It’s known as the ‘silent killer’ for a reason — high blood pressure often comes with no obvious symptoms, yet it significantly increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health issues. The good news? You don’t always need medication to get it under control. With a few simple lifestyle changes, it’s entirely possible to bring your blood pressure down naturally. From tweaking your diet and getting more active to managing stress and cutting back on salt, small daily habits can make a big difference. Here’s how to start taking control of your blood pressure today.
1. Make the time
‘Make the time, ease your pressure’ is the theme for this year’s annual Know Your Numbers! Event by Blood Pressure UK. Not only is high blood pressure a major cause of heart attacks and strokes, but it usually has no symptoms until it’s too late. That’s why the charity is encouraging you and everyone you know – family, friends, colleagues, and neighbours – to get involved and check their blood pressure at home.
Investing in a home blood pressure monitor is an effective and inexpensive way to keep tabs on your blood pressure, so you can see if it’s under control. Not sure which one to go for? Blood Pressure UK advise looking for tested and trusted brands that are clinically validated, within your budget, and easy to use.
2. Watch your waistline
Where we carry our weight on our body can affect how high our blood pressure is, with excess weight around our middle potentially being the most harmful. Being overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep (sleep apnoea), which further raises blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most effective ways to control blood pressure, and even a small amount of weight loss can help to reduce it.
General guidelines state that men are at risk of higher blood pressure if their waist measurement is greater than 40in (102cm), while women are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 35in (89cm).
3. Less salt, more potassium
A high salt intake can increase blood pressure, while introducing more potassium into your diet can reduce it. Potassium helps to relax the blood vessels and eliminate sodium from your body, one of the chemical elements found in salt. High potassium foods include dried fruit such as apricots and raisins, bananas, avocados, lentils and kidney beans and vegetables like broccoli and spinach.
Salt can be added to a lot of things, so look for low-sodium foods and beverages and eat fewer processed foods, which are high in added salt. Cooking from scratch helps to control the level of salt in your food – try adding herbs and spices for extra flavour instead.
4. Stick to a sleep schedule
Studies show that sleep deprivation may increase the risk of high blood pressure. Sleep is not prescriptive – the amount needed varies from person to person, and we tend to sleep less as we get older and our sleep cycles shift – but the recommended range for an adult is between seven to nine hours.
If you do suffer with poor sleep, try having a sleep schedule. Have set sleep and wake times, make sure your bedroom is cool, quiet, and dark enough, and avoid stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, and using electronic devices too close to bedtime, as the blue light in smartphones and iPads sends signals to the brain to stay awake.
5. Take regular exercise
Research suggests that both aerobic and resistance exercise can help manage blood pressure, while post-exercise blood pressure may be lower for up to 24 hours afterwards. Regular exercise increases your heart and breathing rates, meaning that over time your heart gets stronger and pumps with less effort, putting less pressure on your arteries.
Taking up a more active lifestyle doesn’t have to mean starting a hardcore new gym routine. Try walking – studies suggest spending time in green spaces can help reduce blood pressure. Choose the stairs more often, get off the bus one stop early, or meet a friend for a walk and talk instead of a coffee (and cake!) and joining a local action-orientated group, such as a community garden, are all easy and fun ways to get fitter. Not to mention the added social benefits, as studies show that regular meaningful human connection can also bring down blood pressure.
The NHS recommends doing at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week (think enough to raise your heart rate, breathe faster, and feel warmer).
6. Pack in the protein
One 2015 study of more than 1,300 people suggested that people who have a higher protein diet had a 40 per cent lower risk of having high blood pressure. Good examples of high-protein foods include fish such as salmon and canned tuna in water, eggs, chicken breasts, and lean beef, as well as beans, nuts, chickpeas, and low-fat cheese.
As with any balanced diet, it’s important to balance it with other food groups. Participants in the same study who combined their high protein with a high fibre intake had a 60 per cent lower risk of blood pressure. Again, foods such as beans and lentils, as well as other whole grains, fruit, and vegetables, are an easy way to bump up your fibre.
7. Don’t smoke
Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do to reduce your blood pressure, as well as improve your overall health, says the British Heart Foundation. Smoking produces a temporary rise in blood pressure and damages the arteries. Smoking and high blood pressure both narrow the arteries, which makes the blood more likely to clot and forces the heart to work harder, leading to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. You’re four times more likely to give up smoking for good if you have support. Talk to your GP or call the Smokefree National Helpline on 0300 123 1044.
8. Pass the chocolate
Good news for chocolate lovers – a study by Harvard University found that eating a square of good-quality dark chocolate daily can help to reduce blood pressure in people with hypertension. Flavonoids are natural, unsweetened compounds found in dark chocolate and help to dilate the blood vessels, which improves the flow of blood and nutrients around the body.
9. Manage your stress
It’s normal for our blood pressure to increase temporarily when we experience a stressful event, but long-term physical and emotional stress may contribute to higher blood pressure. Stress alone won’t cause circulatory and heart disease, says the British Heart Foundation, but it can lead to unhealthy habits such as smoking, alcohol, high-fat and high-sugar comfort foods, as well as taking less physical exercise.
A good start can be to look at the major stress factors in your life, such as relationships, family, health, work or financial pressures. Make a list of all the things that are causing you to worry and talk to a friend or trusted other person about what you’re feeling, then work out some solutions or a stress reduction plan. Mindful activities such as yoga, meditation and breath work can also help, as can taking up an enjoyable hobby.
10. Do regular tests
Figures show that one in four people in the UK have high blood pressure, yet many might not know it. High blood pressure rarely has noticeable symptoms and many people with the condition feel fine. So, it’s important to get your blood pressure tested regularly, either at the GP surgery or at home. For those who do get symptoms of high blood pressure, they can include blurred vision, nosebleeds, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness and headaches.
Lizzy Dening is an award-winning journalist and has spent many years working for Yours magazine both in-house and as a freelance writer and editor. Her specialisms include health and fitness, interviews (both real life and celebrity) and women’s issues. She’s also written for publications including Grazia, Vogue and the Guardian.