Medications may help lower your blood pressure. Various dietary and lifestyle changes, such as increasing physical activity, enhancing sleep quality, and reducing sugar and alcohol intake, can also be beneficial.
High blood pressure (hypertension) often has no symptoms but is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Most people’s target blood pressure will be below 120/80 mm Hg. If a person’s blood pressure is 130/80 mm Hg or more, it is high.
A reading of 120–129 over less than 80 is considered elevated blood pressure. This indicates an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes to help manage your blood pressure and prevent it from becoming too high.
Here are 18 effective ways to lower your blood pressure levels.
1. Get Enough Exercise
Research indicates that both aerobic and resistance exercises can help delay or manage blood pressure. After exercising, blood pressure may remain lower for up to 24 hours.
Regular exercise means you consistently raise your heart and breathing rates. Over time, your heart becomes stronger and pumps more efficiently. This puts less pressure on your arteries and lowers your blood pressure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise weekly, or about 30 minutes daily, 5 days a week. For children and teens, the CDC recommends 1 hour of exercise per day.
Tips for increasing your activity levels include:
- Using the stairs
- Walking instead of driving
- Doing household chores
- Gardening
- Going for a bike ride
- Playing a team sport
Regular exercise is not only beneficial for managing blood pressure but also enhances overall well-being and reduces the risk of other chronic conditions.
2. Manage Weight
Excess body weight strains the heart and the cardiovascular system. This can raise blood pressure.
If your body mass index (BMI) is 25 or over, losing 5–10 pounds can help reduce your blood pressure. It also reduces the risk of various other health issues.
The three key ways of doing this are to:
- Move more
- Eat less
- Eat healthily
Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular physical activity is crucial for long-term blood pressure management.
3. Cut Back on Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates
Cutting sugar and refined carbs could aid weight loss and reduce blood pressure.
A 2020 study compared how various popular diets affected people’s weight and cardiovascular risk. Overweight or obese individuals on low-carb, low-fat diets experienced an average 5 mm Hg drop in both diastolic and systolic blood pressure by 3 mm Hg after 6 months.
Reducing the intake of sugary foods and beverages, as well as refined grains, can lead to significant improvements in blood pressure levels and overall health.
4. More Potassium, Less Salt
Increasing your potassium intake and cutting back on salt can help lower your blood pressure.
A high salt intake can increase the risk of blood pressure, while reducing salt intake lowers it. Potassium assists in salt removal and relaxes blood vessel tension.
High potassium foods include:
- Dried fruit, such as apricots and prunes
- Milk and yogurt
- Lentils and kidney beans
- Vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and spinach
Yet, excessive potassium intake could pose risks for those with kidney disease; consult your doctor before upping potassium intake.
Nutrition labels can help you decide which foods to eat and which to avoid. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers a sodium listing of 5% as low, while 20% or more is high.
5. Follow a Heart-Healthy Diet
The National Institutes of Health recommend the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) as a heart-healthy option.
The DASH diet emphasizes:
- Eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- Consuming low or zero-fat dairy products
- Consume fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils
- Avoid saturated fats and added sugars in foods
Following a diet rich in whole foods and low in processed ingredients supports cardiovascular health and helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
6. Limit Processed Food
Processed foods frequently contain excessive salt, added sugar, and unhealthy fats. They may lead to weight gain. All these factors can contribute to high blood pressure.
Examples include:
- Processed meats
- Many fast or fried foods
- Processed snacks
Low-fat labeled foods may compensate with high salt and sugar to replace lost fat, which provides taste and satiety.
Reducing processed food intake aids in consuming less salt, sugar, and refined carbs. All of this can result in lower blood pressure.
7. Quit or Avoid Smoking
Smoking can impact overall health, including blood pressure.
Over time, tobacco chemicals may elevate blood pressure due to:
- Damaging your blood vessel walls
- Causing inflammation
- Narrowing your arteries
The hardened arteries cause higher blood pressure.
Tobacco chemicals can impact blood vessels even from secondhand smoke exposure.
A study revealed that nonsmokers in locales with smoke-free policies for restaurants, bars, and workplaces exhibited lower blood pressure compared to those without such policies.
Quitting smoking can significantly improve your cardiovascular health and lower your blood pressure.
8. Manage Stress
Managing stress is crucial for both health and blood pressure maintenance.
Methods for stress relief vary by individual but may encompass:
- Practicing deep breathing
- Taking a walk
- Reading a book
- Listening to music
- Mindfulness
- Meditation
Effective stress management techniques can help reduce tension and lower blood pressure.
9. Eat Some Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate typically contains 70–85% cacao. Cacao holds flavonoids, antioxidants potentially lowering blood pressure by dilating blood vessels.
Yet, the American Heart Association suggests that while consuming small amounts of dark chocolate is unlikely to be harmful, the daily quantity consumed is likely to be limited not provide enough flavonoids to produce health benefits.
Chocolate rich in sugar, fat, or calories may not offer benefits.
What other advantages does dark chocolate offer?
10. Try These Medicinal Herbs
Some herbal medicines may help lower blood pressure. Yet, further research is required to pinpoint the most effective doses and components in herbs.
Certain plants and herbs utilized for blood pressure reduction comprise:
- Black bean (Castanospermum australe)
- Cat’s claw (Uncaria rhynchophylla)
- Celery juice (Apium graveolens)
- Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida)
- Ginger root
- Giant dodder (Cuscuta reflexa)
- Indian plantago (blond psyllium)
- Maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster)
- River lily (Crinum glaucum)
- Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
- Sesame oil (Sesamum indicum)
- Tomato extract (Lycopersicon esculentum)
- Tea (Camellia sinensis), especially green tea and oolong tea
- Umbrella tree bark (Musanga cecropioides)
Insufficient evidence exists to confirm herbal remedies' efficacy in blood pressure management.
Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal supplements, as they could interact with prescription medications.
11. Get Quality Sleep
Lack of sleep might elevate the risk of high blood pressure since blood pressure typically decreases during sleep; however, poor sleep can disrupt this pattern.
Tips for sleeping well include:
- Setting a regular sleep schedule
- Exercise during the day, avoiding close proximity to bedtime
- Sleeping in a cool, darkened room
- Leaving devices outside the sleeping room
- Not eating or drinking caffeine or alcohol too close to bedtime
Good sleep hygiene can improve sleep quality and contribute to healthier blood pressure levels.
12. Eat Garlic or Take Garlic Extract Supplements
Fresh garlic or garlic extract could aid in blood pressure reduction.
A review revealed that garlic supplements decreased systolic blood pressure by around 5 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by up to 2.5 mm Hg in individuals with high blood pressure.
Garlic's natural compounds can help relax blood vessels and reduce blood pressure.
13. Eat Healthy High-Protein Foods
A 2015 study of data for over 1,300 people suggested that people who eat a higher protein diet had a 40% lower long-term risk of high blood pressure. Those who combined this with a high fiber intake had a 60% lower risk.
This was true whether the protein was animal or plant-based.
Prior research had already indicated that protein intake might reduce blood pressure temporarily.
High-protein foods include:
- Fish, such as salmon or canned tuna in water
- Eggs
- Poultry, such as chicken breast
- Lean beef
- Beans and legumes like kidney beans and lentils
- Nuts or nut butter like peanut butter
- Chickpeas
- Low-fat cheese and other dairy products
Before transitioning to a high-protein diet, consult a doctor, as it may not be appropriate for all individuals. It's crucial to balance various protein types and combine protein foods with other items.
14. Take Supplements to Lower Blood Pressure
Supplements potentially aiding blood pressure management encompass:
- Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or fish oil
- Whey protein
- Magnesium
- Potassium
Yet, insufficient evidence exists to verify most supplements' efficacy in blood pressure management. Always consult a doctor before supplement use, as not all supplements are universally safe. They may exacerbate other conditions or interact with current medications.
15. Limit Alcohol Intake
A 2020 review found that consuming 30 g or more of alcohol appears to increase the heart rate for up to 24 hours. Blood pressure typically decreases over the initial 12 hours before rising.
A standard drink comprises approximately 14 grams of alcohol. Despite popular belief, excessive red wine consumption isn't heart-healthy, as per the American Heart Association. They recommend limiting alcohol intake to two standard drinks daily for males and one for females.
A drink is:
- One 12-ounce beer
- 4 ounces of wine
- 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits
- 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits
- Review Your Caffeine Intake
People who usually consume 1–3 cups of coffee per day are unlikely to experience a rise in blood pressure. Yet, excessive coffee intake, especially for those unaccustomed to it, could elevate blood pressure.
Conversely, high-caffeine energy drinks might raise blood pressure and thus increase cardiovascular risk. Experts advise against energy drink consumption, particularly among minors with preexisting health issues.
If you find that caffeine is affecting how you feel, you might want to try decaffeinated coffee.
16. Drink Water
Research indicates that consuming 550 milliliters (ml) of water within 2 hours of waking up, and another 550 ml 2 hours before bedtime, could potentially lower blood pressure. However, more research is needed. Water can boost overall health and may have many other benefits.
17. Take Prescription Medication
If lifestyle changes fail to lower very high blood pressure or if it remains elevated, your doctor might suggest prescription medication, considering your blood pressure reading and other relevant factors.
Discuss potential medications with your doctor to determine the most suitable option for your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I lower my blood pressure quickly?
This will depend on the cause and any existing diagnoses you have. Try sitting calmly and practicing breathing exercises for potential relief. A person with an existing diagnosis may need to take their prescribed medication. If your blood pressure is over 180/120 mm Hg, or if either of these numbers is over, you may need emergency medical treatment.
Can drinking lots of water lower blood pressure?
Studies indicate that consuming 550 milliliters (ml) of water within 2 hours of waking up and another 550 ml 2 hours before bedtime might aid in lowering blood pressure, though further research is required.
What is a normal blood pressure level by age?
Normal blood pressure levels by age:
- Children (newborn to 6 months): 45–90/30–65
- Children (6 months to 2 years): 80–100/40–70
- Children (2–13 years): 80–120/40–80
- Adolescents (14–18 years): 90–120/50–80
- Adult (19–40 years): 95–135/60–80
- Adults (41–60 years): 110–145/70–90
- Older adults (61 and older): 95–145/70–90
What's the blood pressure threshold for a stroke?
According to the American Heart Association, if your blood pressure is higher than 180/120, you need to seek immediate medical care. This qualifies as a hypertensive crisis and poses a significant risk.
Summary
Elevated blood pressure heightens the risk of various health issues. It's often manageable through exercise, diet, stress control, and other means.
If home remedies do not help or your blood pressure is very high, it’s best to see a doctor.
By incorporating these lifestyle and dietary changes, you can take proactive steps towards managing your blood pressure effectively. Always consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes to your routine or starting new treatments.
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