07 Lifestyle Changes to Keep Your Blood Pressure in Check!
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a deceptively common ailment causing a lot of mortality and morbidity. It can lead to heart failure, heart attacks, strokes, or/and kidney disease.
A lower blood pressure protects important organs, like the brain, heart, and kidneys from damages.
A systolic blood pressure of more than 130 and diastolic over 80 is classified as high blood pressure.
Keeping your blood pressure levels below these limits involves lifestyle changes. However, the good news is that modifying your lifestyle can significantly contribute to maintaining healthy blood pressure levels and lowering your risk of suffering from high blood pressure. So, here are ten hypertension guidelines by which you can keep your blood pressure levels optimal!
- Increased Physical Activity
Exercising can be as simple as using the stairs, walking or going for a bike ride, doing household chores, or playing a team sport for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. less pressure on your arteries and hence, blood pressure remains normal.
Exercising can be as simple as using the stairs, walking or going for a bike ride, doing household chores, or playing a team sport for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. - Losing Excess Weight
If you’re overweight, it’s helpful to lose even 2 to 5 kilos. The reduced weight contributes to lowering your blood pressure. It can also lower your risk for other medical problems. - Reduce Sugar and Sodium Intake
Reducing refined carbohydrates through a low-carb diet is greatly effective in lowering blood pressure. So is lowering your sodium intake to 5 grams per day (One level teaspoon per day per person). - Increase Potassium
Potassium eases tension in your blood vessels by reducing the effects of salt in your system. Foods that are naturally high in potassium include low-fat dairy foods like milk and yogurt, fish, fruits like bananas, avocados, and oranges, vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, tomatoes, greens, and spinach. - Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is not only good for your overall health, but it can lower your risk of having high blood pressure as well. Smoking induces an immediate but temporary spike in your blood pressure and heart rate. Long-term use damages the blood vessel walls, causing inflammation and narrowing of your arteries, ultimately causing higher blood pressure. - Reduce Excess Stress
Since we live under constant stress, finding ways to reduce it is vital for your blood pressure levels and overall health. Adopt different ways to relieve stress like deep breathing, taking a walk, reading a book or other engaging entertainment. Transcendental meditation and other mindfulness practices reduce stress. Yoga involves breathing control, posture correction, and meditation techniques and is also effective in reducing stress and blood pressure. - Get Quality Sleep
Blood pressure typically drops down when you’re sleeping. So if you don’t sleep well, your blood pressure levels are bound to get affected. People with sleep deprivation have an increased risk of high blood pressure. Regularly sleep of 6-7 hours a day is ideal to keep your blood pressure in check.
