Do you know that there are 1.3 million people with high blood pressure or hypertension worldwide? And this condition kills about 10 million people every year. It’s even dubbed as the “silent killer” because some people don’t know they have it since they aren’t showing any signs of high blood pressure. While hypertension can be an alarming condition, it’s still preventable. If you’re wondering what to do when blood pressure is high, here are 5 simple lifestyle changes you can do today on how to avoid pressure.

Healthy lifestyle habits on how to avoid pressure

Your blood pressure can go up or down depending on what you do. For healthier blood pressure, observe the following lifestyle changes:

Maintain a healthy weight

Move your body

Generally, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. Exercising makes your blood vessels more flexible, ensuring better blood flow.Some of the best exercises on how to avoid pressure include walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, and yoga. By getting your body active, your heart will be able to pump more blood to all parts of your body.

Follow the DASH diet

To keep your blood pressure level in check, you can start following the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). This diet can significantly lower your blood pressure in just 2 weeks.The DASH diet encourages eating more fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, and whole grains. As for the foods to avoid with high blood pressure, the diet advises cutting back on foods high in trans fat, cholesterol, saturated fat, sodium, and sugar.

Quit smoking and drink moderately

Aside from avoiding foods for high pressure, it’s also best for your health if you quit smoking and reduce your alcohol intake.

The nicotine component of cigarettes makes your body produce more epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones, creating a spike in your blood pressure.

Meanwhile, alcohol increases the production of the body’s renin hormones, making your blood vessels narrower.

Get enough sleep

Sleeping less than 5 hours per night can increase or worsen your blood pressure.

If you’re having difficulties sleeping at night, strictly follow a sleep schedule. For example, go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. By having a consistent sleep schedule, you can fix your body’s sleep-wake cycle.

Also, avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bed. They can cause discomfort and disrupt your sleep pattern.