When your collar size reveals hypertension risk
High blood pressure affects more than 25 percent of all adults in the UK.
It’s caused by following an unhealthy diet, not doing enough exercise, or by having a family history of the condition, express.co.uk wrote.
You could also be at risk of the condition, which is also known as hypertension, if you don’t get enough sleep.
A large neck size could be an early warning sign of high blood pressure. Anything larger than 17 inches could indicate hypertension.
Having a large neck size, with a collar size of greater than 43cm (17”), could lead to sleep apnoea, warned the NHS.
Obstructive sleep apnoea is caused by the throat relaxing and narrowing during sleep, which interrupts normal breathing.
The body therefore struggles to get enough oxygen, which damages blood vessels and raises the risk of high blood pressure.
“[Sleep apnoea] may lead to regularly interrupted sleep, which can have a big impact on quality of life and increases the risk of developing certain conditions,” said the NHS.
“People with obstructive sleep apnoea may experience repeated episodes of apnoea and hypopnoea throughout the night.
“These events may occur around once every one or two minutes in severe cases.”
The Mayo Clinic added: “Not getting enough oxygen may damage the lining of the blood vessel walls, which may make your blood vessels less effective in regulating your blood pressure.
“In addition, sleep apnea causes part of the nervous system to be overactive and release certain chemicals that increase blood pressure.” You should speak to your doctor if you think you may have sleep apnoea. Your GP can arrange for you to have a sleep assessment in a local sleep center.
The condition often goes undiagnosed, as it’s not always possible to notice if you have sleep apnoea.
Controlling your blood pressure is very important, as it increases the risk of some deadly complications, including heart attacks and strokes.
Many people have hypertension without even knowing it, because it rarely has any noticeable symptoms.
But those with extremely high blood pressure may have some tell-tale signs. Common high blood pressure symptoms include chest pain, headaches and nosebleeds. Speak to a GP or pharmacist to have your blood pressure checked. All adults over 40 years old should check their blood pressure at least every ¿ve years.