If you occasionally get less than about eight hours of sleep, you could be increasing your chances of experiencing a life-threatening heart or brain disaster.
In a Japanese study of more than 1,200 adults age 33 to 97 years old with high blood pressure, those who slept less than 7.5 hours each night had a 68 percent higher risk of falling victim to a heart attack or other cardiovascular complication.
Chronic sleep deprivation has also been linked with other health problems such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and obesity.
The researchers noted that physicians who treat patients with high blood pressure should discuss sleep habits and encourage them to get a full eight hours of sleep each night.
So, if your blood pressure levels increase, talk with your doctor about ways you can avoid sleep deprivation. Regularly getting a good nights rest could do wonders for your overall health!