High blood pressure is a common disease that is most dangerous when it rises suddenly to markedly high levels. This can occur unknowingly at night or as we go to bed. Therefore, people with hypertension should make sure the blood pressure is controlled throughout the day. Here are some tips you can try during the day and in the evening:
- Before lunch, do some light exercise such as taking stairs or a short stroll. After lunch, take a brief nap for 20 to 30 minutes. If napping is not possible, find a comfortable position alone and close your eyes to allow the body to relax. This will help regulate the blood pressure for the rest of the afternoon.
- Avoid eating too much at dinner time. For a lot of us, dinner is a festive meal with family and a time to unwind. If we eat too much, we may inadvertently overburden the digestive system and affect our quality of sleep. This would not be conducive to lower blood pressure.
- For dinner, you should eat easily digested food with plenty of liquids so the circulation in the body is well hydrated for the night.
- Watching TV and other gaming activities should be limited to no more than 2 hours. Don’t get too stimulated by the activities.
- Give yourself a little massage in the feet and the calves to increase circulation to the legs. Massage the extremities will increase circulation to these parts of the body and lower overall blood pressure.
- Avoid sleeping pills at all costs. Try your best to let your body drift off to sleep on its own.
- Get up slowly in the morning. Stay in bed for a while and do stretching exercises of your arms, legs, and neck. Let your eyes and brain adjust to the new surroundings before standing up to let your body find the right balance for the rest of the day.
Most people with high blood pressure have no signs or symptoms even if the levels are approaching dangerous levels. If you experience headaches, shortness of breath, blurry vision or chest pain, you should seek consultation with a doctor immediately.