Impact of activity, sleep and ambient light on circadian variability of blood pressure

24-hour variability and the parameters of blood pressure (BP) circadian rhythm, i.e. the lack of BP decrease during nocturnal hours are independent risk factors for cardiovascular adverse events. Artificial light at night (ALAN) disrupts biological clock and predisposes to the development of complex metabolic disorders. Nevertheless, the role of the physical activity and sleep on the structure of variability and parameters of the circadian blood pressure rhythm and its ultradian variability studied yet fragmentally and the research on the effect of ALAN on blood pressure is even scarcer. In this paper, we present the results of a comparative study of the role of activity, sleep and ambient light on the circadian rhythm of blood pressure. We show that ALAN not only serves as a factor of sleep disturbance, but also has an effect on blood pressure. In addition, the response of physiological parameters to light is gender-dependent. In women, the reaction of blood pressure (elevation) and body temperature (delay of decrease) on the ambient light is more pronounced. We also assessed the physiological effect of melatonin on the background of exposure to ALAN. Sleep is necessary to reduce diastolic BP and heart rate; melatonin alone is not able to reduce diastolic BP and heart rate while maintaining the effect of light, at least, with a single dosage. At the same time, 1.5 mg melatonin reduces the systolic BP for 1.5-3.5 hours. This effect is not associated with the sleep and can subsequently contribute to a decrease in blood pressure in the morning.

blood pressure, heart rate, diurnal (circadian) rhythm, sleep, activity, light, melatonin

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