Hypertension occurs when the pressure in a person’s blood vessels is too high. Untreated, it can lead to heart attack, stroke, heart failure and heart disease.

Blood pressure is recorded in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) as two numbers, such as 120/80. The first number – systolic blood pressure – measures the pressure in the arteries as the heart pumps out blood; the second – diastolic blood pressure – measures the pressure as the heart relaxes before the next beat.

The study found that 1,843 (15%) of 12,287 participants snored for more than 20% of the night over a six-month monitoring period. Those with high snoring levels had a 3.8 mmHg higher systolic blood pressure and 4.5 mmHg higher diastolic blood pressure than those who did not snore.

The study is the first to use multiple night home-based monitoring technologies over a prolonged period to investigate the link between snoring and hypertension. Participants were middle-aged, 88% of whom were male.

“For the first time, we can objectively say there is a significant connection between regular nighttime snoring and high blood pressure,” lead author Bastien Lechat said.

“These results emphasise the significance of considering snoring as a factor in healthcare and treatment for sleep-related issues, especially in the context of managing hypertension.”

The World Health Organization estimates that 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 years worldwide have hypertension, but close to half of them (46%) are unaware they have the condition.