High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is a common health condition and, in the UK, one third of adults suffer from it – sometimes without even realising. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, yet it can increase your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
If you suffer from high blood pressure, you might already be taking medication prescribed by your doctor – but there are lifestyle changes you can make that may help too.
So, here’s everything you need to know about high blood pressure and how you can lower it naturally.
What is normal blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the measure of the force of your blood inside your arteries, and when the force is too high, it can weaken your heart and damage your arteries. This can increase your risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease.
Blood pressure is recorded using two numbers; both of which are measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). The systolic pressure is the higher number, and this represents the force with which your heart pumps blood around the body. The diastolic pressure is the lower number, and this represents the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels.
Normal blood pressure varies from 90/60 to 120/80, so if your blood pressure is high (140/90 or more) for more than a few weeks, your doctor will likely diagnose you with high blood pressure and may recommend that you take medication. The easiest way to measure your blood pressure is to book an appointment at a pharmacy – you can find your nearest one on the NHS website.
You could also consider buying a blood pressure monitor to keep an eye on it at home. Just make sure that it’s approved for use in the UK. The British and Irish Hypertension Society has a list of validated blood pressure monitors for home use here.
As well as taking medication, there are lots of things you can do to help lower blood pressure naturally. And, even better, these steps will likely boost your overall health and fitness too.
10 natural ways to lower blood pressure
1. Maintain a healthy weight
Blood pressure tends to increase as weight increases, and if you’re overweight, losing even a small amount can make a difference. For each kilogram of weight an overweight person loses, they can reduce their blood pressure by about one millimetre of mercury (mmHg).
Aside from dropping any excess weight, it’s also a good idea to watch your waistline. The fat around our waist is called visceral fat and having too much of it can increase the risk of high blood pressure. Generally speaking, men should aim for their waist to measure less than 40 inches, and women for less than 35 inches.
To get some healthy meals and snack ideas, you might find it helpful to read our articles: 14 quick and healthy snack ideas and 12 healthy recipe ideas.
2. Exercise regularly
We all know that doing regular exercise is good for our health – and part of this is because it helps to lower blood pressure. When you exercise, your heart becomes stronger and better at pumping blood around the body. This helps to relieve pressure in your arteries.
Just 150 minutes of moderate exercise can be effective at reducing blood pressure and boosting heart health. According to research, exercising more than this will have an even greater effect.
You don’t have to run marathons or pump iron at the gym to see the benefits; moderate aerobic exercise like brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing can all help. A study of sedentary older adults found that those who did moderate aerobic exercise lowered their blood pressure by 3.9% systolic and 4.5% diastolic on average – results that are just as good as blood pressure medications.
For inspiration on how to get active and increase your fitness levels, check out the fitness and exercise section of our website. You may also like to get involved in some virtual exercise classes over on Rest Less Events.
3. Reduce your sodium intake
Reducing your sodium (salt) intake is generally one of the most important ways to lower blood pressure – and research suggests that a low-sodium diet can have the same effect as blood pressure medication.
Many studies show that there’s a link between high sodium intake and high blood pressure, as well as heart conditions and strokes.
If you have high blood pressure, you could try cutting back on salt to see if it makes a difference. Rather than buying ready-made meals which are often high in sodium, try making fresh food yourself, and seasoning dishes with herbs and spices instead of salt.
You can learn more in our article: 9 ways to lower your salt intake.
4. Eat a healthy whole food diet
Eating a fresh and healthy diet that’s low in saturated fat and cholesterol is also a good way to lower your blood pressure.
According to the NHS, a low-fat diet that includes lots of fibre (like whole grain rice, bread, and pasta) and plenty of fruit and vegetables, helps to lower blood pressure.
It’s also a good idea to cut down on processed foods that are high in salt, sugar, and refined carbs. Examples of these foods include deli meats, tinned soup, pizza, crisps, and other processed snacks. Foods that are branded as ‘low-fat’ are often high in both sugar and salt.
You can find out more in our articles: What are the benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet? and The DASH diet – what is it and what are the pros and cons? The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is specifically tailored to help lower blood pressure.
5. Eat more potassium
While eating any foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals is a good idea, when it comes to lowering blood pressure, it can be especially helpful to make sure you’re getting enough potassium.
Potassium not only reduces the harmful effects of sodium in your body, but it also eases pressure in your blood vessels.
It’s recommended we consume around 3,500mg of potassium each day. However, if you suffer from kidney disease, it’s important not to ingest too much. So if you’re unsure, it’s best to speak to your GP about your optimum potassium level.
Fruits like bananas, apricots, avocados, tomatoes, melons, and oranges are all high in potassium, as are vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, peas, leafy greens, and spinach.
For further guidance, check out our article: Everything you need to know about potassium.
6. Limit alcohol
Drinking alcohol in moderation isn’t usually problematic, but drinking too much can raise blood pressure. In fact, around 16% of high blood pressure cases are linked to excessive alcohol consumption.
Studies show that alcohol can raise blood pressure by one mmHg for every 10g consumed. When you bear in mind that the average alcoholic drink contains 14g of alcohol, this can have a significant effect.
Drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week can have adverse effects on other areas of your health too. If you’d like to cut back on your drinking, you might find it helpful to read our articles: 10 tips to stay alcohol-free beyond dry January and How to make healthier drink choices.
7. Stop smoking
Smoking is always harmful to health as every cigarette we smoke causes a temporary spike in blood pressure. But, the good news is that stopping smoking can help your blood pressure return to normal. Quitting smoking can also reduce the risk of heart disease and improve your overall health.
Plus, the chemicals in tobacco are known to harm blood vessel walls – causing inflammation and narrowing arteries – which leads to higher blood pressure. Studies show that even secondhand smoke can contribute to higher blood pressure.
Our article, 7 tips for quitting smoking, has ideas to help if you’d like to stop.
8. Cut back on caffeine
If you’ve ever drunk coffee before you’ve had your blood pressure measured, you may be aware that caffeine can cause it to instantly spike. The precise role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debated, and it can have a different impact on different people. Though, some studies suggest that caffeine’s effect on raising blood pressure is more dramatic if your blood pressure is already high.
Still, if you have high blood pressure or think you might be caffeine-sensitive, you may want to try cutting back to see if it makes a difference to your blood pressure.
For ideas of other drinks you can enjoy throughout the day, check out our article on making healthier drinks choices.
9. Reduce stress
Chronic stress is believed to be a cause of high blood pressure. When you’re stressed, your heart rate is usually higher and your blood vessels can become constricted. You might also be more likely to turn to other behaviours that can raise blood pressure further, like drinking more alcohol, smoking, or eating unhealthy food.
While it’s difficult to eliminate all stress from your life, try to identify the main causes. Then think about ways you can avoid, or better deal with, these triggers. Listening to soothing music has been shown to relax the nervous system, and studies show reducing stress is a good complement to other blood pressure treatments.
For more information on dealing with stress, you might like to check out our articles: 7 tips for coping with stress and anxiety and 9 simple stress relieving activities. Or, why not tune into a mindfulness session on Rest Less Events?
10. Get more sleep
We’re only just beginning to understand quite how important sleep is for our health – and it can play a role in stabilising blood pressure too. When we’re sleeping, our blood pressure tends to dip, and studies show that if you don’t get enough sleep, you have an increased risk of high blood pressure.
According to research, regularly sleeping for less than four hours a night is linked to a significant risk in the long term. However, getting six to eight hours of restful sleep a night doesn’t only prevent blood pressure from rising, it can also prevent it fluctuating – which can be just as dangerous.
If you struggle to get enough restful sleep, head over to the sleep and fatigue section of our website where you’ll find tips to help you improve your sleep.
You may also like to attend the Sleep Better Clinic on Rest Less Events. The classes are designed to help you rest, relax, and achieve better sleep.
Final thoughts…
Having high blood pressure can lead to various health problems and increase the chances of suffering from a heart attack or stroke. But the good news is that there are plenty of lifestyle changes you can make to help lower it.
However, if you have concerns about your blood pressure, you should always speak to your GP as it might be that taking medication is the best step for you.
For more health information, why not read our articles: 5 tips to help lower cholesterol and 11 healthy heart tips?
Do you suffer from high blood pressure? Or do you have any of your own tips to reduce blood pressure? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.
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