.

60

0

86%

If you have high blood pressure, improving your sleep habits might help lower it by several points—on average about 5.6 mmHg—especially if your blood pressure is already in the high range. People with normal levels don’t seem to get the same benefit.

60

0

83%

If you have trouble sleeping, fixing your sleep habits — like doing CBT for insomnia or just going to bed earlier — might lower your blood pressure by about 5 points, especially if it's already high.

60

0

82%

If you sleep 8 to 9 hours every night, you’re less likely to have heart problems later on.

77

59

75%

If you usually sleep less than 6 hours a night and start getting 7 to 8 hours instead, you’re less likely to develop heart disease—so getting enough sleep might help keep your heart healthy.

39

0

75%