This Common Sleep Habit Could Be Raising Your Blood Pressure Overnight, Doctors Say

By BethAnn Mayer, May 31, 2026

Dr. Alex Dimitriu, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist and sleep medicine doctor and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, points out that mouth breathing is not ideal. We’re designed to breathe humidified air through our noses. Mouth breathing is a flag and risk factor for high blood pressure. “The simple truth is that not breathing well causes adrenaline spikes—norepinephrine, to be exact—which raises blood pressure and heart rate,” Dr. Dimitriu says. “It’s the same thing that would happen if you were being choked. Your body reacts intensely.” Yikes. Bigger yikes: “In people with sleep apnea, this happens many times during the night,” Dr. Dimitriu says.

Click HERE for the full article.