Of all the possible causes of high blood pressure, you may not have considered sleep or the lack of it. Penn State College of Medicine researchers presented findings of a study to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. They found excessively sleepy days and restless nights may be a bad combination for developing high blood pressure and taking longer than thirty minutes to fall asleep further increases the risk. They note that sleepiness is associated with a variety of adverse health effects and diminished quality of life—in addition to high blood pressure. Diagnosing and treating excessive daytime sleepiness and interrupted nighttime sleep may also reduce risk of cardiovascular issues.