Response to commentary: does before bedtime body warming by bathing or other means attenuate sleep-time arterial blood pressure?

ABSTRACT

The commentary by Dr. Smolensky provides an insightful assessment of our study from the circadian point of view. In the present letter, we have responded to the commentary by Dr. Smolensky et al., suggesting interpretation of our analytic results and providing additional statistical data regarding the timing of antihypertensive drug use. In addition, we have discussed the terms “nighttime” and “sleep-time” period used in previous researches in relation to ambulatory blood pressure.

KEYWORDS:

• Bathing
• ambulatory blood pressure
• hot water
• passive body heating
• sleep

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Naomi Takenaka, Sachiko Sogahara, Keiko Nakajima, and Megumi Natsuaki for their valuable help with data collection and analysis. This work was supported by research funding from Department of Indoor Environmental Medicine, Nara Medical University; JSPS KAKENHI (grant numbers: 24790774, 22790567, 25860447, 25461393, 15H04776, and 10124877); Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Welfare Foundation; Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare; Osaka Gas Group Welfare Foundation; Japan Diabetes Foundation; Daiwa Securities Health Foundation; Japan Science and Technology Agency; YKK AP Inc.; Ushio Inc.; Nara Prefecture Health Promotion Foundation; Nara Medical University Grant-in-Aid for Collaborative Research Projects; Tokyo Electric Power Company; EnviroLife Research Institute Co., Ltd.; Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd; LIXIL Corp.; and KYOCERA Corp. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, and preparation of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

KS and KO received research grant from YKK AP Inc.; Ushio Inc.; Tokyo Electric Power Company; EnviroLife Research Institute Co., Ltd.; Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.; LIXIL Corp.; and KYOCERA Corp. The other authors reported no conflicts of interest.