A study by Quebec researchers at the Sleep Center in the Sacred Heart Hospital in Montreal of 26 healthy individuals showed that chronic insomnia has adverse effects on the heart, even if an individual is in good shape.
The study, published in the journal Sleep, was conducted on 13 good sleepers and 13 insomniacs that spent 1 day and 2 nights at the Sleep Center.
During sleep, blood pressure should fall by at least 10%. In the insomniacs, the blood pressure dropped only 8% compared to 14% in the good sleepers.
Moreover, insomniacs who were able to sleep in the laboratory still did not achieve a significant drop in blood pressure and were found to exhibit more rapid neurological activities in certain areas of the brain.
Since blood pressure plays a role in developing cardiovascular disease, researchers are now trying to determine the mechanisms of insomnia and become aware of its consequences, which may lead to a possible treatment for the disorder.