Studies have found that a single night of inadequate sleep in people who have existing hypertension can cause elevated blood pressure throughout the following day. But this is not the cause of cardiovascular disease.
Lack of sleep can increase insulin resistance, a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Shortened sleep can increase CRP, or C-reactive protein, which is released with stress and inflammation. If your CRP is high, it's a risk factor for cardiovascular and heart disease.
