Does High Blood Pressure Make You Tired?

Hypertension is a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke, and is one of the most prevalent chronic health conditions affecting millions of adults around the world. People with high blood pressure experience various symptoms, and many individuals struggle to determine the impact of high blood pressure on their levels of tiredness or fatigue. The response is not a simple one. Although hypertension can cause fatigue in some cases, but most individuals with high blood pressure don’t experience any symptoms at all.

Let’s take a look at what the research says, and whether sleepiness could be related to high blood pressure.

Can High Blood Pressure Make You Tired?

While high blood pressure is not commonly associated with feelings of fatigue, it may still be true. This is a rather unusual occurrence and is infrequently observed.

The heart can perform less efficiently and ultimately work with more fatigue as it encounters more effort to pump blood against the increased pressure within the arteries. Reduced efficiency in delivering oxygen to the body can develop as a result of the added pressure. Insufficient oxygen-rich blood to the tissues and organs can feel weak, low energy, and sluggish.

Nonetheless, fatigue alone does not indicate high blood pressure in almost all instances.

Why Hypertension Is Called the ‘Silent Killer’

Until there is significant irreversible damage, there are no obvious symptoms that hypertension as ‘the silent killer’.

Reading individuals’ blood pressure and identifying levels that are classified as ‘dangerous’ is insufficient because the individual may feel perfectly well. Due to this, having a blood pressure measurement in routine check-ups is invaluable.

Over time, sustained hypertension can damage the heart, kidneys, brain, and blood vessels. Apart from the damage, it can also not exert any fatigue and can, in fact, only develop fatigue as a result of the irreversible damage.

Why Hypertension Is Called the ‘Silent Killer’

High blood pressure and fatigue are correlated, although the relationship is complex.

Studies estimate that excessive daytime sleepiness affects anywhere from 12% to 88% of people with hypertension. This broad range hints that many other factors influence fatigue, and more are yet to be identified.

The Cardiovascular Health Study determined that roughly 20% of adults aged 65 and above reported experiencing daytime sleepiness; nevertheless, that does not prove that high blood pressure is the reason for the sleepiness.

Experts explain how this is not a valid conclusion to make. As Dr. Luke Laffin, a preventive cardiologist, stated, the connection between being fatigued and having elevated blood pressure isn’t a strong one. In many cases, the fatigue is caused by a different problem that may coincide with and precipitate high blood pressure.

How High Blood Pressure Can Lead to Fatigue

When fatigue is associated with high blood pressure, it is most likely due to certain complications or associated conditions.

Strain on the Heart and Oxygen Delivery

• When one suffers from high blood pressure over a long period of time, the muscle tissue of the heart will thicken and the pumping action of the heart will become less effective.
• This condition is referred to as left ventricular hypertrophy, and it will eventually result in the heart not being able to pump as much blood as it used to.
• This is a major contributor to the feelings of fatigue and the endurance to do any physical activities.

Kidney Damage and Toxin Buildup

The kidneys are essential for filtering the blood’s wastes. Chronic high blood pressure can damage the tiny blood vessels that are present in the kidneys.

As kidney function worsens, the blood becomes more and more toxic as waste products build up and goes undetoxified. Low concentration, extreme fatigue, and weakness are signs of the blood becoming increasingly full of waste products.

Sleep Apnea and Disrupted Rest

There is a significant association of sleep apnea with hypertension. In fact, a significant amount of sleep apnea patients has resistant arterial hypertension.

Sleep apnea is characterized by the cessation of breathing multiple times during the sleep cycle after which shallow breathing occurs. This leads to reduced levels of the blood gas oxygen. Additionally, sleep apnea causes the disruption of the deep phases of the sleep cycle. Therefore, even with a full eight hours of sleep, the sleep cycle apnea victim still has an extremely low-quality sleep cycle and is likely to suffer from daytime sleepiness.

Chronic fatigue in hypertensives is probably due more to the presence of sleep apnea as a comorbidity than the hypertension itself.

Pulmonary Hypertension and Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath and extreme fatigue are characteristic of pulmonary hypertension which is typical hypertension of the pulmonary arteries. Contrarily to regular arterial hypertension, pulmonary hypertension has full blown symptoms which are by no means subtle.

When Does Hypertension Cause Symptoms?

The typical patient of hypertension will exhibit symptoms of the disease when the blood pressure is elevated to extremely high levels or when the patient has hypertension due to comorbid conditions.

Hypertensive crisis can lead to the following symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Changes in vision
• Confusion
• Extreme fatigue

An elevation in blood pressure to emergency levels requires immediate attention from medical professionals.

What Are Other Possible Symptoms of Hypertension?

Even though most individuals have hypertension without showing any symptoms, some may present with the following:

• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Nosebleeds
• Heart palpitations

It is possible to present with the above symptoms with no hypertension. Many individuals experience anxiety or stress from the concern of having high blood pressure.

Side Effects of Blood Pressure Medications

Medication used to treat hypertension may have the following side effects:

• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Weakness

If you experience extreme tiredness after the start of medication used to treat hypertension, contact your medical professional.

When to Seek Emergency Care?

If hypertension is present with the following symptoms, emergency assistance should be obtained as hypertension can be an indicator of a stroke. 

• Blood pressure of 180/120 mmHg or higher
• Confusion
• Chest pain
• Severe headaches
• Shortness of breath

Final Words

Do you feel high blood pressure is the cause of fatigue. Often fatigue is present without hypertension.

Due to the general absence of symptoms for most people, hypertension is described as the silent killer. If fatigue is observed, it is more likely to be the result of a complication including an overworked heart, kidney issues, sleep apnea, or side effects of medication.

If fatigue is persistent, it is advisable to have your blood pressure evaluated. You should also speak to your physician. With the combination of a considerate blood pressure regimen, healthy habits, and adherence to treatment, your risks, and associated fatigue, will likely be dissipated.