5. Lower Caffeine Intake
If you’ve ever had a shot of espresso right before having your blood pressure measured, you would know that caffeine causes an instant boost. Even if caffeine affects your energy and concentration levels for a few hours, studies show that it does not have a lasting effect on your body.
If you consume caffeine every day, the chances are that it can lower your risk for heart disease, as well as high blood pressure. This can include coffee, as well as caffeinated tea. However, if you think that you are sensitive to caffeine, try to cut back and see if it has any effect on your blood pressure level.
If you see that caffeine is causing a short-term spike in your levels of blood pressure, don’t worry. It does not have a lasting increase for most people.
6. Manage Stress
One of the key factors that drive blood pressure is stress. If you are always stressed or anxious, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode. This affects your body as a faster pulse means increased heart rate, leading to constricted blood vessels.
Moreover, chronic stress can lead to unhealthy patterns of behavior, including consumption of unhealthy, processed food or intake of alcohol. These behaviors can increase blood pressure significantly.
In case you feel stressed out, take steps to calm yourself down. Not only will this help you feel better, but it will also reduce high blood pressure. You can:
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- Listen to some soothing music that helps calm your nervous system down.
- Take more “me time” as sometimes, work can get extremely stressful.
7. Eat Bits of Dark Chocolate
Looking for an easy way out? This is it- all you need to do is introduce small amounts of dark chocolate into your diet.
Studies prove that dark chocolate and cocoa powder are full of flavonoids. These are plant compounds that help dilate blood vessels. Moreover, these studies show that flavonoid-rich cocoa is great for heart health, especially to reduce blood pressure.
If you are serious about getting behind this advice, look for non-alkalized cocoa powder. This has no added sugars and is full of flavonoids.
8. Shed Weight
Overweight or obese people are more likely to have heart problems. A study conducted in 2016 showed that by losing 5 percent of body mass, you could reduce your blood pressure significantly. Studies also show that losing 8 kilograms reduces 8.5 mm Hg systolic blood pressure while reducing diastolic blood pressure by 6.5 mm Hg.
This means that paired with regular exercise; weight loss can be great for your heart. When you lose weight, the blood vessels in your body can expand and contract, allowing the left ventricle of the heart to pump blood. This will help reduce blood pressure and make you healthy again.
Staying healthy, maintaining heart health, and lowering blood pressure is a lifestyle. Remember to stay consistent and patient- there will be some bad days, but as long as you remain committed, you can achieve your goals.
