How to lower blood pressure naturally you get a high blood pressure reading at the doctor’s office, some additional explanation might be necessary to understand what impact those numbers can make on your overall health. After all, high blood pressure (a.k.a. hypertension) has no unusual day-to-day symptoms.
But the truth is that having high blood pressure is a serious health risk—it boosts the chances of leading killers such as heart attack and stroke, as well as aneurysms, cognitive decline, and kidney failure. What’s more, high blood pressure was a primary or contributing cause of death for nearly 500,000 people in 2019, per the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Even scarier? Only 24% of people with high blood pressure have it under control, per the CDC. If you haven’t had your numbers checked in at least two years, see a doctor. Anything above 130/80 mmHg is considered high. (Systolic blood pressure is the top number; diastolic, the bottom.)Your blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries, according to the CDC. Your arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body.
It’s normal for your blood pressure to rise and fall during the day. But, if it stays elevated, it’s considered high blood pressure.
Your blood pressure is measured two ways:
Systolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats
Diastolic blood pressure, which measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats
When you get a blood pressure reading, the systolic blood pressure number is on top, and the diastolic blood pressure number is on the bottom.
The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association define high blood pressure as a reading at or above 130/80 mmHg. Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHG, while elevated blood pressure is considered 120-129/less than 80 mmHG.There’s no substitute for a healthy lifestyle—eating well and exercising are going to be much better at reducing blood pressure than me throwing a ton of medications at someone,” she says.
While there are medications that can help do things like relax your blood vessels, make your heart beat with less force, and block nerve activity that can restrict your blood vessels, Dr. Weinberg says that there’s “really no substitute” for healthy lifestyle factors when it comes to lowering blood pressure in many instances.
Although medication can lower blood pressure, it may cause side effects such as leg cramps, dizziness, and insomnia. The good news is that most people can bring their numbers down naturally, without using drugs. “Lifestyle changes are an important part of prevention and treatment of high blood pressure,
1. Get more exercise.
Regular exercise, even as simple as walking, seems to be just as effective at lowering blood pressure as commonly used BP drugs, according to a 2018 meta-analysis of hundreds of studies. Exercise strengthens the heart, meaning it doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood. Dr. Williams recommends shooting for 30 minutes of cardio on most days. Over time, you can keep challenging your ticker by increasing speed, upping distance, or adding weights. Losing even a little weight will also help ease hypertension.
2. Let yourself relax.
Our bodies react to stress by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can raise your heart rate and constrict blood vessels, causing your blood pressure to spike. But breathing exercises and practices like meditation, yoga, and tai chi can help keep stress hormones—and your blood pressure—in check, Dr. Williams says. Start with five minutes of calming breathing or mindfulness in the morning and five minutes at night, then build up from there.4. Pick potassium-rich foods.
Getting 2,000 to 4,000 mg of potassium a day can help lower blood pressure, says Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. (The nutrient encourages the kidneys to excrete more sodium through urination.) We all know about the potassium in bananas, but foods like potatoes, spinach, and beans actually pack more potassium than the fruit. Tomatoes, avocados, edamame, watermelon, and dried fruits are other great sources.
3. Adopt the DASH diet.
Alongside the Mediterranean diet, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is consistently ranked as one of the absolute healthiest eating plans—and it was developed specifically to lower blood pressure without medication. The diet emphasizes veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy, capping daily sodium intake at 2,300 mg, with an ideal limit at that all-important 1,500 mg. Research shows DASH can reduce BP in just four weeks and even aid weight loss.
4. Take up tea.
It turns out that lowering high blood pressure is as easy as one, two, tea. Adults with mildly high blood pressure who sipped three cups of naturally caffeine-free hibiscus tea daily lowered their systolic BP by seven points in six weeks, a 2009 study reported. And a 2014 meta-analysis found that consuming both caffeinated and decaf green tea is associated with significantly lowering BP over time. Tea’s polyphenols and phytochemicals (nutrients found only in fruits and veggies) could be behind its benefits.
5.Work less.
Putting in more than 40 hours per week at the office raises your risk of hypertension by 17%, according to a study of more than 24,000 California residents. Working overtime takes away time for exercise and healthy cooking, the study’s lead researcher. Not everyone can clock out early, but if you work a 9 to 5, try to log off at a decent hour so you can work out, cook, and relax.
6.Sit less, too
In the age of working from home, it’s easier than ever to accidentally sit at your desk all day. Study after study after study has shown that interrupting prolonged sitting time at work can reduce hypertension, working in tandem with other practices like exercising, eating well, and getting enough sleep.
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