How to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

You can lower your blood pressure naturally by eating a healthy diet, cutting back on sodium, moving more, losing extra weight, limiting alcohol, not smoking, sleeping well and managing stress. These changes can prevent, delay or lessen the need for medicine, and they work alongside any medicine your health care team prescribes.

• A way to measure your blood pressure, since high blood pressure often has no symptoms and checking it is the only way to know for sure whether it is too high.
• A food plan you can follow, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, which is recommended by the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
• Food labels to read, so you can look for low-sodium or no-sodium foods and drinks.
• Herbs or spices to flavour food instead of adding table salt.
• A potassium-based salt substitute, if you want to lower sodium while adding potassium.
• Time for activity: aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week, or at least 2 hours and 30 minutes per week.
• A sleep schedule that gives you 7 to 9 hours a night.

1. Measure your blood pressure regularly. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so checking it is the only way to know for sure whether it is too high. If you learn you have high blood pressure, take steps to control it to lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.
2. Start following the DASH diet. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is low in sodium and rich in nutrients, and it can help lower high blood pressure, cholesterol and other fats in your blood, lower your risk for heart attack and stroke, and help you lose weight.
3. Build your plate around vegetables, fruits and fat-free or low-fat dairy. For a 2,000 calorie diet, aim for 4 to 5 servings of vegetables a day, 4 to 5 servings of fruits a day, and 2 to 3 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy a day.
4. Add whole grains, beans, seeds, nuts and vegetable oils. Aim for 6 to 8 servings of grains a day, with 3 of them whole grains, and 4 to 5 servings a week of beans, seeds and nuts.
5. Keep meat, poultry and fish to 2 servings or less a day, and cut back on salt, red meat, sweets and sugary drinks. Limit sweets or added sugars to fewer than 5 servings a week.
6. Lower the sodium in your diet. The DASH diet reduces high blood pressure by lowering sodium to 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day. Lowering sodium to 1,500 mg a day reduces blood pressure even more. Read food labels, eat fewer processed foods, do not add table salt, cook your own food and use a potassium-based salt substitute.
7. Limit alcoholic beverages. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends no more than 1 to 2 drinks or fewer a day for men and 1 drink or less a day for women. For those who do not drink alcohol, it is recommended not to start drinking.
8. Get regular physical activity. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week, such as brisk walking or riding a bike, for at least 2 hours and 30 minutes per week. Regular aerobic exercise can lower high blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg, and strength training at least two days a week also helps.
9. Lose extra weight and pay attention to your waist size. Weight loss in people who are overweight is the strongest lifestyle factor that can lower blood pressure. In general, blood pressure might go down by about 1 mm Hg with each kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of weight lost. Men are at risk if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches (102 centimeters); women are at risk if it is greater than 35 inches (89 centimeters).
10. Do not smoke or vape. Tobacco and nicotine raise blood pressure, and staying away from tobacco or nicotine products, including electronic cigarettes and vaping devices, may lower your risk of heart disease and improve overall health. Also stay away from secondhand smoke.
11. Get a good night's sleep. Adults should try to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Stick to a sleep schedule, keep the sleeping space cool, quiet and dark, turn off screens before bed, and keep naps to 30 minutes or less.
12. Reduce your stress levels. Chronic stress that lasts a long time can elevate blood pressure. Try learning what triggers your stress and avoiding those things as much as possible, focusing on what you can control, and practising mindfulness, meditation or deep breathing.
13. Take any blood pressure medicine exactly as prescribed. Many people need medicine in addition to lifestyle changes. Do not stop taking your current medicine without talking to your doctor or pharmacist first, and tell your provider you are following the DASH diet.

Your health care provider may suggest cutting back to 1,500 mg of sodium a day if you already have high blood pressure, have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, are African American, or are age 51 years or older. Most people can benefit from lowering sodium intake to 2,300 mg a day.

The number of servings you have each day depends on how many calories you need. If you are trying to lose weight, you may need fewer servings than listed. If you are not very active, aim for the lower number of servings; if you are moderately active, have the higher number; if you are very active, you may need more than listed. Your provider can help find the right number for you.

Do not try to make changes all at once. It is fine to change your eating habits gradually. To add vegetables, try a salad at lunch or add cucumber, lettuce, shredded carrots or tomatoes to sandwiches. Add sliced fruit to your cereal or oatmeal, choose fresh fruit or low-fat frozen yogurt for dessert, and think of meat as part of your meal instead of the main course, limiting lean meat to 6 ounces (170 grams) a day.

Most people with diabetes, about 6 out of 10, also have high blood pressure. Having overweight or obesity means your heart must work harder to pump blood and oxygen around the body, and staying at a healthy weight reduces the stress on your heart. People who have depression, anxiety, stress or post-traumatic stress disorder over a long period of time may develop other health problems, including an increased heart rate and high blood pressure.

Blood pressure medicines work in several ways: causing your body to get rid of water, relaxing your blood vessels, making your heart beat with less force, and blocking nerve activity that can restrict your blood vessels. You may need more than one type. All medicines have risks, so talk with your doctor about the best ones for you, their benefits, risks and side effects, and any other health problems you may have.

Can I follow the DASH diet to prevent high blood pressure? Yes. You can follow the DASH diet if you want to prevent high blood pressure, and it can also help you lose extra weight.

Do I have to stop taking my blood pressure medicine while on the DASH diet? No. If you take medicine to treat high blood pressure, do not stop taking your medicine while on the DASH diet, and be sure to tell your provider you are following it.

How much can lifestyle changes lower my blood pressure? A healthy diet can lower the top number in a blood pressure reading, called systolic pressure, by up to 11 mm Hg. Regular aerobic exercise can lower high blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg, and lowering sodium may lower it by about 5 to 6 mm Hg.

How much exercise do I need? Try to get 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity or 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, and do strength training exercises at least two days a week. Talk with a healthcare professional about setting up an exercise program for you.

Does sleep affect blood pressure? Yes. Getting fewer than seven hours of sleep every night for weeks can affect blood pressure, and conditions such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and insomnia can disturb sleep. Let your healthcare professional know if you often have trouble sleeping.