Hypertension is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, but it’s often undetectable. The bright side is that you can do it cheaply and without much change. Here are the six tiny lifestyle changes you can make today to support your blood pressure:
1. Move Your Body Regularly
This movement helps to build up the muscles of your heart. The harder the heart has to work, the less it’s working efficiently which means there’s more pressure being applied on your arteries leading into higher blood pressure.
You can do whatever you like to be active. Travel and learn to dance can take the form of cycling, jungle trekking, or a dancing class. The idea is to get out and be moderately physically active for around 30 minutes, at least five days a week. For the most part, the American Heart Association recommends shooting for 150 minutes a week.
2. Eat in a Way That Supports Your Heart
To stay in charge of your body, there is a lot you should eat: fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrains and lean protein. Eat a ton of salt and junk food, though, and your numbers will skyrocket.
As far as natural ways to lower blood pressure, the DASH diet is a commonly prescribed one. You don’t have to follow the schedule exactly; any amount of shifts is helpful. Sprinkle your food with herbs instead of salt; snack on nuts instead of chips. All of these elements add up.
3. Manage Stress Before It Piles Up
Stress is not simply a state of mind. Stress affects your entire body. For instance, when you’re stressed out, your blood pressure will go up. This condition will become a chronic issue if not addressed.
When you find something that helps you relax, your numbers return to baseline. It may be deep breathing, mindfulness, or a few quiet minutes each day. According to Mayo Clinic research, these mini breaks can lower your blood pressure and help you deal with stress more effectively while practicing how to manage blood pressure naturally.
4. Maintain a Healthy Weight
When you gain weight, your heart has to work harder in order to pump blood; that extra exertion hikes something called intravascular pressure. In more simple terms, the heavier you are over and above what your body should be, the more pressure you exert on your blood pressure.
According to the CDC, you only need to lose between 5 and 10% of your body weight for some major lowering of the pressure. In this case, it might be just one less sweetened drink or slightly smaller servings of food or a bit more moderate activity.
5. Drink Less Alcohol and Quit Smoking
Both drinking and smoking increase blood pressure. Alcohol is number one because it elevates your numbers, but smoking beats up on all of your blood vessels.
Experts recommend women have no more than one drink a day, and men no more than two drinks a day, so be sure to record your consumption. There should be no gray area when it comes to quitting smoking. You quit, you get healthier.
6. Get Enough Sleep Every Night
Not getting enough sleep can make it harder to control your blood pressure. Every night, try to get between 7 and 9 hours of excellent sleep.
The Sleep Foundation found a link between not getting enough sleep and high blood pressure. Get to bed at the same time every night to get a good night’s rest. Also, stay away from screens for at least an hour before bed, and make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.
Small Habits Add Up Over Time
Try not to make too many significant changes at once. Instead, start small and work your way up. First, choose one or two of the above steps that seem easiest. You can move on to bigger things once it becomes a habit. You and your heart will feel the change after some time and work, especially when learning how to manage blood pressure naturally day by day.
