The Best Time to Go to Bed to Reduce Blood Pressure

Reviewed by Dietitian Jane Leverich, M.S., RDN

Key Points

• Blood pressure follows a daily rhythm, typically rising in the morning and dipping during sleep.

• Research links irregular sleep schedules with a higher risk of high blood pressure.

• A consistent bedtime that allows for 7 to 9 hours of sleep is more important than one specific bedtime.

High blood pressure is one of the most preventable risk factors for heart disease and death, both in the United States and worldwide. Yet nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, and many of those who have it don’t have it under control. Several lifestyle factors influence blood pressure, including stress, diet, physical activity and sleep. Research suggests that irregular sleep schedules and too little sleep are associated with higher blood pressure.

So, what time should you go to bed to support healthy blood pressure? Experts say there’s no magic hour, but what matters most is maintaining a consistent sleep schedule that allows you to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you wake up at 6 or 7 a.m., that means aiming for a bedtime between 10 and 11 p.m. Ahead, dietitians and a cardiologist explain why timing may affect blood pressure and share their top strategies for better sleep and heart health.

Why 10 to 11 p.m. Is the Best Time to Go to Bed to Support Blood Pressure

Blood Pressure Follows a Circadian Rhythm

Nearly every system in the body follows a circadian rhythm, a roughly 24-hour internal clock that influences appetite, digestion, body temperature, hormone release and sleep.

“Blood pressure follows a natural daily rhythm too,” says Brannon Blount, M.S., RDN, LDN. It tends to rise after you wake up and fall while you sleep.

But an irregular sleep schedule can throw off that rhythm. “Irregular sleep timing may disrupt this rhythm and contribute to less favorable blood pressure patterns. Maintaining a consistent bedtime and wake-up time helps support these natural regulatory processes,” says Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., RD, CDCES, CDN.

Adequate Sleep Allows Blood Pressure to Dip Overnight

“Blood pressure typically drops by about 10% to 20% during sleep, a pattern known as nocturnal dipping. This gives your cardiovascular system a period of lower pressure,” explains Routhenstein.

However, some people experience a smaller-than-expected drop in blood pressure while sleeping, a pattern known as nondipping. Research has linked this pattern to a higher risk of cardiovascular complications, including heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

“Adequate, consistent sleep supports your body’s natural circadian rhythm, although sleep alone cannot guarantee a healthy dipping pattern,” Routhenstein adds.

Consistent Sleep Timing Supports Heart Health

Going to bed and waking up at different times each day can do more than leave you feeling tired the next day. An inconsistent sleep schedule may affect the body’s natural rhythms and processes involved in blood pressure regulation.

“Data show that a lack of this usual sleeping pattern, often seen in shift work, jet lag and inverse sleep patterns, adversely affects a person all the way down to the cellular level and leads to more sympathetic activation (fight or flight), endothelial cell dysfunction and even wall stiffness of the heart,” says Devinder Singh, M.D.

Going to bed and waking up around the same time each day helps keep your circadian rhythm on track, which may support blood pressure. Research has also linked more day-to-day variation in sleep timing to higher risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors, says Veronica Rouse, M.A.N., RD, CDE, suggesting that sleep regularity may matter in addition to simply getting enough hours of sleep.

Too Little or Too Much Sleep May Raise Blood Pressure

It’s easy to push back bedtime for one more episode or get stuck doomscrolling. But regularly skimping on sleep can interfere with the body’s natural overnight recovery processes, which is when your heart rate slows, blood vessels relax and blood pressure falls.

“Adequate sleep gives the cardiovascular system time to recover and is associated with healthier blood pressure regulation,” says Rouse.

On the flip side, regularly sleeping more than nine hours a night has also been linked to higher risk of hypertension. Instead of focusing on limiting your sleep, aim for the recommended seven to nine hours and pay attention to your overall sleep habits.

Bedtimes Between 10 & 11 p.m. May Support Better Heart Health

So where does a specific bedtime fit in? Research suggests that adults who regularly fall asleep between 10 and 11 p.m. may have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, while those who fall asleep after midnight may have a higher risk.

However, we know that a 10 or 11 p.m. bed time isn’t realistic or doable for everyone. Experts stress that the best bedtime is one that consistently allows you to get seven to nine hours of sleep. Your ideal schedule may look different depending on when you need to wake up and what works for your daily routine.

Strategies for Better Sleep

Experts share their top strategies to get better night’s sleep.

• Stick to a consistent sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day, including on weekends, and allow enough time for seven to nine hours of sleep, says Blount.

• Get movement during your day. “Sleep strategies begin during the day. Getting some movement helps most people fall asleep easier at nighttime,” says Singh.

• De-stress before bed. Stress and rumination can keep your nervous system activated, making it harder to fall asleep and potentially affecting blood pressure regulation, says Routhenstein. “Set aside 10 to 15 minutes to write down worries, identify what you can address, and make a plan for the next day so these thoughts are less likely to follow you into bed,” she suggests.

• Create a relaxing bedtime routine and environment. Dimming the lights, limiting screen time before bed and keeping your bedroom cool, dark and quiet can help you wind down, says Blount.

• Avoid heavy meals, caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime. Eating very heavy meals at night may make some people uncomfortable, and this would disrupt their sleep, says Singh. Caffeine and alcohol can also disrupt sleep, so be mindful of when and how much you consume.

Other Tips to Support Blood Pressure Levels

Beyond going to bed on time, here are other expert-backed tips to support healthy blood pressure.

• Follow a heart-healthy eating pattern. Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and other potassium-rich foods while limiting sodium can help support healthy blood pressure, says Blount. The Mediterranean diet or DASH eating pattern are two heart-healthy plans to follow.

• Cook more at home. “One of my favorite strategies for supporting healthy blood pressure is simply cooking more at home. It naturally fits with a DASH-style eating pattern, which has strong evidence for lowering blood pressure,” says Rouse.

• Focus on potassium-rich foods. “Potassium can help counter some of sodium’s effects on blood pressure by promoting sodium excretion and supporting healthy blood vessel function,” adds Rouse. Potassium-rich foods include bananas, potatoes, avocados, dairy products and legumes.

• Make physical activity part of your routine. Regular movement can help lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health, says Blount. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, such as brisk walking, and remember that shorter bouts of movement throughout the day count too, adds Routhenstein.

• Monitor your blood pressure. A validated home blood pressure monitor can help you track your readings and share them with your health care provider, says Blount.

Our Expert Take

The best bedtime for supporting healthy blood pressure is one that consistently allows you to get seven to nine hours of sleep. Blood pressure follows a circadian rhythm and naturally dips overnight, so getting enough sleep on a regular schedule may help support this process. To improve your sleep, experts recommend sticking to a consistent schedule, moving during the day, making time to de-stress and creating a relaxing bedtime routine. Beyond sleep, following a heart-healthy eating pattern, choosing potassium-rich foods, staying active and monitoring your blood pressure can also help support cardiovascular health.

Read the original article on EatingWell