According to new research from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.,USA.People with insomnia may now have one more thing to keep them up at night: an increased likelihood of developing hypertension,
The cause of hypertension in insomniacs is due to the number of times the individual wakes during the night as well as their sleep latency -- the length of time it takes to accomplish the transition from full wakefulness to sleep," says Christopher Drake, associate scientist at the Henry Ford Hospital Sleep Disorders and Research Center and lead author of this study.
The link between another sleep disorder, sleep apnea, and hypertension is well established. But the newly published study is one of the first to find that insomnia also raises the risk for high blood pressure.
Scientists have discovered another possible benefit of a night of restful and uninterrupted sleep. According to researchers, fragmented or interrupted sleep could predict future placement in a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Using a mobile phone, tablet or laptop before going to bed leads to sleep troubles according to new research
Can acupuncture help with hypertension ?
Acupuncture combined with electronic stimulation can lower high blood pressure, US researchers say.
In this study, 160 patients in Germany and China with mild to moderate hypertension were randomized to receive either acupuncture (performed by Chinese physicians accredited in acupuncture) or a sham procedure. The sham procedure consisted of identical acupuncture sessions, complete with needle insertions - but the insertion points were not the precise sites prescribed by traditional Chinese medicine for treating blood pressure. Both groups of patients underwent 22 sessions of 30 minutes each over a period of six weeks.
At the end of that time, the systolic and diastolic blood pressures in patients receiving traditional Chinese acupuncture were significantly reduced (by approximately 5 mm Hg and 3 mm Hg, respectively). Unfortunately, when acupuncture was discontinued their blood pressures returned to baseline values within three months. This level of blood pressure reduction is roughly the same as would typically occur with single-drug therapy or with aggressive lifestyle changes (exercise and salt restriction).
To compare the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture and western medication on blood pressure variability in young patients with hypertension.Chinese Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of TCM has done a new research about this.Their sixty cases of hypertension in young patients were randomized into an electroacupuncture group and a western medication group, 30 cases in each one. In electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture was applied on Quchi (LI 11) and Taichong (LR 3). In western medication group, Captopril was taken orally.
They found electroacupuncture on Quchi (LI 11) and Taichong (LR 3) has long-term antihypertensive effect and improves effectively day-night rhythm variation in young patients with hypertension. Quchi (LI 11) and Taichong (LR 3) are the effective pair points for hypertension treated with acupuncture.
Acupuncture treatments are usually given in conjunction with the herbal medicine mentioned above to enhance the effect of the treatment. Needles are inserted in carefully chosen points on the body depending on the traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis for each patient. Two acupuncture points often used in the treatment of insomnia include Yin-tang, which is located on the forehead between the eyebrows, as well as Shen-men, which is a point located on the ear. Both of these points have the effect of calming and sedating the patients.
But,another Hongkong research found that Due to poor methodological quality, high levels of heterogeneity and publication bias, the current evidence is not sufficiently rigorous to support or refute acupuncture for treating insomnia. Larger high-quality clinical trials are required.(Pubmed)
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Reference: Yang DH.Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2010 Jul;30(7):547-50.
Sleeping for two hours extra a night can reduce sensitivity to pain and can be more effective than strong painkillers, according to a new study.
