What Causes Blood Pressure to Rise in the Middle of the Night?

An increase in blood pressure in the middle of the night may be caused by factors such as medication effects, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.

1. Medication Effects: Some hypertensive patients take short-acting antihypertensive drugs during the day, so the effect of the medication may not cover the nighttime, leading to an increase in blood pressure in the middle of the night.

2. Insomnia: Factors such as consuming coffee, strong tea, and other beverages before bedtime, engaging in vigorous exercise, and mental stress may lead to insomnia. Insomnia patients who are awake in the middle of the night may experience symptoms such as sympathetic nervous system excitation, elevated blood pressure, and accelerated heart rate.

3. Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome: This condition may be caused by factors such as obesity, upper airway structural abnormalities, alcohol consumption, cerebrovascular diseases, or some endocrine diseases. This condition is also a risk factor for hypertension. Patients often experience recurrent apnea during sleep at night, which may lead to symptoms such as elevated blood pressure and arrhythmia, and in severe cases, may result in sudden cardiac death.