Suffering from Blood Pressure? No worries. Follow these seven tips!

Why is high blood pressure or hypertension known as the silent killer? It is because although it often has no symptoms, it is one of the major causes of heart disease and stroke. In a few countries, such as the United States, these conditions are one of the leading causes of death.

If you are looking for effective ways to reduce your blood pressure, then you can consider the following tips.

1. Get proper sleep

When you are sleeping, your blood pressure generally dips down. If you don’t sleep well or don’t sleep enough, it can affect your blood pressure.

However, for some people, getting a good night’s sleep may not be easy. But there are some ways that can help you get better sleep, such as having a regular sleep schedule, spend some time relaxing at night, as well as exercising during the day.

2. Reduce alcohol and stop smoking

Even if you are healthy, alcohol may raise your blood pressure. Therefore, if you drink, remember to drink in moderation.

Stopping smoking is helpful not only to prevent hypertension but is good for your overall health. The chemicals in tobacco can increase your blood pressure by damaging your blood vessel walls, which can cause inflammation, and narrow your arteries. These chemicals can also affect you if you inhale secondhand smoke.

3. Losing Weight

If you are overweight, even losing as little as 5-6 kilograms can help in lowering your blood pressure. This will also help you lower your risk for other medical problems as well.

4. The DASH Diet

There is a program known as DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which is considered by experts to be the best diet when it comes to managing and lowering blood pressure.

Its basic rules involve staying away or cutting back on foods high in total and saturated fat, processed foods, sugar, salt, carbohydrates, caffeine, and alcohol. This diet also focuses on increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, especially berries, whole grains, foods high in potassium and magnesium, such as beans or leafy greens, high protein foods, and calcium-rich foods like low-sugar yogurt.

5. Proper Exercise

Proper and regular exercise is of utmost importance. If you follow a healthy diet and exercise, you are more likely to lose weight. Even exercising for half an hour for five days a week can lead to a significant reduction in high blood pressure. Exercising doesn’t always involve going to the gym. Even performing your housework, such as gardening or washing your car, can also provide your body with proper exercise. You can also perform activities such as walking, dancing, jogging, riding a bike, or swimming, which is best for the heart.

6. Meditation and Yoga

Mindfulness and meditating, including transcendental meditation, have been used as an effective method to reduce stress for a long time. Yoga practices can include breathing exercises, posture, and meditating techniques, which can greatly, help you to reduce stress and blood pressure.

So if you are having high blood pressure, you should definitely consider spending more time on your yoga mat.

7. Reducing Excess Stress

It is true that most of us lead stressful lives, especially those of us living in cities. Workplace and family demands, as well as events of national and international politics, can lead to stress.

Some effective ways to relieve stress include reading a book, watching a comedy show or movie, practicing deep breathing, or taking a walk in nature. Listening to music daily has also been shown to have an impact on reducing blood pressure.