Lifestyle changes that can lower blood pressure

Your blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury or mmHg. The value describes the force your heart exerts on your arteries. 

Your heart should exert less than 120 mmHg during a beat (systolic pressure) and less than 80 mmHg in between beats (diastolic pressure). That's why normal blood pressure is considered 120/80 mmHg.

If one or both of these values are continuously higher and don't return to normal after rest, you may be experiencing hypertension. If you suspect hypertension, visit a licensed medical doctor such as a cardiologist to diagnose you properly.

If left untreated, high blood pressure can damage the arterial walls, speed up the process of atherosclerosis and lead to the formation of thrombi that can cause a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke. The heart may also enlarge, a risk factor for heart failure and long-term disability.

However, you can take steps to lower your blood pressure and minimize the risk of such dreadful complications. 

Many scientific studies have proved these modifiable factors to lower blood pressure. Scientists have estimated the exact amount of blood pressure reduction you may experience after making these changes and sticking with them long-term (1).

Here is a quick list:

• Losing weight if overweight or obese - 1 mmHg for every 1 kg of bodyweight reduction

• Following DASH diet (long-term) - 11 mmHg reduction

• Regular exercise - 90/150 mins per week - 4-8 mmHg reduction

• Reducing salt intake down to 3-5g per day - 5 mmHg reduction

• Potassium intake of 3.5-5g per day - 5 mmHg reduction

• Reducing alcohol intake if more than 2 drinks daily - 4 mmHg reduction

• Adequate protein intake - 2.5 mmHg reduction

Other lifestyle changes that you should consider for lowering your blood pressure include quitting smoking, avoiding caffeine and other stimulants, improving your sleep, and fighting stress.

 Maintain a healthy body weight

According to the American Heart Association, weight loss is the single most effective nonpharmacological method for normalizing high blood pressure in individuals who are overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2) or obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) (2). You can calculate your BMI here.

Thus, if your BMI is above 25 kg/m2, losing weight may help you normalize your blood pressure. For every -1 kg reduction in body weight, you can expect a 1 mmHg reduction in your blood pressure levels.

For example, a meta-analysis that covered data from 4874 participants reported that an average of 5.1 kg (11.2 lbs) weight reduction lowered systolic blood pressure by −4.44 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by −3.57 mm Hg (3).

Exercise every week

Participating in regular exercise can help you lose weight, strengthen your heart, and help reduce your stress levels. The result is significantly lower blood pressure and risk of heart disease.

According to a meta-analysis of 93 trials, which included 5223 participants, any exercise effectively lowers blood pressure as long as it's done consistently over a sufficient period of time (more than 4 weeks) (4). 

According to the American Heart Association, the exercise must last at least 30 minutes per session and at least 90 minutes per week. 

Both aerobic (cardio) and resistance (using weights) training produced significant benefits in the range of 4-8 mmHg blood pressure reductions. Yet, the benefits were seen only in moderate and high-intensity exercise.

Therefore, you should consider participating in any sport you like, as long as it involves moderate to high-intensity physical activity. Doing a sport you enjoy will help you be more consistent with your efforts.

Stick to a healthy diet 

One of the factors that influence your blood pressure levels is the electrolyte balance in your body and, more specifically, the balance between sodium and potassium.

Your diet has a significant impact on that balance since both are essential nutrients that you must take with food for your body to function correctly. 

Unfortunately, most people consume 3 or more grams of sodium per day but too little potassium, which leads to water retention and high blood pressure in "sodium-sensitive" individuals.

Many foods, mainly processed ones, have added salt that enhances the product's taste, while potassium-rich foods are less palatable and thus consumed in smaller amounts.

The American Heart Association recommends consuming at least 3.5g of potassium by increasing your intake of potassium-rich foods.

Such foods are primarily fruits (fresh), vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fish (5). Achieving the recommended intake is estimated to help reduce blood pressure by at least 5 mmHg.

Ideally, your potassium intake should be above 4.5g per day. Supplementation with potassium can be dangerous because your body can absorb the mineral very rapidly and can cause harmful, even potentially fatal, spikes in your serum potassium levels.

On the other hand, experts recommend limiting your sodium intake by at least a gram than you usually consume. This reduction can help lower your blood pressure levels by an additional 5 mmHg (6).

You can cut a third of your sodium intake just by avoiding:

• Deli meat sandwiches
• Pizza
• Burritos and tacos
• Savory Snacks (e.g., chips, crackers, popcorn)
• Pasta mixed dishes
• Burgers

The DASH diet is one of the most popular diets for blood pressure control. Its focus is on increasing your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables while reducing foods rich in sodium, such as highly processed foods.

DASH stands for a “dietary approach to stop hypertension”. Studies estimate that a successfully implemented DASH diet can lead to an 11 mmHg reduction in blood pressure levels on average (7).

Researchers also reveal that people with low protein intake can experience an improvement in their blood pressure levels by adding more protein to their diet (8, 9, 10).

Improving protein intake can help achieve an additional 2-3 mmHg reduction in blood pressure. Typically, you should consume at least 1g of protein per kilogram of body weight or up to 1.6g in athletes who aim to maximize muscle recovery.