![]() Your doctor may suggest checking it daily or less often. If your blood pressure is well-controlled, check with your doctor about how often you need to check it. Regular visits with your doctor are also key to controlling your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about home monitoring before you get started. Blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription. Home monitoring can help you keep tabs on your blood pressure, make certain your lifestyle changes are working, and alert you and your doctor to potential health complications. Monitor your blood pressure at home and see your doctor regularly Explore 5 signs of excessive stress, according to ANA's Well-Being Initiative 9. Expressing gratitude to others can help reduce your stress. ![]() Make time for enjoyable activities or hobbies in your schedule, such as taking a walk, cooking or volunteering. Take time each day to sit quietly and breathe deeply. Make time to relax and to do activities you enjoy. ![]() Avoid people who cause you stress if possible. For example, if rush-hour traffic on the way to work causes stress, try leaving earlier in the morning, or take public transportation. If you are having a conflict with your kids or spouse, take steps to resolve it.Īvoid stress triggers. If you are having an issue at work, try talking to your manager. Understand there are some things you can’t change or control, but you can focus on how you react to them.įocus on issues you can control and make plans to solve them. Avoid trying to do too much and learn to say no. For example, plan your day and focus on your priorities. If you can’t eliminate all of your stressors, you can at least cope with them in a healthier way. Once you know what’s causing your stress, consider how you can eliminate or reduce stress. Take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed, such as work, family, finances or illness. Occasional stress also can contribute to high blood pressure if you react to stress by eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol or smoking. More research is needed to determine the effects of chronic stress on blood pressure. Reduce your stressĬhronic stress may contribute to high blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about the effects of caffeine on your blood pressure.Įxplore Study: An hour of sleep in the afternoon can lower blood pressure 8. If your blood pressure increases by 5 to 10 mm Hg, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of caffeine. To see if caffeine raises your blood pressure, check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a caffeinated beverage. But people who drink coffee regularly may experience little or no effect on their blood pressure.Īlthough the long-term effects of caffeine on blood pressure aren’t clear, it’s possible blood pressure may slightly increase. Caffeine can raise blood pressure up to 10 mm Hg in people who rarely consume it. The role caffeine plays in blood pressure is still debated. People who quit smoking may live longer than people who never quit smoking. Quitting smoking can reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your overall health. Stopping smoking helps your blood pressure return to normal. Quit smokingĮach cigarette you smoke increases your blood pressure for many minutes after you finish. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications. Talk to your doctor about the potassium level that’s best for you.ĭrinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. The best source of potassium is food, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Potassium can lessen the effects of sodium on blood pressure. Monitor what you eat, how much, when and why.Ĭonsider boosting potassium. Writing down what you eat, even for just a week, can shed surprising light on your true eating habits. It isn’t easy to change your eating habits, but with these tips, you can adopt a healthy diet: This eating plan is known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Eat a healthy dietĮating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and skimps on saturated fat and cholesterol can lower your blood pressure by up to 11 mm Hg if you have high blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about developing an exercise program. Aim to include strength training exercises at least two days a week. Strength training also can help reduce blood pressure. You can also try high-intensity interval training, which involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with subsequent recovery periods of lighter activity. Some examples of aerobic exercise you may try to lower blood pressure include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming or dancing.
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