What is the main cause of high blood pressure? What causes high blood pressure? High blood pressure usually develops over time. It can happen because of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity. Certain health conditions, such as diabetes and having obesity, can also increase the risk for developing high blood pressure.

Effective ways to lower your blood pressure

1. Increase activity and exercise more

A meta-analysis of 65 studies suggests that aerobic and resistance exercise can significantly lower blood pressure, especially for men. In a 2013 study, sedentary older adults who participated in aerobic exercise training lowered their blood pressure by an average of 3.9 percent systolic and 4.5 percent diastolic. These results are as good as some blood pressure medications. As you regularly increase your heart and breathing rates, over time your heart gets stronger and pumps with less effort. This puts less pressure on your arteries and lowers your blood pressure. How much activity should you strive for? A 2019 report by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association advises moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity for 40-minute sessions, three to four times per week. If finding 40 minutes at a time is a challenge, there may still be benefits when the time is divided into three or four 10- to 15-minute segments throughout the day. The American College of Sports Medicine makes similar recommendations. But you don’t have to run marathons. Increasing your activity level can be as simple as:

• using the stairs
• walking instead of driving
• doing household chores
• gardening
• going for a bike ride
• playing a team sport
• Just do it regularly and work up to at least half an hour per day of moderate activity.

One example of moderate activity that can have big results is tai chi. A 2017 review on the effects of tai chi and high blood pressure shows an overall average of a 15.6 mm Hg drop in systolic blood pressure and a 10.7 mm Hg drop in diastolic blood pressure compared with no exercise at all. A 2014 review on exercise and lowering blood pressure found that there are many combinations of exercise that can lower blood pressure. These exercises include:

• aerobic exercise
• resistance training
• high-intensity interval training
• short bouts of exercise throughout the day
• walking 10,000 steps a day

2. Lose weight if you’re overweight

If you’re overweight, losing 5 to 10 pounds can reduce your blood pressure. Plus, you’ll lower your risk of other potential medical problems. A review of several studies reports that weight loss diets reduced blood pressure by an average of 3.2 mm Hg diastolic and 4.5 mm Hg systolic.

3. Cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates

Many studies show that restricting sugar and refined carbohydrates can help you lose weight and lower your blood pressure. Sugar, especially fructose, may increase your blood pressure more than salt, according to one 2014 review. In trials lasting at least 8 weeks, sugar increased blood pressure by 5.6 mm Hg diastolic and 6.9 mm Hg systolic. A 2020 study that compared various popular diets found that for people who with more weight or obesity, low carb and low fat diets lowered their diastolic blood pressure by an average of about 5 mm Hg and their systolic blood pressure 3 mm Hg after 6 months. Another benefit of a low carb, low sugar diet is that you feel fuller longer, because you’re consuming more protein and fat.

4. Eat more potassium and less sodium

Increasing your potassium intake and cutting back on salt can also lower your blood pressure. Potassium is a double winner: It lessens the effects of salt in your system and eases tension in your blood vessels. However, diets rich in potassium may be harmful to people with kidney disease, so talk with your doctor before increasing your potassium intake. It’s easy to eat more potassium. So many foods are naturally high in potassium. Here are a few:

• low fat dairy foods, such as milk and yogurt
• fish
• fruits, such as bananas, apricots, avocados, and oranges
• vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, tomatoes, greens, and spinach

The National Institutes of Health recommends reducing salt intake using the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet (17Trusted Source). The DASH diet emphasizes:

• low sodium foods
• fruits and vegetables
• low fat dairy
• whole grains
• fish
• poultry
• beans
• fewer sweets and red meats

5. Eat less processed food

Most of the extra salt in your diet comes from processed foods and foods from restaurants, not your salt shaker at home (18Trusted Source). Popular high salt items include:

• deli meats
• canned soup
• pizza
• chips

other processed snacks

Foods labeled “low fat” are usually high in salt and sugar to compensate for the loss of fat. Fat is what gives food taste and makes you feel full. Cutting down on or even better, cutting out processed food will help you eat less salt, less sugar, and fewer refined carbohydrates. All of this can result in lower blood pressure.

6. Stop smoking

It can be difficult to do, but it’s worth it: Stopping smoking is good for your all-around health. Smoking causes an immediate but temporary increase in your blood pressure and an increase in your heart rate. In the long term, the chemicals in tobacco can increase your blood pressure by damaging your blood vessel walls, causing inflammation, and narrowing your arteries. The hardened arteries cause higher blood pressure. The chemicals in tobacco can affect your blood vessels even if you’re around secondhand smoke. A study showed that nonsmokers who were able to go to smoke-free restaurants, bars, and workplaces had lower blood pressure than nonsmokers in areas that had no smoke-free policies affecting public places.

7. Reduce excess stress

We live in stressful times. Workplace and family demands, national and international politics they all contribute to stress. Finding ways to reduce your own stress is important for your health and your blood pressure. There are lots of ways to successfully relieve stress, so find what works for you. Practice deep breathing, take a walk, read a book, or watch a comedy. Listening to music daily has also been shown to reduce systolic blood pressure. A 20-year study showed that regular sauna use reduced death from heart-related events. And one small 2015 study has shown that acupuncture can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

8. Try meditation or yoga

Mindfulness and meditation, including transcendental meditation, have long been used and studied as methods to reduce stress. Yoga, which commonly involves breathing control, posture, and meditation techniques, can also be effective in reducing stress and blood pressure. A 2013 review on yoga and blood pressure found an average blood pressure decrease of 3.62 mm Hg diastolic and 4.17 mm Hg systolic when compared with those who didn’t exercise. Studies of yoga practices that included breath control, postures, and meditation were nearly twice as effective as yoga practices that didn’t include all three of these elements.

9. Eat some dark chocolate

Yes, chocolate lovers: Dark chocolate has been shown to lower blood pressure. But the dark chocolate should be 60 to 70 percent cacao. A review of studies on dark chocolate has found that eating one to two squares of dark chocolate per day may help lower the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and inflammation. The benefits are thought to come from the flavonoids present in chocolate with more cocoa solids. The flavonoids help dilate, or widen, your blood vessels.

10. Try these medicinal herbs

Herbal medicines have long been used in many cultures to treat a variety of ailments. Some herbs have even been shown to possibly lower blood pressure. However, more research is needed to identify the doses and components in the herbs that are most useful. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal supplements. They may interfere with your prescription medications.