High blood pressure can be detrimental to your body in several ways. For instance, it can increase your risk to a number cardiovascular diseases, heart failure, and even sudden cardiac death. This is why it is always critical to know how to lower your blood pressure immediately your physician or doctor confirms that you have high blood pressure.
The good news about high blood pressure is that there are things that you can do to reduce your numbers and ultimately lower your risks—without taking medications. Before going deeper into some of these things/ways, it is important to understand what it means to have high blood pressure.
What Is High Blood Pressure?
Essentially, your blood pressure depends on the amount of blood that your heart is pumping and the amount of resistance there is to blood flow to your arteries. So, if your arteries are narrower, your blood pressure will be higher. Blood pressure that’s lower than 120/mm HG is considered to be normal while those at 130/80 mm Hg or more are considered high.
Lowering Your Blood Pressure Fast
There are a number of foods, herbal remedies, and lifestyle changes that you can opt for to lower your blood pressure. However, some of these methods take time, and may not benefit people who are looking for quick solutions. This post will only focus on methods that can help you lower pressure fast—in a few hours or days.
Exercise
A number of studies have shown that exercise can help you lower your blood pressure fast. Exercise makes the heart stronger. And if your heart doesn’t work hard to pump, the force on your arteries is significantly reduced, lowering your blood pressure instantaneously. Some of the exercises that can help you lower your blood pressure include:
- Resistance training
- Aerobic exercises
- Walking—about 10,000 steps a day
- Short bouts of exercises throughout the day
- High-intensity interval training (or HIIT)
Controlling Your Stressors
The body produces a wide range of hormones when we are in stressful situations. These hormones can temporarily raise your blood pressure by making your heart to beat faster and your arteries to narrow. Mastering how to control your stressors can go a long way in helping you lower your blood pressure fast.
The following are some of the techniques that you can leverage to reduce your stress and ultimately lower your blood pressure:
- Deep breathing
- Mediation
- Wrapping a warm towel around your neck
- Dong yoga and tai chi
Enough, Restful sleep
Our blood pressure often dips when we are sleeping. Lack of enough sleep can, therefore, affect your blood pressure. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleeping less than seven hours and more than nine hours a night on a regular basis is associated with increased risk of hypertension. Sleep deprived individuals, especially middle-aged people, have also been proven to have an increased risk of blood pressure.
To lower your blood pressure fast, it is recommended to get a good night’s sleep. Some of the best ways that can help you get quality and restful sleep include:
- Setting regular sleeping schedules
- Spending time relaxing at night
- Exercising during the day
- Making your bedroom comfortable
- Avoiding daytime naps
Summary
Mastering how to lower your blood pressure fast is very critical as uncontrolled pressure can cause irreparable damage to your internal organs and even shorten your life. However, like any other medical issue, before making any major changes in your lifestyle, talk to your doctor for a more professional advice. Additionally, if you are taking medications, ensure that there are no drug interactions with the changes you plan to make.
