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A new study has found that older adults who sleep less than six hours a day may have a higher risk of developing hypertension. Researchers from the First People’s Hospital of Jiujiang, China, analyzed health data from 15,650 adults aged 65 and older and found that those who slept less than six hours had a 30% higher risk of hypertension. The findings suggest that, in addition to diet and exercise, sleep duration may also be an important factor to consider when preventing high blood pressure in older adults.

The research team used data collected in 2008 as part of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. The participants had an average age of approximately 87 years. Researchers compared their usual sleep duration with their blood pressure status. Sleep duration was divided into three groups: less than six hours per day, six to eight hours (the reference group), and nine hours or more.

The analysis showed that older adults who slept less than six hours a day had a 30% higher risk of hypertension compared with those who slept six to eight hours. In contrast, those who slept nine hours or more did not have a significantly higher risk of hypertension after taking age and other health conditions into account. Overall, the six- to eight-hour group had the baseline level of hypertension risk.

The researchers also suggested that insufficient sleep may affect blood pressure regulation. The association between shorter sleep duration and hypertension was particularly evident among older adults who were able to independently perform daily activities, such as bathing and dressing. The research team explained that inadequate sleep may influence circadian rhythms and stress responses, potentially affecting the body’s ability to regulate blood pressure.

Professor Miao Dai, the study’s corresponding author, said the findings suggest that assessing sleep duration in older adults may help identify those at higher risk of hypertension. She emphasized that doctors should consider patients’ sleep habits when evaluating blood pressure in older adults and noted that further research is needed to determine whether improving sleep habits can actually help lower blood pressure.

The study, titled “Association of Sleep Duration and Hypertension in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study,” was published in August 2026 in the international journal Blood Pressure.

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